Year: 1871


MY SUMNER IN A GARDEN. BY CHsRIks DrpLxr WARNER


limo Do Fields, Osgoot, Co


In vein of quaint natural humor which
has certain Charles Lambike expression in its demure
naIvete the author OF this volume relates his expert
ences as modern Adam describing his Innocent efforts
10 transform patsh Of Connecticut soil INTO Garden
of Eden He takes fair start with his readers in the
assertion that "the love of dirt is among the
earliest Of passions and that long as
we are dirty pure Hence fondness
for the ground is 10 come back to


after he has run the usual round OF secular expe-
rence The Teutonic especially all love tur ana
emgrate only in the line of It's growth. To dig in the
mellow soil is great thing. We get strength out OF the
ground as often touch with hoe. still TO toll
I'm hot day under broiing among the potato rows
affords but slight enohantment Our author for his part
would wisely prefer garden in the shade. He suggests
that II would he comfortable with an awning
stretched over the green expanse Or st better and
less expensive than awning IL would he good way
to have four persons of foreign birth carry
sort Of canopy yOu as YOU hoed. We have
known umbrella used for the same purpose with
excellent eject The hint of the author delightful that
there might hc at each end Of the row with
cool refreshing drink. goblet Of G. II. Mumm's cham
paSne might he appropriate. Mr Warner is an optiins
He has abiding faith in the millennium. He rivals
the sanCune Fronchman who believed that the sea would
day be turned into lemonade. He hopes to see the
time when he do his work the garden rs tragedy





not without the cooling beverages which now please his
fancy He is even now and then the victim Of his own
dclusiOns and the breeze lifts his straw nat ana
bird shakes Summer song from the negnborine cur
ranthush he expects to find the hospable entertain
ren az the end Of the "But," he frankly tells u.s.
"Inever do. There is nothing TO he done but TO turn
round and hoe back 10 the other end" Mr warner Is
deeply impressed with the moral qualities OF vegetables
He proposes to himself the laudable enterprise OF
erecting comparative vegetable morality into
science which shall rank with comparative an
atony and comparative phil0logy. In TINS age
of protoplasm this would DC stupendOus achieve
ment. As life matter is the same in all forms OF


life lie has resolved TO ascertain the nature OF the pants
for which he responsible, and not TO keep company
with any disreputabe vegetable. He Will not he seen
much with the squashes or dead-beets which have no
quality that contribute TO his moral growth But he
finds comfort in the idea that he can any sorts
which not like with the hoe and commit no more
sin than the Christians did in lhewng down the
Jews in the middle ages. We sorry TO see that
he chcrshes certain unworthy preiudces in the vegea
BILE world. He inyeighs with more than Pythagorean
hatred against beans There dignity in that nuiri-
tious egume. You put beans into poetry nor
into the highest kind Of prose. Corn is the child OF
song, and waves in all literature. But mix it with
beans. and its high tone is gone. Even succotaSh
j. vulgar. because the bean is in it, 1t is veget-
able without culture any favor Of high society.
Ii shows signs Of an gulated life. You get





the air with unblushng wanonness More than half the
authors Lima beans though the most attractive sort
of poles which budded like Aaron rod, went galvantng
of the ncghborng grape-trclls with disregard OF
The propreties Of life which satire upon human nature
The cucumber too, has other merit than It's Wild
ness As soon as it rpens becomes good for nothing
1t is q sort OF low comedian in company where the
melon Is q minor gentleman. Mr.. Warner has no faith
in running garden on DarwDs principle Of natural Sc
lection Nothing would tempt him 20 leave his VeSe-
tables and weeds free fight II only the stronger
specimens should come to maturity, he Is
clear that he would have a pretty mess OF IT,
Ncxt to rambling with the author through
his garden, is the pleasure OF reading his spicy
descriptions in this volume. He is one OF the most
delightful companions that you will meet with on a
Summer day or at the Winter resde You cannot open
his book without lighting on something fresh and
fragrant Every page abOunds with mellow and juicy
fruits showing that whatever success may attend his
use Of the and the spade he knows how TO handle
the pen with admirable effect