51 THE GRAPE. 



around the margin of the excavated space, which will 

 form a drain, three feet deep from the top, and one foot 

 below the lower base of the borders ; fill this trench with 

 rough stones, or brick-bats, the rougher the better ; after- 

 wards fill in over the whole surface, about six inches of 

 oyster, or other marine shells if to be had readily, but if 

 not, broken stones, or pieces of brick and lime rubbish 

 will answer, and if a quantity of broken bones are to be 

 got, strew them over the top of the other drainage ; cover 

 this with turf-sods, or any rough litter, to prevent the soil 

 from falling through and among the drainage, and throw 

 in the prepared compost to one foot above the top level ; 

 this will give a depth of three feet, which will settle down 

 about six inches, leaving the permanent depth two feet 

 six inches, viz. : two feet below and six inches above the 

 ground level. 



In some situations the original base will be a dead level, 

 when the excavated surface ought to slope from the house 

 towards the outside of the borders, which will cause the 

 water to run the more readily towards the lower drains. 

 Care should be taken in this respect, whatever the level 

 may be, that the bottom is so arranged as to allow the 

 water to escape freely ; the means of securing which will 

 occur to any ordinary mind, according to the level he may 

 have to deal with. 



It may be thought, that with this amount of drainage, 

 and raised, and not over deep borders, the soil will be- 

 come too dry throughout the summer to maintain vigorous 

 growth, but experience testifies to the contrary, for al- 

 though the under parts will not be over wet, the moist are 

 is equally divided through the whole, and if the upper 

 surface be mulched, examination will prove that every 

 portion is equally damp, and the innumerable small root- 

 lets are ramifying in every direction, each taking its 



