Bulbs, Tuberous Plants and Grasses 261 



that acts also as a foil for their gaiety, some on cold northern 

 slopes. Or, some of the earliest flowering bulbs may be planted 

 between rows of tulips and hyacinths in a formal bed, for they 

 have acted their little part and modestly withdrawn from the stage 

 by the time those prime donne appear. Clumps of pansies and 

 hardy violets, set out at intervals of two feet among the daffodils 

 and tulips in the foreground of the perennial border in March, do 

 not harm the bulbs, but soon spread and carpet the bare earth 

 about them. Wherever there is room for a weed to grow we may 

 hope to have a better plant. 



It was William Wordsworth, exponent of the simple life, who 

 first put the idea of growing daffodils by the multitude into our 

 innocent heads: 



"Continuous as the stars that shine 

 And twinkle in the Miiky Way, 

 They stretch in never-ending line 

 Along the margin of the bay; 

 Ten thousand saw I at a glance 

 Tossing their heads in sprightly dance." 



How can we content ourselves with less, having this inspiring 

 picture ever in mind ? Both the yellow, long trumpeted daffodil 

 and the fragrant white narcissus quickly colonise from compara- 

 tively small beginnings. A thousand poet's narcissus may be 

 bought for five dollars or even less. Does the masculine amateur 

 think it worth while to sacrifice a box of cigars for their possession, 

 if need be, or the feminine gardener to trim over her last year's hat 

 and spend the price of a new one on permanent joy ? There are 

 many ways of reconciling delightful extravagances to one's con- 

 science. Every gardener worthy the name has tried a few and 

 thereby earned the right to be charitable in his judgment. Moham- 

 med said: "He that hath two cakes of bread, let him sell one of 



