GARDENING BY M YSELF. 1 5 5 



land of flowers has one thing in common 

 with the gay world of Newport and Sara- 

 toga. But did you ever notice, that when 

 people choose to be like each other, it is 

 often in just those points where they might 

 much better be different ? 



In some of the dry, hot times of weather 

 that come now and then, — indeed in almost 

 any weather that checks the growth of your 

 plants, — there is a certain small unseen 

 enemy that does great mischief — the blue 

 aphis. Perhaps you may wonder how — if 

 he is not to be seen — I can know that he is 

 blue, — alas ! he is visible enough, only not on 

 the surface. Look under ground and you 

 shall find him, to your heart's great discon- 

 tent. Has it happened to you to have some 

 pet verbena or heliotrope suddenly stop 

 sending up shoot after shoot with its crown 

 of blossoms, and take to listless gazing at 

 the more active world around it. You 

 water, and shade, and coax — no use. There 

 the plant stands, insensible, — not dying, yet 

 hardly living. It is a case where there is 



