ture refuses to reveal. I do
not believe we shall ever possess the power to increase or diminish the
odor of a flower. I believe that Nature will always reserve to herself
the secret of its creation. The success that we enjoy in the wonderful
cultivation of our fruits and flowers was one of our earliest scientific
conquests."

I learned that their orchards never failed to yield a bounteous harvest.
They had many fruits that were new to me, and some that were new and
greatly improved species of kinds that I had already seen and eaten in
my own or other countries. Nothing that they cultivated was ever without
its own peculiar beauty as well as usefulness. Their orchards, when the
fruit was ripe, presented a picture of unique charm. Their trees were
always trained into graceful shapes, and when the ripe fruit gleamed
through the dark green foliage, every tree looked like a huge bouquet. A
cherry tree that I much admired, and the fruit of which I found
surpassingly delicious, I must allow myself to describe. The cherries
were not surprisingly large, but were of the colors and transparency of
honey. They were seedless, the tree having to be propagated from slips.
When the fruit was ripe the tree looked like a huge ball of pale amber
gems hiding in the shadows of dark pointed leaves.

Their grape arbors were delightful pictures in their season of maturity.
Some vines had clusters of fruit three feet long; but these I was told
were only to show what they _could_ do in grape culture. The usual and
marketable size of a bunch was from one to two pounds weight. The fruit
was always perfect that was offered for sale.

Science had provided the fruit growers of Mizora with permanent
protections from all kinds of blight or decay.

When I considered the wholesomeness of all kinds of food prepared for
the inhabitants of this favored land. I began to think they might owe a
goodly portion of their exceptional health to it, and a large share of
their national amiability to their physical comfort. I made some such
observation to the Preceptress, and she admitted its correctness.

"The first step that my people made toward the eradication of disease
was in the preparation of healthy food; not for the rich, who could
obtain it themselves, but for the whole nation."

I asked for further information and she added:

"Science discovered that mysterious and complicated diseases often had
their origin in adulterated food. People suffered and