269 



APRIL 



Newspapers on cremation More about Suffolk Maund on flowers 

 that close- Asparagus growing on the seacoast Peacock feathers 

 for firescreens Dining-room tables Petroleum tubs in gardens 

 Neglect of natural history Cactuses again Old mills Mr. 

 Burbidge on sweet-smelling leaves Florist Auriculas Seed- 

 sowing Kitchen garden Poultry. 



April \st. This book is the last bit of work of the kind 

 I shall ever do, and I am anxious to state, as I think 

 of them, any views I may happen to have on various 

 matters. 



I am deeply interested in watching the gradual 

 development of public opinion on cremation. I casually 

 alluded to this before, in reference to Mr. Robinson's well- 

 known book on the subject. So far as I can judge from the 

 newspapers, cremation is making a little way among the 

 rich and well-known, who alone seem in this country to 

 have the power of influencing the majority. But if what I 

 read is true, a terrible fashion is growing around this excel- 

 lent, clean, practical way of being dealt with after death, and 

 that is that instead of one funeral there are to be three one 

 the cremation, another the funeral service in London, a 

 third (and worst of all) the burying of the ashes. The news- 

 papers gave an account of a cremated Peer who by his own 

 wish or his family's had the box with the collected ashes 

 deposited in an ordinary-sized coffin, in order that the 

 tenantry might have the honour of carrying the coffin in 

 the usual wav to the vault. This kind of thing, I think, 



