206 MY LIFE AS A NATURALIST 



of success, the first thing to do was to entirely destroy as many 

 of the weeds and animal pests as possible, and it was also im- 

 portant to bear in mind the easier working of the clay land in 

 days to come. I had the top spit of earth removed all over the 

 plot, and, having built up two large heaps, I burnt same for 

 several days, until the weedy sods had been transformed into 

 rich red earth, such as one sees on railway banks. Meanwhile, 

 the soil was double -trenched all over, and, when this was com- 

 pleted, the burnt earth was spread over the surface, and then 

 the whole dug over again. All was then ready for staking out 

 and planting. The two large heaps were kept afire with small 

 coal night and day, and, although it was an expensive initial 

 item, it has proved its worth over and over again. 



The ground sloped naturally from south to north, or back to 

 front, and, as I was keen upon having a level tract of lawn, it 

 was necessary to transfer many barrow loads of soil so as to 

 make up the ground where the fall was lowest near the house, 

 and work towards the higher ground in the rear. This having 

 been successfully accomplished, and the grass plot measured 

 and staked out, the next item was to prepare a five feet six inches 

 wide border on either side, running lengthwise from the end of 

 the lawn nearest the house, to where the ground was now banked 

 up at its natural level. 



As with most people who make a garden, I was anxious to do 

 all that was possible to get same established as quickly as possible, 

 but I realised that before this could be accomplished it was 

 necessary to have a living barrier all round my plot (east, west 

 and south), so as to secure shelter from the wind, and to afford 

 privacy. I, therefore, planted Birches, Laurels, Limes, Poplars, 

 Sycamores, and a few Cypresses along the west border, close to 

 my boundary line, carrying same right to the end of the plot, 

 thence along the southern extremity, and as far as the raised 

 portion of the ground on the east, marked slope on plan (Fig. 84). 

 The reason I did not extend this living fence right along the east 

 boundary line was that the border there planned was for Roses, 

 and the trees and bushes of my neighbour on that side already 

 made a fair screen for the Queen of Flowers without being too 

 close, and thus impeding their growth. Laburnum, Mountain 

 Ash, Sea Buckthorn, Spindle, Syringa, a seedling Hawthorn or 

 two already in situ on the opposite side of my eastern border, 

 made a capital boundary, and Roses to be grown to perfection 

 must be allowed plenty of light, air, and room. I raised the 



