TheBean-FieldMeanwhilemybeans，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，earlyandlateI
haveaneyetothem；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，I