304 PRACTICAL GARDENING. 



kneaded until every particle of air is excluded, it ■will not 

 permanently hold water. Wlien the excavation is made, tlie 

 clay must be put all over the bottom, and beaten or rammed 

 do'svn with round-ended rammers, about four inches through, 

 and smooth, until the whole is a sohd coating all over the 

 bottom and sides. It must be moistened while it is rammed, 

 and gone over n.any times. There are men used to this sort 

 of work, who may be profitably employed, instead of its 

 being attempted by men not used to the business : and when 

 we have a puddled bottom, it is better to have a gradual 

 slope from very shallow edges to the requu^ed depth in the 

 middle. It is desirable to have a rise in the middle, to form- 

 a sort of island, where amphibious subjects can rest. The 

 method of planting these waters is simple enough : — All the 

 various aquatic plants may be sunk in pots, pans, or baskets 

 of soil, in deep or shallow water, as required for their growth 

 and proper development ; and the rockwork should be built 

 with pockets for sufficient earth to sustain ferns, yuccas, and 

 such plants as exhibit their foliage to advantage. It is a 

 mistaken notion to depend on the favourite httle Alpine 

 plants which we too often see almost exclusively grown on 

 such places ; and, moreover, there are many water plants that 

 are but little use. All the hardy water lilies are worth a 

 place : some of the flags and rushes are interesting, because 

 they make a feature ; but inasmuch as there are many really 

 fine subjects, striking to the eye, as well as interesting, 

 a good tiling had better be grown in plenty than the space 

 filled up with insignificant subjects only interesting to the 

 botanist. AVhatever water may be on the premises may be 

 converted into interesting scenery, and adapted for water 

 plants by simply filling up portions that are too deep, 

 changing the outhne, and adding rock where the water is 

 already standing. There will be no puddling required ; and 

 if it be not high enough, lower the ground aU round to slope 

 down to its edge, or sink the surrounding soil to a flat path, 

 only a little above the water, and form a sloping bank all 

 round the path, portions of which may be covered with rock- 

 work, sloping down to the water occupying the space that 

 would be devoted to path if it went all round ; because if the 

 rock occupied the space half round the edge, it would be of 

 no consequence. The so-called aquarium out of doors is a 

 most indefinite afiair so far as extent is concerned, for we 



