OCTOBER 247 



diminution in the numbers passing through the island, 

 and this year these seem to be even greater than 

 usual. 



In the garden no season is more charming than the 

 present. Spring flowers may be fairer and more pre- 

 cious, summer blossoms more lavish, but none more 

 varied or more richly coloured than those of autumn. 

 Perhaps our gardeners are at special pains to prepare a 

 feast of colour for those who choose to forgo the 

 delights of the country life till summer is past. This 

 was the excuse for the bedding-out furore while it 

 lasted ; but now that this, happily, has worn itself out, 

 it is found that the once despised 'herbaceous stuff' is 

 quite as capable as the other of affording a brilliant 

 display in September. The post brings plenty of 

 nursery and florist catalogues just now, and the man 

 with an eye to future seasons may do worse than take 

 one of these in his hand and compare the descriptions 

 given with the actual effect in the borders. 



The most gorgeous blossoms in the autumn borders 

 are undoubtedly those of the Japanese golden-rayed 

 lily, and it is right to recruit the stock of these each 

 year ; for no amateur known to me, save Mr. G. F. Wilson, 

 in his wonderful garden at Weybridge, can reckon on 

 more than ten per cent, of the bulbs remaining vigorous 

 after flowering. Mr. Wilson's secret or is it his soil 

 or a combination of both ? enables him to grow and 

 propagate these splendid lilies as abundantly as a 

 common man might grow hawkweed; he has many 

 imitators, but no rivals in success. Only this try and 



