1 52 A GARDEN DIARY 



gardens, or ploughed fields. Such a prospect, 

 though enticing, might take some little time to 

 carry out. Confining oneself for the moment 

 to the immediate case, one finds that like most 

 other cases, political, or horticultural, it is mainly 

 one of compromise. Were our copse beginning 

 to dwindle perilously, then, with a politician of 

 the last generation, I should exclaim "Cant you 

 leave it alone ? " Seeing that, though we have 

 been chopping assiduously ever since we came, 

 two-thirds of our space is still covered with un- 

 invaded copse, the case seems to me to be a fair 

 one for experiment. 



That being decided upon, what to experiment 

 with becomes the next question, and here aspect 

 is clearly the ruling factor. That no early morn- 

 ing sun will reach the place even in summer is 

 certain. Four respectable oaks, of quite a gentle- 

 manly girth, stand along the fence, and forbid it. 

 They are not near enough for their roots to do 

 much damage, but the firstlings of the sun's rays 

 they will certainly keep to themselves. This being 

 so, there is a limit clearly as to what will answer. 

 All things considered, especially with regard to 

 the fact that the brambles could hardly be dis- 

 lodged without a wrench which would disorganise 

 everything, I am inclined to give my vote for 

 more brambles, only this time civilised ones. 

 There are plenty fortunately to choose from. 

 There is, for instance, Rubus odoratus, showing 



