286 Essmjs. 



shrubberies thickly with native shrubs, which iu two years afforded ample 

 shelter for the protection of young plants. As I obtained different varieties 

 of plants I cut away the insides of these plantations, and planted them in 

 the place of the native shrubs, but not removing more than was sufficient to 

 allow of sun and air to the young plants. Every year I cut away more as 

 the plants grew, until at last, in many places, none of the original shrubs 

 are left. The great point to be attended to in this mode of forming a 

 garden is, that the young trees have sufficient room to grow without being 

 drawn up. The result of this plan has been that I have succeeded in 

 growing many really tender plants, Avhich, without such shelter, would have 

 perished when young. In planting outside shelter, I would much prefer 

 native shrubs to the gum, willow, or poplar, and for this reason — the former 

 do not throw out straggling roots, and certainly tend to enrich the land, so 

 that, in planting tender growing plants near them, they are not robbed by 

 the roots of the native shrubs impoverishing the soil ; the latter, which are 

 rank growers, take out of the land a great amount of its strength, in 

 consequence of their roots running to a great distance, much to the 

 detriment of other plants near them. I am aware that it would in many 

 places be very difficult, if not impossible, to procure a sufficient number of 

 native shrubs to form shelters, and that recourse must be had to gums, &c.; 

 in such cases, I should say, lay out a garden in such a way that the necessary 

 shelters are planted by themselves, and may be entirely removed when they 

 are no longer required. The planting of coniferous trees among such a 

 growth as this Avould in most cases fail ; they would struggle on for a time 

 and then die, much to the disappointment of the planter. 



I propose dividing my remarks under three headings — 1st, Coniferous 

 plants ; 2nd, trees and shrubs ; 3rd, ornamental plants. I will name those I 

 have in my garden which are worthy of cultivation, the country to which 

 they are indigenous, their degree of hardiness, and any information as to 

 their cultivation. Before doing so I will refer to what is most necessary to 

 be done in the formp.tion of a garden to insure success to its future well- 

 doing. Preparatory to planting, the piece of ground should be well drained 

 to the depth, if possible, of 4 feet 6 inches, and the drain covered in with 

 timber, so as to secure its lasting for many years. This first step is a most 

 important one, by which you v.'ill secure ample drainage of the overplus 

 water from the roots of your trees and plants. From the want of such 

 drainage, many have been disajDpointed in the sickly growth of their plants. 

 The stagnation of water about the roots causes the bark of the roots to rot, 

 hence the sickly growth. The next season, having drained the land, it will 

 require, if the soil is light and friable in its character, to be well dug over a 

 foot deep ; but retentive soil should be trenched. These two preliminary 



