TOLLING THE GARDEN BELL 123 



sandstone against the bank below the yews, and 

 here all sorts of little Alpines bask in the sunshine, 

 well sheltered from wind in the stone pockets that 

 have been arranged for their comfort. 



It was several years before we could spare time 

 to utilise the frame ground that the little red pony 

 had helped so much in preparing. At length, when 

 more important work was finished, it seemed that 

 the moment had arrived for building a really 

 practical market-house, where students could 

 complete their experience ; and so, the hundred 

 or more chrysanthemums in their pots, that had 

 usually found a summer and autumn home on this 

 site, were removed further west, and we abandoned 

 ourselves to the misery of having workmen for some 

 weeks, busily erecting the structure that we are 

 now very proud of. 



With some hesitation I gave the order for build- 

 ing to commence, for I knew well the difficulties 

 that were ahead of us. To arrange work so that 

 each student can, for some weeks or months, be 

 given absolute responsibility in ventilating houses 

 and watering plants means that the head organiser 

 requires many qualities in addition to the actual 

 knowledge of growing plants. Patience is one of 

 them, for through ignorance or carelessness crops 

 suffer, and this is more often the case with work 

 under glass than in outdoor gardening. 



How often, in the early morning, after the 

 Captain has done her round of inspection, do I 

 hear the tolling of the great Garden Bell ! I know 

 then that some act of negligence has caused the 

 death of one or more plants and that consequently 



