54 beeck's new book of flowers. 



LAYING OUT THE FLOWER-GARDEN. 



'' And the sinuous paths of lawn and moss, 

 Which led through the garden along and across ; 

 Some opened, at once to the sun and the breeze, — 

 Some lost among bovvers of blossoming trees, — 

 Were all paved v\ith daisies and delicate bells, 

 As fair as ihe fabulous asphodels ; 

 And flowerets which, drooping as day drooped loo, 

 Fell into pavilions, while, purple, and blue. 

 To roof the glow-worm from the evening dew." 



Situation. — As to the situation of a garden, it is not 

 always in our power to choose. A level plot, however, is 

 to be preferred ; for, if there be considerable descent, the 

 heavy rains will wash away the soil. A southern aspect, 

 sheltered from the north and west winds, is a projjer situ- 

 ation for most plants. An inclination to the north, or 

 west, or any any point between them, should, if possible, 

 be avoided. It should be situated contiguous to or near 

 the dwelhng-house, and well exposed to the sun and air, 

 that the more curious and valuable flowers may be treated 

 with the best success. 



Soil. — The soil should be a deep, rich loam. If not nat- 

 urally so, it must be made rich and deep by trenching 

 and manuring, by carting away poor soil and bringing on 

 good. If naturally heavy, it should be made light with 

 a more sandy soil; or, if too light, it should be improved 

 by a mixture of that which is more heavy. 



The ground should be trenched two spades deep, or 

 from twelve to sixteen inches, according to the quality of 

 the subsoil. If the subsoil is poor, the depth of the 

 mould must l)o made by carting on such substances as are 

 most needed to correct tlie bad qualities of the soil. A 

 comj)ost, made of decomposed green sward from a past- 



