230 THE PAHKS AND GAKDKNS OF PAIUS. [Chap. XV. 



walk ; and each of the isolated trees should be planted on a very 

 gently rising mound of earth, with the exception of the groups 

 on either side of the rockwork, which are on an abrupt slope, 

 and the large clump on each side of the bed No, 94, which 

 should be raised about nine inches above the walk and gradually 

 sloped off. 



Let us now proceed to enter into the planting, which is cer- 

 t.ainly the most important part of winter-gardening. This may 

 be considered from several points of view, according to the class 

 of house, whether cold, temperate, or hot, or for orchids or an 

 aquarium. For the present we will content ourselves with 

 treating of a warm temperate winter-garden with a mean 

 temperature of from 65' to 68' Fahr., in which we could place 

 Palms and similar house-plants that would thrive all the better 

 for the increased warmth. Previous to planting, due care must 

 be given to the drainage and the composition and preparation of 

 the soil. As bottom-heat is the main thing to produce luxuriant 

 vegetation in plants, it is important that the hot-water pipes 

 should be properly arranged and covered with flag-stones to 

 prevent the plants on the walls from being scorched, instead of 

 being around the outside, and exposed, as usually is the case. If 

 uncovered pipes are considered absolutely essential along the base 

 of the walls, a brick or other partition of some sort should be 

 placed between them and the plants, to prevent too great an 

 accession of direct heat from the pipes. But a still better method 

 is to conduct the heat through underground brick channels to 

 points with open gratings in the walks to allow the heat to rise. 

 The soil, well drained at the bottom, and crossed here and there 

 by the pipes wo have mentioned, will be warmer and will encourage 

 the luxuriant growth desired around the walls of the house. A 

 good drainage of broken bricks and mortar rubbish will suffice for 

 the subsoil, leaving a depth of about three feet for the mould in- 

 tended for the plants. Two drains should run below this through 

 the house, with an outlet to carry off the surplus water. The 

 composition of the soil may be varied according to the class of 

 plants it is intended for. But, as a general rule, for strong 

 growing plants and large Palms it will be found advantageous to 

 prepare the mass in the following manner : — Upon the layer of 

 broken bricks and mortar rubbish should be placed a layer of 



