152 THE VILLA GARDENER. 



is very frequently the case while the upper part of the fence is fresh and 

 strong. In this case, the posts should either be entirely renewed, or the 

 cheaper mode adopted of inserting fresh posts close to the rotten ones, of such 

 a length as to reach two or three feet above the surface. By nailing these 

 short new posts to the sound part of the old posts, the fence may be kept up 

 during another lease. A full-grown hedge, with gaps in it, is one of the 

 worst fences to repair ; because young hedge-plants will never thrive among 

 old ones. The only mode, in this case, is to intertwine the adjoining 

 branches, and to insert stakes for retaining these in their position. The 

 hedge will often be found too broad at top ; in consequence of which, the 

 light and air are too much excluded from the bottom, which becomes naked ; 

 and here the only remedy is to cut in the sides of the hedge, so as to reduce 

 tlie width at top ; when, after two or three years, it will become equally 

 thick from the ground upwards. 



230. The ivallcs, whether of gravel or pavement, will hardly fail requiring to 

 be taken up and replaced or renewed ; and, as the underground drains are 

 generally along the sides of the walks, both may be renovated at the same 

 time. The edgings to the walks, if of box, will probably be overgrown ; in 

 which case they will require to be taken up and replaced by 3'oung plants 

 from a nursery, unless the occupier be content to take up the old box, and 

 plant it in rows in the interior of the garden, in the manner called by 

 gardeners laying in, leaving only an inch or two of the plant above the 

 sui-face, in which state it will commonly throw out fresh roots from the side 

 shoots, and, in a year, be fit to plant out along the walks as edgings. Some 

 gardeners plant old box at once as edgiiigs, where it is finally to remain, 

 burying the plants to within 2 in. of the ends of the shoots ; but as, from the 

 length of the old overgrown box, it becomes necessary in this case to bend 

 the plants in planting them, and, consequently, many of them are broken, 

 and thus are liable to die during the summer, it is better to make certain of 

 plants that will live, by rooting the box first in nursery lines, as recom- 

 mended above. In almost every case of renovation, of whatever material 

 the edgings to the walks may have been made, whether grass, thrift, straw- 

 berries, brick, tile, slate, or stone, they will require to be taken up and 

 replaced, if not renewed. 



231. The turf, if there be any, if it does not require the surface on which 

 it grows to be relevelled, may be renewed by digging it down, forming and 

 consolidating the surface by raking and rolling, and afterwards sowing grass 

 seeds ; or, it expense be not an object, fresh turf may be procured from an 

 old pasture. In many cases, however, all the renovation that will be required 

 for turf will be the filling up of the inequalities of the surface with fine soil, 

 rolling the whole firmly, and sowing grass seeds in the bare places after 

 the first shower; then slightly raking it, and again rolling it after it becomes 

 dry. 



232. IVie most important consideration, however, with reference to reno- 

 vating suburban gardens, is the state of the trees and shrubs. In almost 

 all suburban gardens of twenty years' standing, this will be found to be most 

 wretched. The oiniamental shrubs will com.monly be found to consist only 

 of the coarser-growing kinds, which have i-emained and become vigorous, 

 after having choked up and destroyed the weaker and more delicate kinds; 

 and the ornamental trees will be found too large, overshading everything, 



