4 JUNE 1942, Page 14

In the Garden In a late year the irisei have

flowered before their normal date and best is over. By the best I mean Dalmatica Pallida, because of incomparable sweetness of its smell, suggestive of muscat. How m better are some of the simple species than the fantastically cold hybrids after which most of us hanker! In the vegetable garden question continually arises at this season how dose to plant out see& The writers of text-books, thinking of prize-taking specimens, tend exaggerate the desirable intervals. In regard to lettuces and sP cabbages you may say " great is juxtaposition." Closeness may be definite advantage to the plants and ground is saved. Such vegeta as leeks may be set much closer if the date of planting is rather lat

W. BEAM THOMA