LAND 43 



and clovers, and to the raising of many trees and 

 shrubs that are exceedingly valuable in landscape 

 work. Some land, on the other hand, is very de- 

 ficient in lime but rich in nitrogen and in elements 

 that give acidity. Such land will produce the beau- 

 tiful plants found in bogs. It is suited to some fruits, 

 to many of the heaths and to many mosses and 

 plants of the lower orders. Even the poorest land 

 will grow plants that make a beautiful ground cover- 

 ing, and any situation may be made attractive by 

 selecting the plants which fit it ; but if one wishes 

 a special kind of ground cover, like Kentucky blue- 

 grass, one must see that the soil is adapted to the 

 plant desired. Its adaptation will depend not alone 

 on the elementary substances it contains, but these 

 must exist in proper combinations, and the mechan- 

 ical condition of the soil must be such that air and 

 moisture will reach the roots. In illustration of 

 the different needs of special plants, a case in point 

 may be cited. In a certain nursery, the rows of 

 trees ran east and west. At the east end the soil 

 was low, black, and of a peaty nature, while at the 

 west end it was higher and decidedly sandy. A row 

 of elms grew with great rapidity and vigor at the east 

 end, but made scarcely any growth at the west end. 



