CHAPTER VI 

 GARDEN PETS, AND OTHERS 



HAT a contrast is a tropical garden 

 even in winter and spring to one 

 such as we in the north are accus- 

 tomed to! The luxuriance of the 

 two particular tropical gardens, a town one and 

 a country one, to which I refer, was sufficient 

 even at Christmas time to clothe the landscape 

 in rich foliage, in many parts shortly followed by 

 the profuse efflorescence of the trees and shrubs. 

 I lavished much care and affection on these gar- 

 dens for some years and always like to dwell upon 

 the rapid and full generosity of the return with 

 which nature repaid the labor bestowed upon 

 them. 



My town garden was encircled inside its walls 

 by a carriage drive densely shaded by an avenue 

 of evergreen, dark-foliaged trees, Mimusops elengi, 

 and the sweet-scented Champack, backed by a 



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