THE MANSE GARDEN. 209 



foul in course of time, by awkward gardeners or by 

 pretty pattens stepping off the vegetable grounds, 

 there should still be no endurance of the mixture of 

 stones to prevent the killing of weeds with garden 

 mould to encourage their growth. In the season 

 of haymaking, from the solid bottom rake all the 

 gravel into ridges, to be turned over once or twice, 

 and lie till the soil with which it is mingled become 

 dry as dust, and every vile plant be reduced to pow- 

 der; then apply the small sieve the expense of 

 which operation would go little way in bringing fresh 

 materials from a distance ; and having saved, by this 

 sifting, a good deal of top-dressing for grass, replace 

 the gravel ; and you will have no more to do with it 

 for some years. 



On the farther side of the flower walk, that is 

 next the garden fence, there will be, according to 

 the mode of planting already recommended, a gradual 

 declivity in the bank of foliage from the higher, 

 hardier, and outer rows, to the lower, inner, and 

 more delicate. Such arrangement is good for shelter 

 and beauty, as well as for promoting the health and 

 vigour of whatever is planted ; and to complete this 

 outer screen, it will now be proper to mention a few 

 of ,those flowers which fitly mingle with shrubs, 

 giving liveliness to the dark evergreen, and combin- 

 ing with those that blossom to diversify and prolong 

 the gayeties of summer. The chief is the hollyhock, 

 not over nice, majestic, long flowering, and of many 

 colours. The black, not truly named, is rich as it 

 is rare ; and for this reason some notice of the holly- 

 hock shall be given in the alphabetical list. The 

 giant sunflower, too coarse for beds or borders, is ex- 



