6 



SOIL. 



the bottom is rocky or shaly, when it may be 

 dispensed with. 



The formation of the substratum of a border 

 in a hot and dry situation, or where the na- 

 tural substratum is too open, must be accord- 

 ing to the following method. 



The border must be the depth before de- 

 scribed, also the same breadth, and the surface 

 of the substratum must incline from the wall 

 to the front of the border, about four inches. 



Two drains must also be made as in the 

 other situation described. After the drains 

 are constructed, let six inches (at least) of 

 strong clay be spread over the bottom of the 

 border. This must be beaten or rolled to an 

 even surface; upon this lay about two inches 

 thick of moderate sized gravel or stones, then 

 one inch thick of small gravel or strong road 

 drift, after which let it be well rolled, and 

 lastly, two inches more of small stones or 

 gravel which must be rolled to an even sur- 

 face. After this is done the soil may be 

 thrown into the space allotted for it. The 

 surface of the border must in all situations, 

 have the same inclination as the substratum. 



The practice of using small stones or gravel 

 for forming the under stratum, is very far 

 preferable to paving or slating it, which is 

 practised by some persons. For the latter 

 method prevents the water regularly settling 

 down below the border, and a few inches of 

 the soil nearest the slates, &c\ is kept in a 



