CHAPTER III. 



PREPARATION OF THE LAND 



IN the preceding chapters the requirements of the house 

 and other conditions have been discussed in a general way, 

 and it now becomes necessary for us to take up in detail 

 the preparation of the soil for the growth of the various 

 kinds of trees, shrubs, and plants used for the outside 

 ornamentation of the home. 



Before any decoration of the grounds can be begun the 

 house must have been finished and the debris removed from 

 the land. It must be fully understood that upon few, if 

 any, places can there be found all of the varieties of soils 

 necessary for the growth of all of the ornamental material 

 that it may be desirable to grow, and often it will be neces- 

 sary to procure such materials to improve it as is needed 

 from outside sources. In many cases, however, we find the 

 soil well adapted, with slight additions, to the growth of 

 all the kinds of trees, shrubs, an:l plants that it is desirable 

 to grow, in which case the cost of preparation is much 

 reduced. 



Preliminary Grading. 



"When the excavation is made for the cellar, the surface- 

 soil should be scraped to one side and the subsoil to 



another, that the former may be used to make the surface- 



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