17 NOVEMBER 1939, Page 20

A Diary

Were ever the Barberries more splendid in leaf and berry? A beautiful combination is the white-stemmed Dictyophyllum with the purple-leaved Thunbergi or Prattii. The excep- tional activity of the earth-worms (whose availability is in- directly saving our berries from the thrush tribe) puts a special duty on lawn-keepers to brush (and not to roll) their lawns.

Toadstools, including a few of the favourite Agericus cam- pestris, are coming up in quite inordinate quantity for the date, thanks to the absence of frost.

Among the numerous garden plants that are flowering out of the proper date are the yellow Alyssum, the Ceanothus (Gloire de Versailles), Campanula, tree Lupin and Broom.

It is remarkable that both rabbits and mice are continuing