AN ISLAND GARDEN 65 



all over the ground ! But they will put out side 

 shoots and patiently strive to fulfill heaven's in- 

 tent for them, of which they are conscious from 

 the least root-tip to the end of every battered leaf. 

 There is something pathetic as well as wonderful 

 in the way in which these growing things of al- 

 most all kinds meet disaster and discouragement. 

 Should they suffer misfortune like this, the lop- 

 ping of a limb, or the losing of buds, or any sap- 

 ping of their vitality, if the cause is removed, 

 they will try so hard to repair damages, send out 

 new shoots, make strenuous efforts to recover the 

 lost ground, and still perfect blossom and fruit as 

 nature meant they should. There is a lesson to 

 be learned of them on which I have often pon- 

 dered. 



June 3d. This has been an exciting day, for the 

 Water Lilies I sent for a week ago- came in a mys- 

 terious damp box across the ocean foam ! I had 

 made their tubs all ready for them, putting in the 

 bottom of each the " well-rotted manure," and over 

 this rich earth and sand mixed in proper propor- 

 tions. These tubs, or rather large, tall butter firkins, 

 stood ready in their places along the sunniest and 

 most sheltered bed in the garden. Oh, the pleas- 

 ure of opening that box and finding each unfa- 

 miliar treasure packed so carefully in wet moss, 

 each folded in oiled paper to keep it moist, and 

 each labeled with its fascinating name ! The great 

 pink Lotus of Egypt, the purple Lily of Zanzi- 

 bar, and the red one of the same sort, the golden 

 Chromatella, the pure white African variety and 

 the smaller native white one, the yellow Water 



