TO EAT OR TO SLEEP 47 



and East are as floriferous as South and West. It proved 

 a true symbol, that seldom was any year so loudly 

 acclaimed by &quot; the shout of primroses &quot; and many other 

 flowers as that which preceded the two years of drought. 

 The flowers are in part survivals, in part arrivals. The 

 creamy blossoms of the shiny-leafed Mermaid, loveliest 

 of climbing roses, have maintained last year s vigour ; 

 but the aconites and snowdrops are true heralds of the 

 New Year. The most spring-like of all, the flower that 

 really foretastes spring, is the strong but delicate purple- 

 lined crocus. However well you know its ways you are 

 sure of your surprise when you go out one dark, muggy 

 morning and see the cup wide open to the winter weather. 

 This year a real portent it was visited by a hive bee. 

 Whatever our selection of bulbs, this &quot; Thornasina &quot; 

 crocus should be in the company. There is real value in 

 its greeting, if it cannot supply the spacious comfort of 

 winter jessamine or laurustinus, or is less magnificent 

 than the Iris stylosa hiding its mauve splendour in leaves 

 and rubble. 



It is a commonplace of observation among those who 

 have traffic in English woods or spinneys, or indeed 

 beside hedgerows, to mark the general and particular 

 signs of the struggle for winter food among birds and 

 mammals. The rabbit leaves the most obvious evidence, 

 both on the ground and well above it. Indeed, it appears 

 to have the power of elongating itself beyond all calcula 

 tion in its reach after the dainty that it requires. That 

 tit-bit is usually bark, though in a coppiced wood, where 

 young shoots have grown out of the shaven stools, it 

 cuts off the whole tip of the shoot. Many saplings, espe 

 cially ash, are completely peeled up to two feet six from 



