34)8 Advantages of a Reserve Garden. 



ing instead ; but both these would be more expensive, and 

 would require more attention to keep in order. However, I 

 leave that to my critics, for gardeners are as notorious for disa- 

 greement as doctors. The base of these pot beds should be 

 excavated about six inches, and there should be a row of bricks 

 on end on each side of the bed, forming a sound edging; a stone 

 edge would be preferable, but this is not always to be obtained. 

 The edging should rise about three inches above the ground 

 level, and the excavation within should be filled to within two 

 inches of the top with clean sand of any kind. On this the pots 

 may be set, or plunged in it, according to the necessities of the 

 season ; and many of the Exice-ee, the Epacrideae, the CamelhVi^, 

 &c., would be found much benefited by being plunged in it 

 through all excessively hot weather, as we know by experience 

 that many of these tribes are much injured by a very hot and 

 dry temperature. In the sand the mean temperature would pro- 

 bably not exceed 70° at all times, and the pots would be always 

 surrounded by a feeding medium ; whereas in the open air, and 

 on the surface, they are of necessity exposed to a heat of fre- 

 quently 80° to 90°, and surrounded by dry air, or, in other 

 words, by a robbing medium : so much for plunging. 



Having thus delivered my ideas on the establishment of pot 

 beds, and having met, as I conceive, every objection but ex- 

 pense which somehow or other attends every thing we contrive, 

 it remains for me just to observe, that, with all these contrivances 

 some of the larger specimens will perchance suffer at times from 

 long-continued rains, which sometimes occur for days together. 

 I named befoi'e, that the very greatest precautions are necessary 

 in potting these various plants, to render their drainage most 

 complete, and to put it out of the power of the worms (if they 

 should chance at any time to get in) to choke the drainage 

 entirely. I have now to recommend, through very wet seasons, 

 the use of slates, tiles, or, what I should prefer, pieces of wood 

 made circular, with a hole for the bole of the plant, which the 

 two semicircles would embrace ; and, with the aid of two small 

 pegs stuck by the bole of the plant, the surface of these two 

 pieces of board might be made to present an inclined plane, 

 which would throw off the rain. I should only use these boards 

 in strong necessity, and to plants in large pots, and for that pur- 

 pose a few would suffice. In a pot ground thus contrived, there 

 would be a variety of aspects suitable for any of these tribes 

 when first brought out of the house ; for instance, supposing the 

 jEriceae to be brought out, say early in June, and the weather not 

 particularly sunny, the pots might be set in an eastern or western 

 aspect, and, towards the early part of July, might be removed 

 to a northern one, to enjoy the flickering shade of the trellis 

 through the scorching heat of summer. As for the other com- 



