New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-25
GARDEN, WOOD AND FIELD.
SOME BOOKS on FLOWERS.

AN ISLAND GARDEN. BY Celia Thaxter Win
pictures and illustrations by chiide Hassam.
Houghton. Minn CO.
THE GARDEN THAT l LOVE. BY Alfred Aus
tin. Macmillan K Co
ACCORDING TO SEASON. Talks ab9u, he how-
ers IN the order Of TIER APPGglam Starr se Dana
Charles Scribner's Sons.
WITH THE WILD FL0wERs Mr0T a4 rnnsy
The Baker & Taylor'Co.
THE Beautiful. FLOWER GARDEN. By F.
Schuyler Mathews W. Alice Burpee a CO.
GARDEN AND FOREST. Vol. VI Garden and
Forest Publishing Company
Mrs. Thax,ers flower garden on Appledore. the
largest OF the Isles Of Shoals. has long been known
bv wanderers along those shores. They have felt
with delight the surprise Of It's glowing beauty
among the arid rocks-for richness Of color
strange TO the mainland seemed TO be nourishe1
by the -damps lingering over these lSiahds lHa'
one small garden should be so noted as this has
been furnishes an odd comment on the American
Indifference 10 flower culture. what may be. per-
haps the American lack OF instructive love OF nature
How cynically would a Massachusetts, village respond
10 proposition 10 cultivate systematically certain
strains OF plants and to offer prizes for the best
at an annual flower show! Yet this is done by rlch
and poor alike in many English hamlet; ana
professional florists owe to these village amateurs
some OF the most beautiful and valuable aristo-
Gratis Of the nower-world. Mrs. ThaNter is one OF
the few enthusiasts on the subject In this country
and is one whose enthusiasm has not enervesced
and departed after "A few OF hard work
Indeed, IT was the tender age OF five years that
the lonely child on the lighthouse island. ten miles
away from the mainland began her little garden.
The secret OF the success which this poetic gar
dener chronicles In her pretty and rather sentl-
mental book is that. OF course, which many other
flower growers have emphasIzed-merey love. For
that includes ALL" she says the patience that en-
| dures continual trial, the cOnstancy that makes
perseverance possible the power OF foregoing ease
OF mind and body to minister to the necessities OF
thing beloved. and the subtle bond OF sympathy
which is important II not more 80 than all the
rest" That many more prosac matters go 10 the
making OF a satisfactory garden the author pro-
ceeds to snow. blending her poetic rhapsody with
practical suggestion In very pleasant way. She
describes the work OF the summer from the April
planting the autumn seed therng. her vigor-
Gus dealings with slugs and insects. her coaXing
ways with reluctant seedlings, her anectionate re-
lations with the birds that visit her poisoning
island nest. The pretty little idyl Of her hum
ming bird, the friend who rifles the flowers she
holds while she gathers them. Is worth quot
ing:
After the storm in the clear beautiful morning.
| gather my flowers The storm had beaten the
and blue and pink and purple and orange bloom
| they were PROSTATE everywhere leaves. stalks,
cable confusion swiftly / made my way through
1t, finding a foothold here and there, and STOPPING
! FOR every freshly unfoded cup or star or bell
whose bud the tempest had spared. As l neared
| the little western gate with my hands full of
| blossoms. the garden, on my way to the
house. was stopped still as statue before "a most
| pathetic sight. There, straight across the way, "A
| tall poppy plant lay prone upon the ground. and
clinging to the stem OF OF It's green seed pods
| my precious pet humming bird, the dearest Of
the flock that haunt the garden, the tamest OF
them all His eyes were tightly closed. his tiny
claws clasped the stem automatically, he had no
feeling. he rigid with cold. The chill dew
loaded the gray-green poppy-leaves the keen wind
blew sharply over hm-he Is dead. thought with
a pang, as / shifted my flowers In a glowing heap
10 my left arm, and casped the frozen little body
In the palm OF my right hand. 1t was difficult 10
disengage his slender wiry claws from their close
grip the chilly stalk. but he moved or
showed sign OF life as took him off i held him
most tenderly in my closed hand. very careful not
crush press his tiny. perishing body. and
breathed into the shut hollow OF my palm upon him
with a and loving breath | very
busy there were so many things TO be done that
morning, ! could not stop TO sit down and nurse
him back TO life. But | held him safe. and
went up and down the garden paths. gathering the
rest of my flowers, / breathed every moment into
my hand upon him. Ten fifteen. twenty minutes
passed. he made sign OF life. Alas thought
he is truly dead when all at once felt the leas
little thrill pass through the still cold form.
answering thrill OF Joy ran through me in response
and more softly, closely. tendery yet ] my
warm breath 10 the tiny creature as still went or
with my work. In few minutes more began &c
feel the smallest. futerng pulse OF life throbbinl
family within him; in yet few moments more h,
stirred and stretched his wings comforting himself