Julian’s family plants a garden with several kinds of produce, including corn that is supposed to grow 20 feet tall and vining beans that can be used to make a “house of flowers” (32). Ralph tells Julian and Huey they’re responsible for the corn and beans, respectively.

They plant the garden on a Saturday and then bathe and eat dinner. Huey falls asleep, but Julian goes outside to look at the garden, sensing the catalog cats on the garage roof and encouraging the seeds to grow.

The plants grow, and the family starts harvesting and eating the produce. The corn and beans grow as advertised, but while the beans are plentiful and delicious, the corn is sparse and almost inedible.