SELECTION OF PLANTS. 29 



variety of aspect, the surface be varied, the soil 

 a friable loam, and the subsoil dry. If the last 

 most essential condition is not naturally present, it 

 must be induced by art. To be able to make 

 choice of aspect will be of great service in assigning 

 suitable positions to each species ; and the varied 

 surface will contribute to produce a picturesque 

 arrangement. 



But it often occurs that persons are desirous of 

 planting ornamental specimens in situations where 

 the natural soil is wholly unfit for the purpose; 

 under such circumstances, each tree will acquire a 

 situation prepared for its reception by removing in 

 part, or wholly, the natural soil, and replacing it with 

 a more suitable compost. For that purpose nothing is 

 preferable to sound loam of an open texture. The 

 surface soil from a rough old pasture, if it can be 

 procured, will be admirably adapted : if it can lie a 

 year or so to decompose its vegetable matter, so much 

 the better. But there are no objections to its being 

 used in a fresh state. 



The details of planting, under various conditions of 

 soil and situation, will be given under the head 

 " Planting." 



Selecting the plants. The condition of the plants 

 employed will, in no small degree, influence their 

 present progress and future success. And it unfor- 

 tunately happens that the very conditions which are 

 decidedly antagonistic to success are those which the 

 majority of persons seize upon as the most valuable. 

 "We allude to the universal disposition to choose plants 



