How to manage a Garden 



sandstone, and though a little more picturesque in them- 

 selves are in most localities difficult to obtain. Sandstone 

 which is not of too free a nature is very suitable for forming 

 a rockery in which plants will grow. In cases where it is 

 especially difficult to obtain stone, composition may be 

 employed, but it should only be done as a last resource. 



Having selected the stone and got it all in readiness, we 

 must procure also the soil. Of this there had better be 

 two classes. One may consist of any of the old soil from 

 pots and boxes, vine borders, &c., which has been put 

 aside as not valuable enough for further use in that 

 direction, and of yet sufficient worth to preserve it from 

 being entirely thrown away. This will be found useful 

 for filling in those parts where the roots are not so 

 likely to reach. If wanting in quantity, procure turf 

 to mix with it, chopped to about the size of a cricket 

 ball. The other sort should be some well-prepared 

 compost made up of loam, leaf soil, mortar rubble, and 

 gravel. The plants being mostly of an alpine character, 

 the gravel should enable them to find some of the con- 

 ditions which accompany them in their native habitat. 

 The larger stones are then placed in the form which 

 the rockery will take. The stones are not set to touch 

 one another, so that a space is left to be filled with 

 good soil and form the free rooting medium for the 

 plants. It is most essential that the stones, wherever 

 they be placed, are firm and immovable, and for this 

 purpose the larger portion of the stone should act as a 

 base, and should be sufficiently buried to provide anchor- 

 age and ensure stability. The middle is filled with large 

 stones also, but soil is worked among them all as the 

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