OCTOBER 57 



keep the bottom dry, and sink petroleum barrels level 

 with the ground to catch the water as it runs down the 

 paths when rain falls, or after watering with a hose. In 

 the tall walls of sandy earth every sort of aspect is to be 

 found, little hollows are made, and all kinds of treasures 

 can be planted on the flat or the slope. By making 

 holes in the sandy walls, and helping to fix the plants 

 with a mixture of cow-dung and clay, they adhere quite 

 well on the steep slope. On one side of these sunk 

 rockeries, so as still more to keep off the north-east 

 wind, there is a wall about four feet in width and four 

 feet high, built up gradually with pieces of stone and 

 earth between them — no mortar. This makes an excel- 

 lent cool depth of soil for many precious plants. A small 

 boggy bed can be made, by guiding the rain as it runs 

 away into a hole, anywhere by the sides of paths and 

 where the earth slopes. This immensely increases the 

 effect of rainfall for individual plants, and it is a great 

 help to gardening on sandy soils. The fault of my 

 rockery, unavoidable from the situation, is that it has 

 very little eastern aspect, being shaded in that direction 

 by trees; and morning sun is what early Alpines require. 

 As the holes approach the large trees, the banks are 

 planted with Ferns, various Ivies, Periwinkles ( Vinca) , 

 and shade -loving plants. Pernettyas, which are lovely 

 little shrubs, will not do in sun at all ; but in shade 

 they seem to do excellently, and are quite healthy in 

 sandy soil. All those I planted in full sun have simply 

 died this dry year, having been very much parched up. 

 Cotoneaster microphylla, on the contrary, never berries 

 so well or is so satisfactory as in a very dry place fully 

 exposed to the southern sun. 



The other day, as I was working in this new Alpine 

 garden, a caterpillar fell off a tree just in front of me. 

 His head was round ; he had a hairy body, plump and 



