REFORMATION OF A BAD STRIP. 21 



progress and possessing a ready supply for beauti- 

 fying and filling up any vacant space which may 

 occur. Whilst thes preparations are advancing 

 any fit time may be taken for the reformation of 

 your ill looking strip, with its ragged hedge and 

 underwood of hemlock. 



Begin by grubbing up old lilacs, stinted and 

 flowerless for want of sun and shower elders, 

 which, though beautiful in the open lawn, grow 

 deformed in a thicket, and blight every thing near 

 them willows, worthless as trees, and ill favoured 

 spirea, growing like a sheaf, and retaining the 

 dead stalks amongst the living the hedges totally, 

 and not to be succeeded by any thing of the same 

 kind in the same place; and sparing only a few of 

 the best trees, at such distances as they may re- 

 quire for growing to a goodly size. Proceed then 

 to trench the ground, reserving to the root of each 

 tree that is saved, a circle of as many feet in dia- 

 meter as there are inches to the stem. In this 

 process of trenching and uprooting, make distinct 

 heaps; one of stones for the roads, one of wood for 

 the fire, and one of all abominable weeds, with 

 which accounts may be settled by a due mixture 

 of lime. It may be that a gravel walk is needful, 

 either where there has been one of grass, or none; 

 and in the excavating of which there will be fur- 



O 



nished an invaluable mound of earth as well as a 

 convenient receptacle for the heap of stones. The 

 earth may be wheeled to the trenched ground and 

 made into compost with dung, in the proportion of 



