FORMATION AND MANAGEMENT OF GARDENS. 13 



in a northern aspect. Many of these run up to seed im- 

 mediately if exposed to the full sun. Of fruit trees the 

 apple succeeds well on a northern slope. The soil, too, is 

 usually richer, and will retain its fertility longer, other 

 things being equal, in such an exposure. It is a great ad- 

 vantage, if the garden slope at all, to have it slope in 

 more than one direction, thus giving a choice of exposure, 

 and generally also of soil, as it is thereby adapted to both 

 late and early crops. But when the drainage is good, a 

 level is to be preferred, as by the aid of the fences any 

 desired exposure can be obtained for particular plants. 

 Indeed, in southern climates nothing after quality is more 

 to be regarded than the inclination of the soil. 



Whatever be the situation or aspect, a garden must be 

 as level as possible. Any considerable inclination in a 

 southern latitude subjects the richest portion of the soil 

 to the danger of being washed away by its violent storms. 

 In the rich, mellow soil of a garden cultivated as it should 

 be, if there be much perceptible slope, a single storm will 

 often cause a loss of manure and labor that will require 

 considerable expense to repair. If the ground is not level 

 at first, it is necessary to resort to hillside ditching or to 

 throw it at once into terraces of convenient breadth. To 

 do this the eye cannot be trusted ; a leveling instrument 

 is required. The steeps of these can be clothed with 

 blue grass, or strawberry plants, to prevent them from 

 washing. 



Each terrace must be so raised just at its edge, that it 

 will retain all the water which falls upon it, permitting 

 none to flow over even in the heaviest storms. Any ex- 

 cess of water should be carried off by proper underdrains, 

 if needed, and not suffered to run off the surface. Sur- 

 face ditches are a poor substitute. Terracing is not very 

 expensive. The horizontal line is first determined with a 

 level and staked off. A few turns of the plow are made 

 on the hillside just below the stakes, and the earth thrown 



