154 THE FLORIST. 



and soil from passing through. Where this is unnecessary, drains at 

 least three feet in depth should be formed from the wall through the 

 border, at not more than twenty-one feet apart, running into a main 

 drain at the outside of the border, parallel with the wall. There 

 sohuld be a regular fall from the bottom of the wall to the main 

 drain, in order to be sure that no water could lie about the roots of 

 the plants. The border need not be deeper than two and a half feet, 

 its contents consisting of good turfy loam, one-fourth or a greater 

 proportion of peat, a fourth leaf- mould, and some coarse sand. It 

 should not be wider than six feet ; it being found better to confine 

 the roots to this space than to allow them a greater breadth. 



An eastern or northern exposure should be avoided, and the situa- 

 tion, if possible, should be high and dry; for, under these conditions, 

 plants ripen their wood better than in low damp places, where they 

 grow late, and are the least able to resist frost. Locality has also 

 much to do in the matter. In some parts of Devonshire, Camellias 

 flower well in the shrubberies, where they often stand for many 

 years, and brave as much as 17° of frost. Veronica speciosa also 

 flowers there ; but these plants would not succeed in most parts of 

 the north of England. In Staffordshire, Ceanothus azureus and diva- 

 ricatus have both been nearly killed, even in tolerably mild winters, 

 though planted against a wall, under circumstances favourable enough. 

 The skilful gardener, however, may do a great deal towards modifying 

 adverse circumstances by means of shallow planting and draining. 



Where expense is not objected to, canvass screens on rollers 

 would be of great service, and would enable the cultivator to grow 

 many things which he otherwise could not successfully preserve. 

 From the beginning of spring to the middle or end of April this 

 screen should be let down in the daytime, when the sun shines upon 

 the wall, in order that the growth of the plants may be retarded until 

 all danger from late frosts is over. After that time, the more heat 

 and light they receive the better, in order to enable them to ripen 

 their young growth early. The conservative wall at Chatsworth, 

 which is about two hundred yards long, is heated by flues from no 

 less than eight furnaces. The plants are placed within pillars, dis- 

 tant from each other about twenty feet ; and there are curtains which 

 roll down, and, meeting in the middle lengthwise, are tied by strings. 

 During hot dry weather it is a good plan to syringe the plants plen- 

 tifully in the evening, when the sun has ceased to shine on them. 

 A pipe led round the wall and furnished at intervals with stop- cocks 

 to which a hose could be secured, would be the most convenient and 

 expeditious way of performing this operation, provided the water had 

 sufficient fall to give it the required force. 



Previous to the approach of winter a covering of peat-mould 

 should be spread over the border to a depth of two or three inches ; 

 this would materially assist in warding ofl^ severe frosts. Fern also, 

 piled against the bottom of the wall and on the border, would be 

 found of great service. Before putting on the above-mentioned ma- 

 terial some well-decomposed leaf-mould should be slightly pointed 

 or forked into the border. 



