GARDENING BY M YSELF. 1 69 



to convey some distinct vision to your 

 mind. See which names, which descriptions, 

 attract you most ; for curiously enough, 

 few as the words are,- and unknown the 

 names, they do attract — and attract differ- 

 ently. ''^ Ami du coeur, tall," is quite another 

 thing, you feel at once, from " Bleu mourant, 

 !ate, low." Pass back and forth through 

 this wilderness, then, until you in a measure 

 know the way. After that, settle your busi- 

 ness questions. 



First, how much to spend. Second, what 

 proportion of your bulbs shall be for winter 

 blooming in the house, and what for spring 

 blooming out of doors. 



Next, see how many tulips can weigh 

 down one hyacinth, and whether a lily can 

 outweigh them both. Can you get one of 

 the more costly things? Can you divert a 

 little from the humbler and less costly ? 

 Hard questions to answer, I know well. 

 The persuasive power of rival beauties has 

 been a trouble from the days of Paris 

 down. 



15 



