50 MAY 



with its rich dark velvety leaves ; and Lycopodium 

 that turns a beautiful electric blue in the shade. 

 Between the iron pillars gently swayed maiden-hair 

 ferns in baskets, with pendulous creepers and 

 dwarf Pampas grass. Now does not this sound 

 successful ? Of course it was an experiment at 

 first, and one had to wait and see if the plants 

 flourished in that situation, facing east and partly 

 shaded from midday sun ; but I have found that it 

 is extremely good, for all those I have named. By 

 having only pot plants here, renders it possible to 

 keep up a succession, by removing those that are 

 over and substituting others. Here I have brought 

 the best of the orchids when in bloom, brides, 

 Dendrobiums, Saccolabiums, and some other hardy 

 kinds that grow without glass ; and the Burra 

 Sahib really does admire them while enjoying his 

 breakfast on the verandah. He even does not 

 mind being crowed over ! 



Strange to say, I have not seen a single snake 

 here since the creeper was cut down. Before that, 

 several were killed hereabouts. I think they must 

 live in between this wall and that of the next 

 garden, which are separated from each other by 



