92 PAEKS AND PLEASCKE-GROUXDS. 



such, it should contain glazed structures, in which the 

 heaths of the Cape, the rhododendrons of India, and 

 the azaleas of China, may find a climate and receive 

 a culture suited to their natural habits. Manj plants 

 in the American garden do not necessarily require a 

 moist peat soil ; they may be grown to great perfection 

 in a healthy sand, in a sandy loam, or sandy clay, or 

 in a vegetable earth composed of the decayed leaves 

 of trees. They do not thrive in common garden-soil. 

 The American garden may be either a section of the 

 flower-garden, or may be formed in some detached 

 spot on one of the lawns. If the site is naturally suited 

 for this class of plants, some expense may be saved 

 in the formation of a proper soil. Portions of the 

 site may be slightly shaded with advantage, but should 

 not, at least in the northern parts of the island, be 

 naturally damp. The hybrid rhododendrons, which 

 have been raised from the tree rhododendrons of India, 

 though not quite hardy in many localities, may yet be 

 grown very generally, if planted in warm and shel- 

 tered positions. As these varieties bloom late in 

 spring and early in summer, their flowers attain a 

 greater beauty if their flower-buds are protected from 

 the vernal frosts by some temjjorary awning or light 

 glass covering. Happily, many new and hardier sorts 

 are now introduced every year. — American gardens 

 assume a variety of forms. They may be formed 

 either with small intervening lawns or without them. 

 They are generally. laid out on grass ; but as the plants 

 they contain are mostly evergreens, that ground- 

 w^ork is not so necessary as in the rosary and flower- 

 garden. 



Note. — The "American" garden is ours, of course, 



