CHAPTER VI 



THE SOIL 



Importance of climate — Best type of soil — Supplying de- 

 ficiencies in soil — Necessity of loosening ground — 

 Drainage. 



Climate has more effect on rock plants than 

 either soil, aspect, elevation, or any other 

 natural factor. This may not sound encourag- 

 ing, for, whatever else we may do, we cannot 

 control the climate, so all that remains is to 

 adapt ourselves to, and make the best of, 

 existing conditions. Perhaps it is just as well 

 that it is so, for the result would indeed be 

 curious were we able to secure the amount of 

 sunshine or rain that each desired. Uncertain 

 as the climate of the British Isles now is, it 

 would then be a hundred times more so. 



Next to the climate, the soil, as might be 



expected, is of the chief importance. But 



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