33 



speaking, threepence is the price of a fair-sized 

 packet of the commoner perennials, and sixpence 

 for one of the scarcer kinds. This initial differ- 

 ence is, however, an infinitesimal part of the real 

 one. It is the magnificent possibilities, the vast 

 fecundity of those sixpences, as compared with 

 the others, which is the real point. Not one 

 plant, but dozens of plants, often hundreds of 

 plants, may be the result of a single successful 

 sowing, nor is the time lost by such sowings 

 nearly as great as people seem to imagine. 



But the number of plants to be had in the 

 course of a year by this means is only part of 

 the advantage to be gained by it. The great 

 advantage is that by so doing one's plants 

 become acquainted betimes with the qualities 

 of the soil in which they find themselves, and, 

 so getting acquainted, they reconcile themselves 

 to it, as we most of us do reconcile ourselves 

 to any environment, however little naturally to 

 our taste, which has compassed us round from 

 babyhood. To come to details. Alpine plants, 

 though small to look at, are for the most part 

 tolerably dear to buy. If a man, ''whatever 

 his sex ! " loves his alpines, is determined to 

 have them, has a fairly big alpine garden or 

 border to fill, but will not be at the trouble of 

 rearing them from seed, then , I shall be rather 

 sorry for that man's pocket. A few of them 

 notably the Androsaces are not amiable in 

 D 



