THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 1$ "" 377 



earth at all. If we had to furnish such with flowers, we 'should 

 first give them a coat of tar to prevent destruction by damp, then 

 fix two strong rods across to form a letter X horizontally, to give 

 strength ; then fill them with moss, and in that plunge potted 

 plants. 



FKT7IT-TREE BORDERS. 



[RETT trees, of whatever kind, should be planted on 

 shallow ground, more especially if the quality of the 

 soil is adhesive. As a first principle," the border 

 should be dry; and, if not naturally so, drainage, com- 

 plete and efficient, must be introduced. The drainage 

 must, from its depth, entirely prevent the roots from getting 

 beyond it. The soil between the drainage and the atmosphere 

 should be rendered friable by exposure to the elements, and 

 when it partakes of considerable tenacity I would urgently 

 recommend an admixture of stones, flints, brick-bats, or any 

 similar material, say to the extent of one-fourth. These will 

 enable the rains to percolate freely through the body of earth in 

 which the roots are. They will also in dry weather hold moisture, 

 and tend greatly to maintain the border in an equable state. The 

 roots under such circumstances will be satisfactorily placed ; no 

 water can remain or be held in the soil sufficiently long to prove 

 injurious, the stones intermixed with the soil will allow it freely to 

 pass into the drainage beneath, where preparation must have been 

 made for its passing readily off. No kind of fruit-bearing tree 

 should ever be planted deep, the proper position of the roots in 

 planting io to stretch them carefully on the surface of the border, 

 then to cover them loosely with soil to the depth of three inches ; 

 on this lay a slight covering of decayed leaves, merely to protect 

 them from drying winds until the roots are perfectly established in 

 the soil. The roots are certain to find their way downwards, but 

 when they are down they are not so likely to find their way towards 

 the surface. Fruit tree borders should never be dug with the spade. 

 The surface may be stirred and kept open with the fork, and then 

 merely for the purpose of loosening the soil. The roots should be 

 encouraged to Ihe surface by the application of dressings of decom- 

 posed leaves. AVood-ashes will occasionally prove useful, and so 

 will soot. These encourage the kind of wood likely to prove pro- 

 ductive, and the produce is entirely different both as regards size 

 and quality, from that when heavy dressings of stable manure are 

 applied, particularly when the borders are imperfectly drained and 

 the soil of considerable adhesiveness. Manure dug into the borders 

 thus circumstanced is only increasing the evil. The soil is constantly 

 wet and spongy. Tho roots are surrounded with unhealthy fluid; 

 and the air never penetrates beyond the surface; consequently, rank 

 and barren wood, in large quantities, ia annually, and to no useful 



December. 



