278 IN THE GREEN LEAF 



and casements. In front, running the whole 

 length of the house, were the straw bee-hives, 

 in the shape of inverted extinguishers of the 

 ancient type, each hive on its own stool. 

 Hives and stools were made entirely by my 

 handy kinsman. A thick border of London- 

 pride edged the narrow garden path, and 

 within it great clumps of variously coloured 

 sweet-williams stood, with splendid cloves. 

 The carnations of modern days would hardly 

 beat those in that old garden. Between each 

 hive, rods of white lilies reared their stately 

 heads. When the windows of the low, cool 

 living-room were set open, the life-giving 

 odour from those old-fashioned flower-borders 

 filled the house, from basement to bedrooms. 

 Lupins, heartsease, stocks, and mimula mime- 

 lusses they called them with the single and 

 double marigold, made up the brave show. 



As to the fruit-trees, there were ribstone- 

 pippins, Blenheim - oranges, golden - pippins, 

 choice codlins, and russets. Near the well, 

 with its moss- covered bucket, stood one of 

 the finest amber-heart cherry-trees that I have 

 ever seen. The well itself was shaded over 

 by a well -grown Orleans plum-tree, which 

 cropped so heavily that the drooping branches 



