My Garden in Spring 



then get to work, and off come the two outer tines, and I 

 have a lovely giant's toothpick that almost always accom- 

 panies me when in the garden. Hark to a list of its virtuous 

 uses. It goes to the root of the evil in cases of Dandelions 

 and Docks unlike any other weapon : a plunge, a twist, and 

 the tap-rooted fiend lies vanquished at my feet. More 

 gently and lovingly inserted, it fetches up a choice bulb, a 

 rogue among the Tulips, or a new seedling of great price 

 and depth. Again, when the gardening visitor comes with 

 a basket and wants a bit of something good, nothing 

 removes a side crown so neatly, without disturbing the 

 main plant, or so unerringly extracts the very piece your 

 critical eye selects as best spared, and your affection for 

 your guest settles the extent of, as this two-pronged 

 walking-stick. It nearly got patented and put on the 

 market by an enterprising firm who read Mr. Donald 

 McDonald's praises of it after a visit here, and I gave 

 measurements and inspected models, but the Bowles Fork 

 has not appeared, and being so easily made from the four- 

 tined variety is perhaps not yet needed. 



I have a very superior form of Scilla bifolia here, that 

 we call var. taurica. It was given me many years ago 

 by Dr. Lowe of Wimbledon, one of the many mementoes 

 I possess of his kindness and generosity, and a very 

 pleasant friendship that has left many marks of betterment 

 on me and my garden. 



Although it is many years since the Scilla came to me, 

 I have but one small clump, for it never bears seed, and 

 increase by offsets is rather slow, as friends admire it 

 so, and I have such a foolishly soft heart that will 

 persuade me I can spare just one more bulb. Its great 

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