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But I couldn't believe that this disaster was due only to insufficient sunlight. As a regularly successful gardener, I knew that sunlight was vital, but my corn looked well, malnourished.
我認為這不僅僅是陽光不足造成的。我在園藝方面一向還比較擅長，根據經驗，我知道陽光是最關鍵的因素，但是我的玉米看起來很好，就是有點營養不良。
I read the back of the seed packet again. Plant in warm ground in a sunny area. The crumpled packet also said that the corn would be ready for harvest in eighty-two days. It further informed me that the seed company had a long tradition of good seeds. But it did not explain why my corn looked like it had been on a forty day fast.
我又看了一遍種子包裝袋后面的說明：種在溫暖向陽的地方。已被弄皺了的包裝袋上還寫著：可以在82天后收獲玉米。它還告知我這家種子公司長久以來都生產好種子，但是包裝袋上沒說明為什么我的玉米看起來像是經歷了40天的齋戒。
It turned out that my corn had indeed been on a fast. A forced fast. A fast caused by my ignorance and by my eagerness to plant and unwillingness to study and learn about my crops before I planted them. I asked a garden club I had just begun attending if they had any idea why my corn had been such a spectacular failure. The patron of the club smiled and asked me if I had used nitrogen.
事實證明，我的玉米確實是在禁食，但它是被迫禁食。是由于我的無知和急于種植造成的，是由于種植之前，我不愿意去學習和研究該如何種植這種莊稼造成的。我之前剛加入了一個菜園倶樂部，我向俱樂部咨詢，問他們是否知道我種植的玉米為什么會如此失敗。倶樂部的一位老會員笑著問我是否用過氮肥。
"Nitrogen?"
“氮肥？”
"Corn is basically a fruitful grass," he rumbled. "Grass absolutely needs nitrogen. You can get nitrogen pellets at the seed shop."
“玉米從本質上說是一種多產禾本科植物”，他用低沉的聲音說，“這種植物一定要用氮肥，你可以去種子店買些氮肥。”
"Nitrogen?"
“氮肥？”
He nodded, taking a bite from a club member's home grown apple. "You've gotta have it. Otherwise, your corn won't come out."
他點點頭，咬了一口由一名俱樂部會員帶來的自家種的蘋果，接著說道：“一定要施些氮肥。否則，你的玉米長不好的。”
