OCTOBER 57 



natural history questions informed me that this was the 

 caterpillar of a moth called the ' Pale Tussock ' because of 

 the tussocks upon his body. The moth is pale gray coloured, 

 with various markings, and is fairly common. He feeds 

 upon most trees, often on Oak, but also on Hazel, Birch, and 

 oddly enough Hops. He will eat Plum and Pear. 



October 23rd. I have found that Crocus speciosus 

 does admirably in this very light soil, and comes up year 

 after year, but is very much better not disturbed, when 

 it decidedly increases. Young plants of variegated Maple 

 look very pretty planted in clumps in front of a shrubbery, 

 especially if backed by small plants of Primus pissardi. 

 The planting of Rosemary under shrubs, no matter what 

 aspect, has answered perfectly, and in this way I have a lot 

 of the delicious stuff, not only to burn in my own house, 

 but to give away. 



October 25th. We have improved on the cultivation 

 of Watercress in a dry garden by sowing it in a wide 

 trench with the sides supported by two old boards, and 

 close to a tap so that it can be easily watered. In 

 October some of the plants are dug up, put into a box 

 and then placed in a cold frame, so I get fresh Water- 

 cress for tea through the cold weather. In London it is 

 easy to get everything more or less good, but this is not 

 at all the case in the country. What you do not grow 

 you generally have to do without, and even if Watercress 

 can be bought there is the additional advantage of safety 

 in growing it on clean ground instead of buying it out of 

 a dirty ditch, when it often tastes of mud. 



I find that in Germany the roots of the pink Oxalis 

 floribunda are eaten as a vegetable, and a most excellent 

 vegetable it is. It is not quite hardy. The way to treat 

 it is to take it up about this time of year, eat the big roots, 

 preserve the small ones in sand, and re-plant them in the 

 spring. Celeriac and Salsifies are also much better taken 



