Angutt pofed too much: the Choice of the Ground de- 
termines the Succefs of the Garden; and ’tis to a 
Neglect on this Head, that we fee Labour and. 
= Expence fo often forfeited. 
a : : As we have named what is the beft Condition | 
, of the natural Soil for a Garden; we muft add, 
| that the wortt is Clay. 
There are Methods of improving all Soils, 
ee this not excepted ; but ’tis almoft an endlefs La- 
3 bour to prepare a clayey Soil for Garden Bor- 
ders ; and when all is done that can be, the Suc- 
cefs is. imperfect. We add rich Manures, and 
thefe mix well with loamy and hazely Soils, but 
they wath off from among the clayey. 
°Tis true, that a Mixture of Sand and Pafture 
Mould will reduce Clay to a kind of Loam; but 
when that is done ’tis imperfect. Clay is the worft 
Ingredient that can come into a Compoft for a 
Flower Garden; and in thefe Soils however mend- 
ed, it will always be predominant. Gravelly 
Soils are poor, and thofe of the ftony Kind at 
once poor and hot. 
ftinétion. Gravelly Soils are thofe full of Flints 
and Pebbles; ftony Soils are fuch as abound with 
Pieces of Lime-ftone, Free, or other Quarry- 
-ftone. 
ways to be rejected in the Choice of a Piece of 
Ground for a Garden. 
All the others are capable of an Improvement 
where Neceffity throws the Defigner of a Garden 
‘upon them. 
The Clay will be brought to a Loam by Sand, 
and even the Sand by Clay; and the gravelly and 
ftony may be cleared of thofe ufelefs Parts, and 
raifed by better Soil: but this is tedious and ex- 
penfive. 
The true Choice muft fall upon a Piece of 
Ground naturally fuited to the Growth of Vege- 
tables; and then lefs Labour, lefs Charge, and 
~ Jefs Uncertainty will be the Confequence. 
. - ‘When a Piece of Ground is found that has all 
OF GARDENING. 
The Gardener fhould well underftand this Di- | 
Sandy Soils are always barren, and al- 
597 
thefe Requifites, a gentle Defcent, a South Eaft Auguft. 
Afpeét, and a deep hazely Soil, let not any little 
Irregularities in the Surface deter the Defigner of 
the ers ; far from Blemifhes, they may often 
be turned into the moft confiderable Beauties: at 
worft from the Nature of the Ground, they will - 
be eafily levelled; or made at leaft tolerably re- 
cular, © 
The greater. ee Extent of the Ground the lefs 
are thefe Unevennefles to be regarded. ‘The 
Hollows may be a proper Plantation, be made 
to refemble thofe rude Dells in the wild State of 
Things, than which Nature affords no Variety 
more pleafing. | 
An Oak rifing from the Bottom of a Hollow, 
furrounded with Shrubs of humbler Growth, will 
form a very agreeable Object from thofe-Walks 
in which the Feet are upon a Level with its top- 
moft Branches. Nay, Genius, when it dares take ~ 
its full Flights, will make thefe Cavems' the 
moft ftriking of all Objects. 
Thofe who have feen Goodwood, know how 
much a Genius like the late Duke of Richmona’s 
could make of fuch an Irregularity in the 
Ground: the Reprefentation of Rocks rent by 
an Earthquake, and of Earth funk by fome 
ereat Cataftrophe, prefents itfelf to the aftonifhed 
and pleafed Imagination. This is the Sublime 
in Gardening; which, as a late ingenious Au- 
thor * has fhewn on other Occafions, has its great 
Source in Terror. 
This may ferve as an Inftance in the greater 
Kind; and it will be eafy to make thefe natural 
Defeéts in lefler Occafions, Objeéts of agreeable 
Variety. 
One Rule on this Head is univerfal, thé fmaller’ 
the Piece of Ground the lefs it will admit thefe 
Irregularities. In general what is true of a great 
Garden, is applicable alfo to a little one; but 
there muft be Scope for the Introduction of thefe 
fingular and great Parts. 
ERE IH IS ISIS ISIS ISIE ISIE IE ISIS ESS 
“HE Ground with all the Advantages we 
have defcribed, is yet, imperfect if there is 
«not Water: he would be as abfurd who fhould 
attempt to make a Garden without ‘Water, as 
without Mould. 
There is no Difference between Rock and ab- 
folute dry Defart, in refpect of Vegetable Pro- 
ductions. 
Water is requifite to the Beauty as well as 
‘effential to the Prefervation and Management of 
Gardens; and without entering into a frivolous 
CHAP. 
Of WATER 
Iv. 
Detail of leffer Diftinétions, let the Gardener 
confider it under three Kinds, Spring, River, 
and Pond. mo 
Of thefe the laft is moft fuited to the Service, and 
the fecond to the Decoration of Gardens. ‘Spring 
Water is the hardeft and coldeft; River Water 
is of a middle Quality, and Pond Water is the 
fofteft and warmett of all. 
Spring Water from a Well is cold and hard 
in the moft extream Degree; as it has run far- 
ther, and fpread more upon the Surface, it be- 
~ comes 
* Mr. Bourke on the Sublime and Beautiful. 
