32 APRIL 



planted not too closely together. Here they finish 

 maturing their root and leaf growth, and here in 

 following years they flower in profusion. Each 

 season some thousands of daffodils are so treated, 

 as are also fritillaries, Italian hyacinths, erythro- 

 niums, stars of Bethlehem, crocuses, squills, and 

 even tulips, although these, I confess, do not give 

 such uniformly good results as other bulbs. They 

 come rather small, but make bright spots of colour 

 in the green, while all the others do their best 



DAFFODILS IN THE WILD GARDEN 



among the herbage which is their natural accom- 

 paniment. It is far more satisfactory to pick 

 daffodils from a semi-wild spot such as this than 

 to rob prominent beds of their occupants, as of 

 old I was forced to do. Of course the beds are 

 not spared ; the flowers are there to be gathered, 

 and nothing is considered immune if it is wanted 

 elsewhere. But since I have had my wild garden 

 I am bound to acknowledge that the beds present 

 a better appearance, as they are less liable to 

 depredation. 



