CHILDREN'S GARDENS 
v 
iS8 
there is little chance of a crop. I have had all 
my medlars taken by them, but I was so fond 
of the birds that I always forgave them ; they 
looked so sweet, chirping on the trees or hop¬ 
ping about. Robins are the tamest of all birds, 
and I do not think they do any damage. They 
will come quite close and beg for worms as the 
new soil is turned up. If there are none in 
sight, I have often called a robin down by 
clicking two coins together—a sixpence tapped 
on a shilling does best; but of course every 
child knows that salt on the tail does best of 
all! The sound of coins is very like a robin’s 
call-note,and they will generally answer, thinking 
a friend is looking for them, and will hop near 
where the sound comes from, hunting about for 
some strange kind of robin. 
Hitherto I have only told you about flower 
gardens, as most children would like to grow 
flowers best, with perhaps one fruit tree for the 
fun of eating the ripe fruit. But a small plot 
might be laid out as a kitchen instead of a 
flower garden, and afford a great deal of 
pleasure and work. But there is perhaps 
greater disappointment in the failure to pro¬ 
duce vegetables, as not only is there the sorrow 
of seeing the plants die or dwindle away if they 
do not flourish, but there is the regret of not 
being able to eat them too. 
