THE AMATEUR GARDEN 



when permitted to branch low, are, to under- 

 growth, among the most inhospitable of trees, 

 but in this garden, where the sunlight and the 

 breezes passed abundantly under such high- 

 lifted arms and among such clean, bare stems, a 

 congregation of shrubs, undershrubs and plants 

 of every stature and breadth, arose, flourished 

 and flowered without stint. Yonder the wind- 

 split, fathom-long leaves of the banana, bright- 

 ening the background, arched upward, drooped 

 again and faintly oscillated to the air's caress. 

 Here bloomed and smelled the delicate magnolia 

 fuscata, and here, redder with flowers than green 

 with shining leaves, shone the camellia. Here 

 spread the dark oleander, the pittosporum and 

 the Chinese privet; and here were the camphor- 

 tree and the slender sweet olive — we have 

 named them all before and our steps should 

 not take us over the same ground twice in one 

 circuit; that would be bad gardening. But 

 there they were, under those ordinarily so in- 

 tolerant trees, prospering and singing praises 

 with them, some in full blossom and perfume, 

 some waiting their turn, like parts of a choir. 



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