352 PRACTICAL GARDENING. 



mixed, it ouglit to be placed in a lieap and chopped down 

 and thrown to another heap, and then chopped down again ; 

 but however it be done, mixed it must be, and well. The 

 plants should be placed in the soil the same as if it were the 

 open garden, a box edging or a board edging, and smart 

 gravel walks should characterise the ground work. The most 

 effective way of planning the ground work, is a path of two 

 feet six inches round a bed of six feet wide in the middle, 

 and borders to occupy the space from the path to the walls, 

 or rather the sides and ends, whatever they may be. There 

 will be no great effect the first year without enormous ex- 

 pense, but the second you will have all the advantage of your 

 own growth. If the balls of potted plants are very hard, it 

 may be worth while to soak them and loosen all the fibres ; 

 for you may in vain try to wet a hard ball : the water will 

 run away and soak away without penetrating the surface, and 

 the plant will become discoloured, weakly, and perhaps de- 

 funct. The syringe should be used freely, with a fine rose 

 on, and by pumping sharply all over and among the foHage, 

 and especially of the creepers, you will keep the green-fly 

 completely under. Confine your plants as much as you can 

 to evergreens, for you want it cheerful in the winter. Eoses, 

 however, you must have, and they will occasionally drop 

 their leaves ; still there are some that must be had, and there 

 is nothing more likely to give you a few fugitive flowers at 

 Christmas. We have abeady said, water freely, but not 

 often ; a good sousing with the syringe-pump once a week 

 is better than a garden-pot watering once a day, and besides 

 this, it keeps the plants clean and healthy, and saves labour. 

 The plants may be cut in pretty close for effect at first, but 

 some may be easily withdrawn when they begin to crowd 

 each other ; unless, which is very desirable, you use your 

 knife freely, and keep all things in a proper shape, and per- 

 fectly quiet. 



A CHAPTER 01^ GJJAJ^O. 



The importance of every inquiry connected mth guano, 

 that very suigular substance, cannot be questioned, and there- 

 fore it may be proper to take a cursory glance at its history 

 before the investigation of its quahties. Yery few years have 

 elapsed since it was first applied, as a manure, by the English 



