66 AN ISLAND GARDEN 



Poppy and the little exquisite plant called Parrot's 

 Feather, that creeps all about over the water and 

 has the wonderful living, metallic green of the 

 plumage of the handsome green parrots. These, 

 with the flourishing Water Hyacinth I already 

 had growing in its tub on the steps, and the bright 

 pink Cape Cod Lily, make ten tubs of water plants, 

 a most breathlessly interesting family ! And 

 I must not forget another tub of seedling Water- 

 Lilies that I am watching with the most intense 

 interest also. It took most of the long, happy 

 day to plant all these in the rich wet mud and 

 settle them in their comfortable quarters. I laid 

 some horseshoes I had picked up at different 

 times, and saved, round the roots to hold them 

 down temporarily, while I gently flooded the tubs 

 with water and rejoiced to see the lovely leaves 

 float out on the surface fresh as if they were at 

 home. Then I sifted clean beach sand over the 

 earth about them, to the depth of an inch or more, 

 to hold the soil down and keep the water clear, 

 and all was done. What delight to look forward 

 to the watching and tending of these new friends ! 

 I find myself wondering what enemy will attack 

 these, for surely something has been made for 

 their destruction, which I must fight ! There is 

 not a growing thing in the garden that has not its 

 enemies and destroyers, fortunate if it has only 

 one. Just at this time there is a rampant little 

 snuff-colored spider which comes in from the 

 grass and fastens upon tender growths in the bor- 

 ders about the house, covering the succulent 

 leaves and stems of Wild Cucumbers and Morn- 



