SOILS, PLANTINGS, PRUNINGS 27 



with plenty of dead leaves in them, which I 

 noted as I drove along a shady lane last 

 week, for all road-scrapings are not alike ; 

 at least half-a-dozen loads of the precious 

 brown fibrous loam from my lower meadow by 

 the river ; and one of good cow manure from 

 a farmer's straw-yard, to supplement the heap 

 from my stable, as it is far better and cooler 

 for roses than any other. And with such a 

 supply of " stuff" to suit all that garden 

 and orchard contain, we may face Autumn 

 planting, Winter frosts, and Spring renovating, 

 with a tranquil mind and good hopes for 

 next Summer. 



If many of the failures in gardens are due to 

 want of nourishment and proper food, how 

 many more are owing to bad planting. I am 

 amazed to see how lightly this all-important pro- 

 cess is undertaken sometimes ; for the success- 

 ful planting of a tree, or a shrub, or a Rose 

 especially a Rose does not mainly depend on 

 digging a hole, sticking the plant in, and re- 

 placing the soil. The bed in which we intend 

 to plant must be properly prepared. The hole 



