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Meanwhilemybeans,thelengthofwhoserows,addedtogether,wassevenmilesalreadyplanted,wereimpatienttobehoed,fortheearliesthadgrownconsiderablybeforethelatestwereintheground;indeedtheywerenoteasilytobeputoff.
Whatwasthemeaningofthissosteadyandself–respecting,thissmallHerculeanlabor,Iknewnot.
Icametolovemyrows,mybeans,thoughsomanymorethanIwanted.
Theyattachedmetotheearth,andsoIgotstrengthlikeAntaeus.ButwhyshouldIraisethem?OnlyHeavenknows.
Thiswasmycuriouslaborallsummer—tomakethisportionoftheearth'ssurface,whichhadyieldedonlycinquefoil,blackberries,johnswort,andthelike,before,sweetwildfruitsandpleasantflowers,produceinsteadthispulse.
WhatshallIlearnofbeansorbeansofme?
Icherishthem,Ihoethem,earlyandlateIhaveaneyetothem;andthisismyday'swork.Itisafinebroadleaftolookon.
Myauxiliariesarethedewsandrainswhichwaterthisdrysoil,andwhatfertilityisinthesoilitself,whichforthemostpartisleanandeffete.
Myenemiesareworms,cooldays,andmostofallwoodchucks.
Thelasthavenibbledformeaquarterofanacreclean.
ButwhatrighthadItooustjohnswortandtherest,andbreakuptheirancientherbgarden?
Soon,however,theremainingbeanswillbetootoughforthem,andgoforwardtomeetnewfoes.
WhenIwasfouryearsold,asIwellremember,IwasbroughtfromBostontothismynativetown,throughtheseverywoodsandthisfield,tothepond.
Itisoneoftheoldestscenesstampedonmymemory.
Andnowto–nightmyflutehaswakedtheechoesoverthatverywater.
ThepinesstillstandhereolderthanI;or,ifsomehavefallen,Ihavecookedmysupperwiththeirstumps,andanewgrowthisrisingallaround,preparinganotheraspectfornewinfanteyes.
Almostthesamejohnswortspringsfromthesameperennialrootinthispasture,andevenIhaveatlengthhelpedtoclothethatfabulouslandscapeofmyinfantdreams,andoneoftheresultsofmypresenceandinfluenceisseeninthesebeanleaves,cornblades,andpotatovines.
Iplantedabouttwoacresandahalfofupland;andasitwasonlyaboutfifteenyearssincethelandwascleared,andImyselfhadgotouttwoorthreecordsofstumps,Ididnotgiveitanymanure;butinthecourseofthesummeritappearedbythearrowheadswhichIturnedupinhoeing,thatanextinctnationhadancientlydwelthereandplantedcornandbeanserewhitemencametocleartheland,andso,tosomeextent,hadexhaustedthesoilforthisverycrop.
Beforeyetanywoodchuckorsquirrelhadrunacrosstheroad,orthesunhadgotabovetheshruboaks,whileallthedewwason,thoughthefarmerswarnedmeagainstit—Iwouldadviseyoutodoallyourworkifpossiblewhilethedewison—Ibegantoleveltheranksofhaughtyweedsinmybean–fieldandthrowdustupontheirheads.
EarlyinthemorningIworkedbarefooted,dabblinglikeaplasticartistinthedewyandcrumblingsand,butlaterinthedaythesunblisteredmyfeet.
Therethesunlightedmetohoebeans,pacingslowlybackwardandforwardoverthatyellowgravellyupland,betweenthelonggreenrows,fifteenrods,theoneendterminatinginashruboakcopsewhereIcouldrestintheshade,theotherinablackberryfieldwherethegreenberriesdeepenedtheirtintsbythetimeIhadmadeanotherbout.
Removingtheweeds,puttingfreshsoilaboutthebeanstems,andencouragingthisweedwhichIhadsown,makingtheyellowsoilexpressitssummerthoughtinbeanleavesandblossomsratherthaninwormwoodandpiperandmilletgrass,makingtheearthsaybeansinsteadofgrass—thiswasmydailywork.
AsIhadlittleaidfromhorsesorcattle,orhiredmenorboys,orimprovedimplementsofhusbandry,Iwasmuchslower,andbecamemuchmoreintimatewithmybeansthanusual.
Butlaborofthehands,evenwhenpursuedtothevergeofdrudgery,isperhapsnevertheworstformofidleness.
Ithasaconstantandimperishablemoral,andtothescholarityieldsaclassicresult.
AveryagricolalaboriosuswasItotravellersboundwestwardthroughLincolnandWaylandtonobodyknowswhere;theysittingattheireaseingigs,withelbowsonknees,andreinslooselyhanginginfestoons;Ithehome–staying,laboriousnativeofthesoil.
Butsoonmyhomesteadwasoutoftheirsightandthought.
Itwastheonlyopenandcultivatedfieldforagreatdistanceoneithersideoftheroad,sotheymadethemostofit;andsometimesthemaninthefieldheardmoreoftravellers'gossipandcommentthanwasmeantforhisear:"Beanssolate!peassolate!"
—forIcontinuedtoplantwhenothershadbeguntohoe—theministerialhusbandmanhadnotsuspectedit.
"Corn,myboy,forfodder;cornforfodder.""Doeshelivethere?"
askstheblackbonnetofthegraycoat;andthehard–featuredfarmerreinsuphisgratefuldobbintoinquirewhatyouaredoingwhereheseesnomanureinthefurrow,andrecommendsalittlechipdirt,oranylittlewastestuff,oritmaybeashesorplaster.
Buthereweretwoacresandahalfoffurrows,andonlyahoeforcartandtwohandstodrawit—therebeinganaversiontoothercartsandhorses—andchipdirtfaraway.
Fellow–travellersastheyrattledbycompareditaloudwiththefieldswhichtheyhadpassed,sothatIcametoknowhowIstoodintheagriculturalworld.
ThiswasonefieldnotinMr.Coleman'sreport.
And,bytheway,whoestimatesthevalueofthecropwhichnatureyieldsinthestillwilderfieldsunimprovedbyman?
ThecropofEnglishhayiscarefullyweighed,themoisturecalculated,thesilicatesandthepotash;butinalldellsandpond–holesinthewoodsandpasturesandswampsgrowsarichandvariouscroponlyunreapedbyman.
Minewas,asitwere,theconnectinglinkbetweenwildandcultivatedfields;assomestatesarecivilized,andothershalf–civilized,andotherssavageorbarbarous,somyfieldwas,thoughnotinabadsense,ahalf–cultivatedfield.
TheywerebeanscheerfullyreturningtotheirwildandprimitivestatethatIcultivated,andmyhoeplayedtheRansdesVachesforthem.
Nearathand,uponthetopmostsprayofabirch,singsthebrownthrasher—orredmavis,assomelovetocallhim—allthemorning,gladofyoursociety,thatwouldfindoutanotherfarmer'sfieldifyourswerenothere.
Whileyouareplantingtheseed,hecries—"Dropit,dropit—coveritup,coveritup—pullitup,pullitup,pullitup."
Butthiswasnotcorn,andsoitwassafefromsuchenemiesashe.
Youmaywonderwhathisrigmarole,hisamateurPaganiniperformancesononestringorontwenty,havetodowithyourplanting,andyetpreferittoleachedashesorplaster.
ItwasacheapsortoftopdressinginwhichIhadentirefaith.
AsIdrewastillfreshersoilabouttherowswithmyhoe,Idisturbedtheashesofunchroniclednationswhoinprimevalyearslivedundertheseheavens,andtheirsmallimplementsofwarandhuntingwerebroughttothelightofthismodernday.
Theylaymingledwithothernaturalstones,someofwhichborethemarksofhavingbeenburnedbyIndianfires,andsomebythesun,andalsobitsofpotteryandglassbroughthitherbytherecentcultivatorsofthesoil.
Whenmyhoetinkledagainstthestones,thatmusicechoedtothewoodsandthesky,andwasanaccompanimenttomylaborwhichyieldedaninstantandimmeasurablecrop.
ItwasnolongerbeansthatIhoed,norIthathoedbeans;andIrememberedwithasmuchpityaspride,ifIrememberedatall,myacquaintanceswhohadgonetothecitytoattendtheoratorios.
Thenighthawkcircledoverheadinthesunnyafternoons—forIsometimesmadeadayofit—likeamoteintheeye,orinheaven'seye,fallingfromtimetotimewithaswoopandasoundasiftheheavenswererent,tornatlasttoveryragsandtatters,andyetaseamlesscoperemained;smallimpsthatfilltheairandlaytheireggsonthegroundonbaresandorrocksonthetopsofhills,wherefewhavefoundthem;gracefulandslenderlikeripplescaughtupfromthepond,asleavesareraisedbythewindtofloatintheheavens;suchkindredshipisinnature.
Thehawkisaerialbrotherofthewavewhichhesailsoverandsurveys,thosehisperfectair–inflatedwingsansweringtotheelementalunfledgedpinionsofthesea.
OrsometimesIwatchedapairofhen–hawkscirclinghighinthesky,alternatelysoaringanddescending,approaching,andleavingoneanother,asiftheyweretheembodimentofmyownthoughts.
OrIwasattractedbythepassageofwildpigeonsfromthiswoodtothat,withaslightquiveringwinnowingsoundandcarrierhaste;orfromunderarottenstumpmyhoeturnedupasluggishportentousandoutlandishspottedsalamander,atraceofEgyptandtheNile,yetourcontemporary.
WhenIpausedtoleanonmyhoe,thesesoundsandsightsIheardandsawanywhereintherow,apartoftheinexhaustibleentertainmentwhichthecountryoffers.
Ongaladaysthetownfiresitsgreatguns,whichecholikepopgunstothesewoods,andsomewaifsofmartialmusicoccasionallypenetratethusfar.
Tome,awaythereinmybean–fieldattheotherendofthetown,thebiggunssoundedasifapuffballhadburst;andwhentherewasamilitaryturnoutofwhichIwasignorant,Ihavesometimeshadavaguesenseallthedayofsomesortofitchinganddiseaseinthehorizon,asifsomeeruptionwouldbreakouttheresoon,eitherscarlatinaorcanker–rash,untilatlengthsomemorefavorablepuffofwind,makinghasteoverthefieldsanduptheWaylandroad,broughtmeinformationofthe"trainers."
Itseemedbythedistanthumasifsomebody'sbeeshadswarmed,andthattheneighbors,accordingtoVirgil'sadvice,byafainttintinnabulumuponthemostsonorousoftheirdomesticutensils,wereendeavoringtocallthemdownintothehiveagain.
Andwhenthesounddiedquiteaway,andthehumhadceased,andthemostfavorablebreezestoldnotale,IknewthattheyhadgotthelastdroneofthemallsafelyintotheMiddlesexhive,andthatnowtheirmindswerebentonthehoneywithwhichitwassmeared.
IfeltproudtoknowthatthelibertiesofMassachusettsandofourfatherlandwereinsuchsafekeeping;andasIturnedtomyhoeingagainIwasfilledwithaninexpressibleconfidence,andpursuedmylaborcheerfullywithacalmtrustinthefuture.
Whentherewereseveralbandsofmusicians,itsoundedasifallthevillagewasavastbellowsandallthebuildingsexpandedandcollapsedalternatelywithadin.
Butsometimesitwasareallynobleandinspiringstrainthatreachedthesewoods,andthetrumpetthatsingsoffame,andIfeltasifIcouldspitaMexicanwithagoodrelish—forwhyshouldwealwaysstandfortrifles?
—andlookedroundforawoodchuckoraskunktoexercisemychivalryupon.
ThesemartialstrainsseemedasfarawayasPalestine,andremindedmeofamarchofcrusadersinthehorizon,withaslighttantivyandtremulousmotionoftheelmtreetopswhichoverhangthevillage.
Thiswasoneofthegreatdays;thoughtheskyhadfrommyclearingonlythesameeverlastinglygreatlookthatitwearsdaily,andIsawnodifferenceinit.
ItwasasingularexperiencethatlongacquaintancewhichIcultivatedwithbeans,whatwithplanting,andhoeing,andharvesting,andthreshing,andpickingoverandsellingthem—thelastwasthehardestofall—Imightaddeating,forIdidtaste.Iwasdeterminedtoknowbeans.
Whentheyweregrowing,Iusedtohoefromfiveo'clockinthemorningtillnoon,andcommonlyspenttherestofthedayaboutotheraffairs.
Considertheintimateandcuriousacquaintanceonemakeswithvariouskindsofweeds—itwillbearsomeiterationintheaccount,fortherewasnolittleiterationinthelabor—disturbingtheirdelicateorganizationssoruthlessly,andmakingsuchinvidiousdistinctionswithhishoe,levellingwholeranksofonespecies,andsedulouslycultivatinganother.
That'sRomanwormwood—that'spigweed—that'ssorrel—that'spiper–grass—haveathim,chophimup,turnhisrootsupwardtothesun,don'tlethimhaveafibreintheshade,ifyoudohe'llturnhimselft'othersideupandbeasgreenasaleekintwodays.
Alongwar,notwithcranes,butwithweeds,thoseTrojanswhohadsunandrainanddewsontheirside.
Dailythebeanssawmecometotheirrescuearmedwithahoe,andthintheranksoftheirenemies,fillingupthetrencheswithweedydead.
Manyalustycrest—wavingHector,thattoweredawholefootabovehiscrowdingcomrades,fellbeforemyweaponandrolledinthedust.
ThosesummerdayswhichsomeofmycontemporariesdevotedtothefineartsinBostonorRome,andotherstocontemplationinIndia,andotherstotradeinLondonorNewYork,Ithus,withtheotherfarmersofNewEngland,devotedtohusbandry.
NotthatIwantedbeanstoeat,forIambynatureaPythagorean,sofarasbeansareconcerned,whethertheymeanporridgeorvoting,andexchangedthemforrice;but,perchance,assomemustworkinfieldsifonlyforthesakeoftropesandexpression,toserveaparable–makeroneday.
Itwasonthewholearareamusement,which,continuedtoolong,mighthavebecomeadissipation.
ThoughIgavethemnomanure,anddidnothoethemallonce,IhoedthemunusualywellasfarasIwent,andwaspaidforitintheend,"therebeingintruth,"asEvelynsays,"nocompostorlaetationwhatsoevercomparabletothiscontinualmotion,repastination,andturningofthemouldwiththespade."
"Theearth,"headdselsewhere,"especiallyiffresh,hasacertainmagnetisminit,bywhichitattractsthesalt,power,orvirtue(calliteither)whichgivesitlife,andisthelogicofallthelaborandstirwekeepaboutit,tosustainus;alldungingsandothersordidtemperingsbeingbutthevicarssuccedaneoustothisimprovement."
Moreover,thisbeingoneofthose"worn–outandexhaustedlayfieldswhichenjoytheirsabbath,"hadperchance,asSirKenelmDigbythinkslikely,attracted"vitalspirits"fromtheair.Iharvestedtwelvebushelsofbeans.
Buttobemoreparticular,foritiscomplainedthatMr.Colemanhasreportedchieflytheexpensiveexperimentsofgentlemenfarmers,myoutgoeswere,—
Forahoe...................................$0.54
Plowing,harrowing,andfurrowing............7.50 Toomuch.
Beansforseed...............................3.12+
Potatoesforseed............................1.33
Peasforseed................................0.40
Turnipseed..................................0.06
Whitelineforcrowfence....................0.02
Horsecultivatorandboythreehours.........1.00
Horseandcarttogetcrop...................0.75
————
Inall..................................$14.72+
Myincomewas(patremfamiliasvendacem,nonemacemesseoportet),from
Ninebushelsandtwelvequartsofbeanssold..$16.94
Five   "largepotatoes.....................2.50
Nine   "small..............................2.25
Grass...........................................1.00
Stalks..........................................0.75
———–
Inall....................................$23.44
Leavingapecuniaryprofit,
asIhaveelsewheresaid,of..............$8.71+
Thisistheresultofmyexperienceinraisingbeans:PlantthecommonsmallwhitebushbeanaboutthefirstofJune,inrowsthreefeetbyeighteeninchesapart,beingcarefultoselectfreshroundandunmixedseed.
Firstlookoutforworms,andsupplyvacanciesbyplantinganew.
Thenlookoutforwoodchucks,ifitisanexposedplace,fortheywillnibbleofftheearliesttenderleavesalmostcleanastheygo;andagain,whentheyoungtendrilsmaketheirappearance,theyhavenoticeofit,andwillshearthemoffwithbothbudsandyoungpods,sittingerectlikeasquirrel.
Butaboveallharvestasearlyaspossible,ifyouwouldescapefrostsandhaveafairandsalablecrop;youmaysavemuchlossbythismeans.
ThisfurtherexperiencealsoIgained:Isaidtomyself,Iwillnotplantbeansandcornwithsomuchindustryanothersummer,butsuchseeds,iftheseedisnotlost,assincerity,truth,simplicity,faith,innocence,andthelike,andseeiftheywillnotgrowinthissoil,evenwithlesstoilandmanurance,andsustainme,forsurelyithasnotbeenexhaustedforthesecrops.Alas!
Isaidthistomyself;butnowanothersummerisgone,andanother,andanother,andIamobligedtosaytoyou,Reader,thattheseedswhichIplanted,ifindeedtheyweretheseedsofthosevirtues,werewormeatenorhadlosttheirvitality,andsodidnotcomeup.
Commonlymenwillonlybebraveastheirfatherswerebrave,ortimid.
ThisgenerationisverysuretoplantcornandbeanseachnewyearpreciselyastheIndiansdidcenturiesagoandtaughtthefirstsettlerstodo,asiftherewereafateinit.
Isawanoldmantheotherday,tomyastonishment,makingtheholeswithahoefortheseventiethtimeatleast,andnotforhimselftoliedownin!
ButwhyshouldnottheNewEnglandertrynewadventures,andnotlaysomuchstressonhisgrain,hispotatoandgrasscrop,andhisorchards—raiseothercropsthanthese?
Whyconcernourselvessomuchaboutourbeansforseed,andnotbeconcernedatallaboutanewgenerationofmen?
WeshouldreallybefedandcheeredifwhenwemetamanweweresuretoseethatsomeofthequalitieswhichIhavenamed,whichweallprizemorethanthoseotherproductions,butwhichareforthemostpartbroadcastandfloatingintheair,hadtakenrootandgrowninhim.
Herecomessuchasubtileandineffablequality,forinstance,astruthorjustice,thoughtheslightestamountornewvarietyofit,alongtheroad.
Ourambassadorsshouldbeinstructedtosendhomesuchseedsasthese,andCongresshelptodistributethemoveralltheland.
Weshouldneverstanduponceremonywithsincerity.
Weshouldnevercheatandinsultandbanishoneanotherbyourmeanness,iftherewerepresentthekernelofworthandfriendliness.Weshouldnotmeetthusinhaste.
MostmenIdonotmeetatall,fortheyseemnottohavetime;theyarebusyabouttheirbeans.
Wewouldnotdealwithamanthusploddingever,leaningonahoeoraspadeasastaffbetweenhiswork,notasamushroom,butpartiallyrisenoutoftheearth,somethingmorethanerect,likeswallowsalightedandwalkingontheground:—
"Andashespake,hiswingswouldnowandthen
Spread,ashemeanttofly,thencloseagain—"
sothatweshouldsuspectthatwemightbeconversingwithanangel.
Breadmaynotalwaysnourishus;butitalwaysdoesusgood,iteventakesstiffnessoutofourjoints,andmakesussuppleandbuoyant,whenweknewnotwhatailedus,torecognizeanygenerosityinmanorNature,toshareanyunmixedandheroicjoy.
Ancientpoetryandmythologysuggest,atleast,thathusbandrywasonceasacredart;butitispursuedwithirreverenthasteandheedlessnessbyus,ourobjectbeingtohavelargefarmsandlargecropsmerely.
Wehavenofestival,norprocession,norceremony,notexceptingourcattle–showsandso–calledThanksgivings,bywhichthefarmerexpressesasenseofthesacrednessofhiscalling,orisremindedofitssacredorigin.
Itisthepremiumandthefeastwhichtempthim.
HesacrificesnottoCeresandtheTerrestrialJove,buttotheinfernalPlutusrather.
Byavariceandselfishness,andagrovellinghabit,fromwhichnoneofusisfree,ofregardingthesoilasproperty,orthemeansofacquiringpropertychiefly,thelandscapeisdeformed,husbandryisdegradedwithus,andthefarmerleadsthemeanestoflives.HeknowsNaturebutasarobber.
Catosaysthattheprofitsofagricultureareparticularlypiousorjust(maximequepiusquaestus),andaccordingtoVarrotheoldRomans"calledthesameearthMotherandCeres,andthoughtthattheywhocultivateditledapiousandusefullife,andthattheyalonewereleftoftheraceofKingSaturn."
Wearewonttoforgetthatthesunlooksonourcultivatedfieldsandontheprairiesandforestswithoutdistinction.
Theyallreflectandabsorbhisraysalike,andtheformermakebutasmallpartofthegloriouspicturewhichhebeholdsinhisdailycourse.
Inhisviewtheearthisallequallycultivatedlikeagarden.
Thereforeweshouldreceivethebenefitofhislightandheatwithacorrespondingtrustandmagnanimity.
WhatthoughIvaluetheseedofthesebeans,andharvestthatinthefalloftheyear?
ThisbroadfieldwhichIhavelookedatsolonglooksnottomeastheprincipalcultivator,butawayfrommetoinfluencesmoregenialtoit,whichwaterandmakeitgreen.
Thesebeanshaveresultswhicharenotharvestedbyme.Dotheynotgrowforwoodchuckspartly?
Theearofwheat(inLatinspica,obsoletelyspeca,fromspe,hope)shouldnotbetheonlyhopeofthehusbandman;itskernelorgrain(granumfromgerendo,bearing)isnotallthatitbears.How,then,canourharvestfail?
ShallInotrejoicealsoattheabundanceoftheweedswhoseseedsarethegranaryofthebirds?
Itmatterslittlecomparativelywhetherthefieldsfillthefarmer'sbarns.
Thetruehusbandmanwillceasefromanxiety,asthesquirrelsmanifestnoconcernwhetherthewoodswillbearchestnutsthisyearornot,andfinishhislaborwitheveryday,relinquishingallclaimtotheproduceofhisfields,andsacrificinginhismindnotonlyhisfirstbuthislastfruitsalso.
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