THE COMMON SHRUBBERY. 57 
How do the swarming herbs of the woods and copses of the 
world exist in spite of the slugs? A good protection for them 
is hard gravel walks and paths, where they lay their eggs 
without danger. Against the door one may do what one 
likes, but not one leaf would I ever allow removed from 
a clump of shrubs or trees on my lawn or in my pleasure 
ground. I would prefer the leaves all over the place to a 
dug border, but I would, if need be, meet that difficulty by 
Colony ‘of Narcissus in properly spaced shrubbery. 
scattering a light dressing of soil over them. In what I 
should call a properly managed shrubbery or clump, with the 
bushes well spaced, and their branches resting on the ground, 
with low shrubs between, and evergreen and other herbs, 
there are natural impediments to the leaves rushing about in 
the way you suppose. This isa subject of the greatest interest 
and the utmost practical importance. Our annual digging 
