REMARKS ON THE CULTURE OF ALPINES. 103 



their leaves being fouled. Use for this purpose the 

 same riddled stone as described above, which is better 

 than gravel, as round pebbles are easily washed off 

 the slope by rain or in watering." By a " sweet *' 

 state of the soil the writer doubtless means freedom 

 from stagnancy. There is a sweet state of moisture 

 and there is a sour state. Moisture is good, but it 

 should not be stagnant. Gritty soil is wet, and pasty 

 soil is wet, but there is a great difference between the 

 two as far as plant growth is concerned. The reader 

 will not fail to note the very large proportion of stone 

 chips recommended for the main compost of the 

 rockery. Those of us who have had experience of 

 the way in which many Alpines grow in very poor 

 chalky soil, will not consider it excessive. 



It will be gathered that the necessity for top-dressing 

 is likely to turn on the way in which the compost is 

 made up, and that is certainly so. With abundance 

 of grit in the mixture from the first little mulching is 

 likely to be required, but it is always prudent to look 

 over a rockery when winter approaches, and if the 

 soil is incHned to " pan " into a close mortar to stir 

 it up well and sprinkle on some small chippings. 



Watering. 



The watering of a rock garden is apt to be a tedious 

 and troublesome business, and the necessity for it 

 should be obviated as far as possible by good con- 

 struction and wise selection of compost. It has been 

 pointed out already that with a good depth of soil 

 containing abundance of grit the roots have an oppor- 



