26 MY GROWING GARDEN 



eyes. That I usually buy and sow two to ten 

 times as many kinds and plants as I can at all find 

 room for is no sort of fault or harm, for I can give 

 away plants even more happily than the nicotinist 

 gives away a cigar, and with as much heart- 

 warming thankfulness coming my way. I have 

 given life, to grow, in good fortune, to continuing 

 beauty or tasteliness; while the cigar, already dead, 

 has to be cremated to afford a brief pleasure. 



I find that I have been buying each February 

 for this growing garden something like a hundred 

 packets of seeds. I always intend to get less; but 

 so long as these catalogues are alphabetical, and I 

 must go right through from aquilegia to zinnia, 

 from asparagus to witloof, I am likely to fall by 

 the wayside, and linger in the varieties of annuals 

 and perennials, and peas and corn. What harm? 

 I get flowers, vegetables, knowledge, fun ! 



In February just a few things ought to get going, 

 after these fine fat little packets have been parcel- 

 posted to me. I shall hope to realize the early 

 bloom of the Margaret carnations this year by 

 February sowing. Just how, the garden-book 

 reminders and the catalogues will tell me; I'm 

 not intending to transcribe here any directions 

 that are better had elsewhere. 



