550 THE MAGAZINE OF HORTICULTURE. 



plain, oil tfie other hand, at a distance from mountains, gener- 

 ally affords the mildest and best climate for invalids, and is also 

 the best situation for a garden. With respect to aspect and 

 exposure, he remarks, that an aspect sloping to the north is 

 favorable to landscape, as it shows the best side of trees ; 

 the light side of all objects during winter and spring, and the 

 greatest variety of light and shade throughout the year. But 

 an aspect sloping to the south will admit of out-of-door 

 recreation in winter, when a contrary aspect would be too 

 cold and bleak for such exercise. The southern aspect is also 

 more quickly dried after rain or snow, and more favorable to 

 vegetation, and ought, therefore, to be preferred. 



The character of the soil is of great importance when con- 

 sidered with reference to the garden ; but with reference to 

 health, the character of the subsoil, or the foundation on 

 which the surface soil rests, is of by far the most importance. 

 And even with respect to cultivation it is difficult to create a 

 good garden upon a substratum of wet, clayey, and retentive 

 soil. Rock, of almost every kind, forms a favorable subsoil, 

 because it is generally neither too retentive nor too porous. 

 Dry gravel forms a good subsoil for a house, but is apt to 

 absorb the moisture too rapidly to make a good garden. The 

 climate of every locality depends about equally upon soil and 

 exposure. In low, marshy situations we would remark that in 

 summer there is the greatest contrast between the temperature 

 of the day and of the night. In dry elevated situations the tem- 

 perature of night and day are more nearly equal. Our author 

 remarks that in the heat of summer a river has a tendency to 

 create a current of air by its coolness, and in winter by its 

 warmth ; and this action is greatly increased when the motion 

 of the river is rapid, or when it rises and falls with the tide. 



Water, which is an element so essential both for the house and 

 the garden, is not likely to be overlooked ; but with the present 

 improved methods of procuring water by boring, or collecting 

 it on the surface and preserving it in tanks, this element can 

 always be obtained in any situation. But when economy is 

 specially regarded, it is best to have water available without 

 much expense of labor or machinery. 



