8 MY GARDEN, 



Having got the garden securely enclosed, the next 

 step is the careful preparation of beds and borders, that 

 our plants may dwell in peace and wax in strength and 

 beauty year after year. And this must be done with 

 generosity and thoroughness, a little at a time, if all may 

 not be done properly at once, for there is no manner of 

 use in trying to raise up a family of fine and vigorous 

 plants on food which does not nourish them, or under 

 conditions which are not comfortable for them. 



Here we dig out the beds and borders, to a depth of 

 two feet, filling them in again with alternate layers of 

 manure and good soil a heavy layer of manure at the 

 bottom to within five inches of the top. This is then 

 well forked together, and about nine inches of the best 

 soil procurable filled into the remaining space, raising it a 

 few inches above the surrounding ground to allow for 

 settling. This top layer may be the top spit of the soil 

 already in the garden, if it is good enough, or it may be 

 brought, as in our case, from some old pasture land or 

 from the woods. If the soil used to fill the main body of 

 the beds is very heavy, the addition of wood ashes and 

 sand will be useful in bringing it to the proper state of 

 nice loaminess; and if dry and light, the layers of manure 

 may be made a little heavier. If this work is done in the 

 autumn, as is advisable, a dressing of slaked lime will 

 combine with the frost and sunshine in making our soil 

 of a most delectable consistency and surely, all this 

 accomplished, no sweet and normal plant would have 



