POSITION AND SOIL. 75 



water and well drained. When there is too 

 much clay, the soil can be made sufficiently 

 friable by the application of wood and coal 

 ashes, lime, burnt earth, etc. When, on the 

 other hand, a soil is sandy or too light, we 

 need to bring clay, muck, leaf mould, etc., 

 to obtain sufficient body. This soil must, of 

 course, be thoroughly manured and worked ; 

 frequent spading will do a great deal toward 

 lessening the stiffness of a heavy soil. On 

 no account attempt to make roses grow in a 

 wet spot ; if there be such a place which it 

 is desired to use, let the soil be thoroughly 

 drained by sinking tiles to a depth of four 

 feet, or provide in some other way for carry- 

 ing off the water. Where it is impossible to 

 find a position capable of being drained by 

 tiles from the ground being too flat, the soil 

 may be removed to a depth of a few feet, 

 and stones, bricks, debris of any kind, thrown 

 in ; but whenever the water can be carried off 

 in tiles it is better to do so. 



