“ All in ye Merrie Month of May ” 
Artichokes, or, as the name used to be written long ago, 
Hartichoak, are, I think, such a lovely picturesque vegetable 
with their jagged grey leaves and the wonderful flower 
which comes if you leave the globe alone. It is strange 
how many people seem, like Hans Andersen’s noble in the 
fairy tale, unacquainted with this splendid blue Lotus of 
a flower. I delight in the story : how the gardener, in 
despair for something effective, sent up to the Castle this big 
blue flower, and all the folks were agog to know what it was. 
The tall yellow flowers of Jerusalem Artichokes are also very 
decorative. Alas ! the Jerusalem Artichoke never flowers 
here. And I am afraid my opinion may not be worth much, 
since I confess to havingsbeen found admiring aCabbagestock 
when in full flower ; and for fields of Mustard and Charlock, 
looking like golden sheets, I have always entertained a deep 
admiration. I love a bright patch of anything, anywhere. 
Down by the tennis-lawn the selfsown patch of French 
Forget-me-not, which is generally like a blue cushion, is 
almost over ; it seems scarcely to have had any flowers at 
all this year, owing, I suppose, to the lack of sunshine and 
warmth at the right time. I have only had one good 
bunch from beneath the Gean-tree, which is generally a 
preserve for the loveliest skyblue bouquets from March 
almost to May. 
May 26.-— On the topmost sprays of the old Lilac-trees, 
near the Rose-garden, there are purple and white plumes 
waving high above the laurels and quite out of reach, but 
looking lovely. It is quite light now at 9 o’clock in the 
evening. We watched from the window our big grey Tom 
Cat with a young Rabbit. It was just like the description 
one reads of some beast of prey. He let it go a little and 
then dashed on to it, and shook and tossed it. Finally, I 
could not bear it any longer, and sallied out, with a stick, 
to interfere. But, before I reached the scene of action, 
Puss and his victim were gone. I fear me it is not the 
first time Puss has so offended the gamekeeper. It is a 
pity he cannot turn his attention to rats versus rabbits. 
We are greatly plagued with rats; I believe they have 
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