1863. ] DOMESTIC AIDS TO GARDEN CULTURE. 6 



most seasons the best flavour when grown without the aid of walls. I have 

 also noticed that Marie Louise, when grown on a wall, is of better flavour when 

 obtained from a western than from any other aspect. Soil and situation have, 

 however, much to do with both the size and the flavour of Pears. 



The summer of 1868 gave an advantageous opportunity to trees in the open 

 ground to mature their fruit and wood, such as is not often experienced in this 

 country ; therefore 1868 must be regarded as exceptional, and our ordinary 

 summers must be taken as forming the rule by which we should be guided in 

 planting. In this way we shall come to plant the right sort in the right place. 



Somerley Gardens, Ringwood. Henry Ohilman. 



DOMESTIC AIDS TO GARDEN CULTURE. 



rIFE, daughter, sister ! These are helpmeets in a garden, as everywhere 

 else. How softly they touch, how tenderly they gather, how gracefully 

 they bend over, how passionately they admire our favourite flowers ! 

 Every Primrose becomes a love, every Violet a duck, every Lily a dar- 

 ling, every Daisy a pet, in their charming vocabulary. The flowers, too, 

 assume a lovelier form ; even the Eoses blush a deeper crimson beneath the 

 witchery of woman's smile, and our fair sisters never look so irresistibly charming 

 as when ministering to the wants, or gathering for their special use the treasures 

 of the garden. Nevertheless I do not now refer to such ministrants as these. 



Children, then ? Bless their rollicking happy faces and joyous merry hearts! 

 May our hearts never become so sere and old as to consider any home or garden 

 scene complete, where their ringing laugh of boisterous gladness is not heard ! 

 Their presence seems even to thrill the flowers into a richer, fresher, fuller 

 beauty. And then, oh ! how heartily and happily the// can dig, and plant, and 

 sow, and wheel, and prune, and hoe, and rake, and weed, and water ! What if 

 they dig the flowers out as well as in, plant upside down, prune so severely that 

 nothing is left, wheel earth upon gravel, and gravel upon earth, rake the soil up 

 into tiny mountains, and level it down into deep valleys ? The plants, like their 

 household pets, get accustomed to their vagaries, and often grow up into vigour 

 beneath their childish care, and expand into beauty with the growth of their 

 own young lives. And our gardens would be prosy and dull without their glad- 

 dening presence and well-meant ministrations. But I don't mean children. 



Domestic animals ? Well, now, I believe in cats. They not only destroy 

 our vermin, but they can learn good manners ; and, properly trained, they never 

 break a plant. How carefully they choose their path ! how lightly they tread ! 

 and they are such soft, silky, sociable, sincere friends, that no home nor garden 

 seems quite perfect unless enlivened with their complacent purring notes of 

 gladness. Nevertheless, I do not mean cats. Fowls, then ? These can also be 

 taught some of the proprieties. There arc sensible fowls, that can be admitted 

 into gardens, that will conduct themselves in a quiet, dignified manner, and, as a 



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