INTRODUCTION 



wonder that Eve forgot the threatening com- 

 mand to leave untouched the Tree of Life, 

 and, burning to be "wise," ate of the fateful 

 apple and gave it to her Adam ? And then, to 

 leave the lovely place at the loveliest of all 

 times in a garden, the cool of the day! Faint 

 sunset hues tinting the sky, the night breeze 

 gently stirring the trees. Lilies and Roses 

 giving their sweetest perfume, brilliant Venus 

 mounting her accustomed path, while the 

 sleepy twitter of the birds alone breaks the 

 silence. Then the voice of wrath, the Cheru- 

 bim, the turning flaming sv/ord ! 



Through trials and tribulations and hardly 

 learned patience, I have gained some of the 

 secrets of many of our best hardy flowering 

 plants and shrubs. IVIany friends have asked 

 me to tell them when to plant or transplant, 

 when to sow this or that seed, and how to 

 prepare the beds and borders ; in fact, this 

 has occurred so often that it has long been 

 in my mind to wiite down what I know of 

 hardy gardening, that other women might be 



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