AN ISLAND GARDEN 6l 



comrade leaned against him and mingled its rich 

 blossoms with his brighter color, and near him 

 were rose, pink, and cherry, and white spikes of 

 bloom, lovely to behold. 



All the afternoon weeding and thinning out 

 the plants. The large bank sloping to the south- 

 west outside the garden is a perfect mass of flow- 

 ers to be, no weeds, for I have conquered them; 

 but it is next to impossible to pull up plants 

 enough to give all room. Again and again I 

 have thinned them; now I think I must leave 

 them to their fate and let it be a case of survival 

 of the fittest. 



24th. Last night, after having given myself the 

 pleasure of watering the garden, I could not sleep 

 for anxiety about the slugs. I seldom water the 

 flowers at night because the moisture calls them 

 out, and they have an orgy feasting on my most 

 precious children all night long. Before going 

 to bed I went all over the inclosure and, alas, I 

 found them swarming on the Sweet Peas ; baby 

 slugs, tiny creatures covering the tender leaves 

 and the dry pea-sticks even, thick as grains of 

 sand. I was in despair, and though I knew they 

 did not mind ashes, I took the fine sifter and 

 covered Peas, sticks, slugs, and all with a thick, 

 smothering cloud of wood ashes. Then I left 

 them with many misgivings and went to bed, but 

 not to sleep, for thinking of them. At twelve 

 o'clock I said to myself, You know the slugs don't 

 care a rap for all the ashes in the world, but the 

 friendly toads may be kept away by them, and 

 who knows if such a smother of them may not 



