200 EVERYDAY LIFE ON A 



Gloire de Dijon, but I notice that all the 

 Gloires I have seen in Ceylon have a pinker 

 tinge than I am accustomed to. I miss the 

 richness of the yellower tint. We have a small 

 bright pink Japanese polyanthus rose, which is 

 very effective ; the bush is a perfect sheet of 

 pink clusters, each individual flower being about 

 the size of a sixpence. We have in blossom 

 gardenia — double and single — stephanotis, and 

 Cape jessamine, the scent almost too over- 

 powering ; also several kinds of Hibiscus, lilies, 

 balsams, white and pink cannas, and dahlias, 

 which, with different coloured crotons and 

 Japanese palms, make up quite a gay garden. 

 I have sown some English flower seeds to come 

 later, Phlox Drummondi, mallow, and sweet- 

 williams. Our neighbours have geraniums 

 and petunias, but they and I have failed to 

 grow Shirley or Iceland poppies ; and 

 mignonette does not flourish : it develops into 

 long straggling plants with attenuated flowers. 

 Our little society has had a great addition 

 lately in the persons of a planter and his wife 

 who have just returned from a well-earned 

 holiday in England. They are most hospitable 

 people, and at once hastened to resume their 

 "at home" day. The M.'s also receive one 

 day in the week, so we have two pleasant 

 meeting-places where the neighbours assemble 

 as early in the afternoon as work will allow, for 



