AN ISLAND GARDEN 29 



lines I had sowed, for safety. Next morning I 

 found the birds again at it ; they had burrowed 

 under, kicked over, scratched away the light 

 sticks, and again the seeds were all devoured. 

 Patiently I planted once more, and this time 

 dragged from a pile of lumber heavy square 

 beams of different lengths, which I laid along the 

 borders. The birds eyed the barricades, strove 

 to burrow under, but were forced to give it up, 

 and so at last I conquered. In the course of a 

 week I turned over the protecting beams and 

 found the little Mignonette plants white as potato 

 shoots that have sprouted in a cellar, but safe, for 

 which I was devoutly thankful ! A day or two 

 of sun and air made them green and strong, and 

 all summer long I valued every fragrant spike of 

 flowers they gave me, doubly, because of all the 

 trouble I had gone through to save them. I 

 mention this little episode merely to illustrate the 

 fact that the would-be gardener requires more 

 patience than most mortals ! 



The state of the weather, the temperature of 

 the air, the amount of rain which falls, make all 

 the difference in the world in the time it takes 

 for the first green leaves to appear. Some seeds 

 take longer than others to germinate : for in- 

 stance, Hollyhocks, Marigolds, ten weeks Stocks 

 or Gillyflowers, Rose of Heaven, Zinnias, and many 

 others come up in from three to five days if all 

 circumstances are favorable, that is, if it is warm, 

 moist, and sunny enough ; Asters, single Dahlias, 

 Sunflowers, Cornflowers, Mignonette, Coreopsis, 

 Morning-glory, Picotee Pinks, Wallflowers, Sweet 



