Shrubbery, Plantation, and Wood 8i 



There are some advantages, too, in leaving the leaves 

 to nourish the ground and protect it. Here is a note 

 from a friend inquiring about what he thinks difficulties, 

 and an answer to it : — 



' You draw a pretty picture of what a shrubbery border 

 should be and how it should be kept in winter. There 

 should be no digging, and the fallen leaves should be left. 

 I fully agree, except as to the leaves. Theoretically, it 

 seems quite right to allow the leaves to lie and decay 

 amidst the surrounding plants, but in practice it does not 

 answer. There are, for instance, in most gardens such 

 things as slugs and snails. These delight in a leafy 

 covering, and, protected from frost by the shelter, will prey 

 upon the perennial green leafage and the starting crowns 

 of the herbaceous plants, and do an immense amount of 

 mischief. Then there are usually in gardens in winter, 

 especially in hard weather, blackbirds and thrushes, which 

 in their efforts to obtain food set all notions of tidiness at 

 defiance. The first storm that came would whirl the 

 disturbed leaves all over the place.' 



How do the swarming plants of the woods and 

 copses of the world exist in spite of the slugs ? In 

 the garden we may please ourselves as to leaves, and 

 besides all gardens are frequently enriched by soil 

 and other things, but not one leaf would I ever allow 

 to be removed from a clump of shrubs or trees on 

 lawn or pleasure ground, and I should prefer the leaves 

 all over the place to dug borders. In a plantation 

 of choice trees, their branches resting on the ground, 



