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BIRDS I A THE GARDEN. 



for this labor, which formed almost his only means of 

 support. 



Operations began early in the spring. The land re- 

 ceived a good dressing, and then it was thoroughly 

 plowed. This last work was done by the combined 

 efforts of two men, two horses, and a heavy plow. 

 Hester, carefully wrapped up, sat on a chair under a 

 tree and conveyed her orders to the men to plow very 

 deep, by means of her trusty henchman She had 

 mildly begged for a sub-soil plow, but that was an un- 

 heard-of innovation, so she had let this pass. 



Peas were planted the first week in April and gave a 

 fine "mess" June 17. Those planted a little later did 

 their share towards the regulation Fourth of July din- 

 ner of New England — roast lamb and green peas. 



A little cold frame gave radishes and lettuce an early 

 start. The planting of corn, beans, squashes, melons, 

 and many other kinds of seeds followed in due succes- 

 sion. The 24th of May was selected for planting lima 

 beans, and the 20th of June saw the last planting of 

 sweet corn. 



It is needless to say that during the first year many 

 experiments were tried, and many strange and curious 

 plants and seeds introduced into the garden ; but with 

 failures and successes came much practical knowledge, 

 and the whole place took on an aspect of new life. The 

 pear and apple trees were scraped and pruned, the 

 grape vines also ; the currant and gooseberry bushes 

 were reset ; the blackberry and raspberry canes receiv- 

 ed proper treatment ; a large strawberry bed was set 

 out ; even the flower garden was attended to. The man 

 worked early and late, and tried faithfully to obey each 

 order; but you may ask, " What was Hester doing?" 

 Well, she was helping, and every day grew stronger 

 and better able to do the share of work she had taken 

 upon herself. She visited the garden many times each 

 day, and looked after the old man. She weeded here 

 and there, where he said there was not room for his 

 bog-trotter feet. She planted the more delicate seeds 

 and transplanted many plants After a time she found 

 herself able to work, at least stay out in the garden, for 

 several hours each day. She watched with ever in- 

 creasing interest the growth of everything in her gar- 

 den. She gathered all the sirawberries, gooseberries, 

 and raspberries with her own hands. She provided the 

 vegetables for each day's dinner. Who so proud as 



she of the delicious lima beans, though her father did 

 say he guessed they cost Jii?i! about three cents apiece ! 

 This interest continued the entire season, from first 

 planting to final harvesting. I do not mean to say that 

 there were no disappointments ; there were many . Moth 

 and rust did corrupt, and thieves break through and 

 steal even the cherished first fruits of tree, vine, and 

 strawberry bed. 



Late frosts touched early beans ; insects of all kinds 

 encamped round about the devoted garden ; cats and 

 dogs unnumbered chose it for their stamping ground ; 

 an occasional breachy cow or even active horse wan- 

 dered therein ; and the omnipresent neighbor's hens 

 scratched as though they had sure expectations of reach- 

 ing China, which appeared to be a greatly longed-for 

 haven. The ancient one was over-fond of twisting 

 between finger and thumb an unoffending plant, saying 

 "This thing is dead," and finding it, as it broke, green 

 and well alive. When his single ocular was not focussed 

 just right, many a little seedling fell under his too 

 vigorous hoe. 



But take it all in all, Hester's experiment did succeed, 

 and is succeeding yet, after five years' trial. Even in 

 the winter, gardening has its interests ; seeds must be 

 sorted and labeled for spring, and new ones bought ; the 

 ever increasing crop of catalogues must be consulted ; a 

 new division of the garden planned, so that the same 

 vegetable will not be grown in the same place twice. The 

 squash and pumpkin pies, the beans and corn, the 

 many preserves, remind Hester often of her dear 

 garden. 



Last year she felt so strong and well that rising at six 

 o'clock to pick strawberries for breakfast was a delight. 

 The expense of this experiment has not been great, and 

 she often feels that if it were necessary, she could make 

 some money by it after all, for there is often much 

 garden produce to give away. Once she did sell two 

 pecks of fine beans to a passing market gardener who 

 admired them ; then she -was proud ! I trust that this 

 true account of Hester's experiment will prove of help 

 and inspiration to other women in similar circumstances. 

 At least give it a trial ; you will never regret it. Feel 

 sure that it will prove of benefit to you in many ways, 

 open to you a new avenue of pleasure, and reveal some 

 of the manifold works of Nature, and the provisions of 

 Nature for the restoration of health. L. R. 



BIRDS IN THE GARDEN. 



PROTECT THE BIRDS DO ENGLISH SPARROWS DRIVE AWAY NATIVE BIRDS SPARROWS AND SPARROW LAWS. 



THE immense good our birds do in orchards, well-known "small boy," destruction of the migrants 



gardens and fields is more and more ap- by light houses and electric lights in our large towns 



parent, but only too slowly do people come and cities, the wholesale slaughter by pot-hunters, 



to the conclusion that they heed to be diminish their numbers constantly. Birds alone 



protected. In many districts they are much rarer are able to fight the innumerable army of insect 



than they were 15 and 20 years ago, a result of pests. 



their continual persecution. Nest robbing by the The unintelligent observer sees when the Baltimore 



