40 SATURDAY IN MY GARDEN 



in the shape of sundry pieces of cement, bricks, lumps of solid 

 mortar, clinkers and what not. The remedy for this state of 

 affairs must be drastic and immediate. But even supposing that 

 the soil has not been unduly disturbed since it was converted, 

 perhaps, from meadowland into a garden plot, the outcome of 

 this preliminary exploration may nevertheless provide interesting 

 and unwelcome results. The removal of the top spit will reveal 

 the condition of the subsoil and the natural earth, and it is this 

 stratum of his ground with which the gardener will have to wrestle 

 in his struggle to induce the soil to produce its richest harvests. 

 He may find that the subsoil consists either of solid impervious 

 clay, or of flints and limestone, or thick layers of chalk, or possibly 

 of sandy gravel. If he leave the holes open for a few days he 

 will easily be able to test the drainage qualities of the ground. 

 Should there have been no rain since the holes were dug, and water 

 collect at the bottom, he will know that the subsoil is waterlogged, 

 and that the drainage in this spot is imperfect. In the event of 

 heavy rain he will be able to discover by the tardiness or the 

 rapidity with which it disappears whether the drainage is good, 

 bad, or indifferent. This will give him a clue to the future 

 treatment of the soil which will be invaluable. By an intelligent 

 application of correctives he will be able to supply the deficiencies 

 that reveal themselves as he proceeds with the work of building 

 up suitable soils for the reception of various classes of plants. 



Without any resort to technical or scientific terms, it will 

 perhaps be found advantageous to discuss the peculiarities of 

 various subsoils in turn and to suggest the methods of treatment 

 required in each instance. The only remedy possible in the case 

 of the builder's relics is their instant removal. It may mean that 

 in order to accomplish this satisfactorily it will be necessary to 

 dig down to a considerable depth. The work will be hard and 

 tiresome, but it will be labour well spent. If it involves the 

 removal of a good deal of hard, useless clay, so much the better, 

 for the future welfare of the beds and borders that are being 

 operated upon. And while the foundation is thus laid bare it 

 will be well to see that proper provision is made for drainage. 



