346 HISTORY OF THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN. 
but where peat earth is not to be had, or is expensive from its 
distance, I should suggest the following composition as very well 
adapted for top-dressing. 
Take one — vegetable gh old hot-bed dung, or old tan, 
r a mixture of all th 
One part pit sa 
One part good Sinekiat earth : 
Let these be thoroughly mixed together by frequent turning and 
exposure to the weather till they assume the appearance of one 
uniform mass of light sandy earth. This will form an excellent 
substitute for the former compost in top-dressing; and, indeed, I 
can assert from experience, that an abundant supply of ‘such, com- 
pletely incorporated and pulverised, will render us nearly indepen- 
dent of peat earth in oe these greatest ornaments of the 
garden or of underw 
The beauty of diac plants as chi ag; and the splendour of 
their flowers in May, June, and July, make it certain that the value 
of the addition which a rachisons of. them would give to every 
scene must be appreciated by everybody. _I cannot, therefore, but 
whic th 
adopted, attempts would be more frequently made to fill the parks 
— forests of landed proprietors with them. They are oe 
ardy—lI have never known them suffer fot the severity 0 
winters—so that they are more hardy than the Portugal Daniel 
Common Laurel, or Laurestine, which have been known to suffer 
in some situations. I at pre esent allude to the Rhododendrons and 
Kalmias, and I may include Azalea and Rhodora, though not ever- 
bey and many other shrubs, known by the name of American 
nts 
I have drawn out these observations far beyond the limits to 
= objects before me, and I could not accomplish them in smaller 
xs : 
injurious to them ; and I was desirous of pointing out to peers 
of ornamental parks and ‘ornamental plantations that subjects 
which their taste rank: dictate as fit for such situations may 
obtained with much more certainty, and at much smaller expense, 
than i = generally believed. 
statements I hat e made are contrary to the opinions, and 
cooesed to the pr certs of many of my professional brethren, 
and I doubt not will therefore be received by many with displeasure ; 
but if I have made use of one expression which is calculated to give 
offence, or to hurt the —— of any in the profession, I have 
Sa inadvertently, and [ am sorry for it. To my younger brethren, 
particular, I would urge the following advice :—Believe nothing 
implicitly on my authority; exercise your own judgments ; take 
every opportunity which you can possibly command to put to the 
