THE AMATEUR GARDEN 



when permitted to branch low, are, to under- 

 growth, among the most inhospitable of trees, 

 but in this garden, where the sunlight and the 

 breezes passed abundantly under such high- 

 lifted arms and among such clean, bare stems, a 

 congregation of shrubs, undershrubs and plants 

 of every stature and breadth, arose, flourished 

 and flowered without stint. Yonder the wind- 

 split, fathom-long leaves of the banana, bright- 

 ening the background, arched upward, drooped 

 again and faintly oscillated to the air's caress. 

 Here bloomed and smelled the delicate magnolia 

 f uscata, and here, redder with flowers than green 

 with shining leaves, shone the camellia. Here 

 spread the dark oleander, the pittosporum and 

 the Chinese privet; and here were the camphor- 

 tree and the slender sweet olive — we have 

 named them all before and our steps should 

 not take us over the same ground twice in one 

 circuit; that would be bad gardening. But 

 there they were, under those ordinarily so in- 

 tolerant trees, prospering and singing praises 

 with them, some in full blossom and perfume, 

 some waiting their turn, like parts of a choir. 



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