ho walk
in the light of ten thousand years of human achievements.

It need not be said that I was intensely interested in the study of this
phenomenal world which I will call Ploid. I went from one portion of the
planet to another, continually remaining invisible. After I had
witnessed the unequaled sights, I paused to complete my memoranda and
now, as I review my jottings, I am at a loss to know what few things I
should select to try to make intelligible to my fellow-men who live on
this infinitesimal speck which is our world. First, let me call
attention to:

THEIR TRIUMPHS IN THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM.

The people of Ploid have in their possession a remarkable line of
fertilizers, not in the form of ground bones, but acidulous juices.
These juices were improved for three thousand years until there was a
particular liquid suited to each separate class of vegetables.

As used at the present time, a certain amount of the growth-acid is
poured directly about the seed at the time of planting. This acid has a
magical effect upon the soil and it is possible, by repeated
fertilizing, to raise in two weeks a crop of zoftas, a vegetable similar
to our potatoes. For raising a crop in two weeks the fertilizer costs
one-half the value of the zoftas, and for maturing a crop in four weeks
the fertilizer costs about three-eighths of the value of the zoftas.

Thus it is possible to raise six of these crops in one of our years.
This law obtains throughout the whole vegetable creation. However, in
ordinary circumstances, the stimulating acid is used in very light
quantities. The people have learned by experience that vegetables have a
better flavor when they have been brought to maturity by the slower
processes.

These wonderful fertilizers are a blessed boon in the time of "crop
failures," for then the same crop can be grown anew from the seed and
hurried to maturity before the close of the season.

The curse of the vegetable worms has been reduced to a minimum on this
world of Ploid. The chemists have labored patiently for one thousand
years to produce a substance that will not destroy vegetable seed and at
the same time kill all forms of parasites. The results have been
gratifying, and with considerable pleasure I viewed a garden of the
various odd-shaped vegetables that are grown, without being repulsed at
the sight of such crawling specimens as tomato and cabbage worms.

The happiest result of this worm-killing substance is