68 



A SIMPLE FLOWER GARDEN. 



shape, in some other part of the lawn, and with the turf 

 re-sod the abandoned border. Those shrubs and hardy 

 roses that are in the border can remain, and each have its 

 own little border around it. The new border must be 

 manured, and treated precisely as described in Chapter I. 

 It is true, this rotation need not be done the second spring. 

 For two years the first border will answer very fairly ; but 

 beyond that it is almost useless. Even the hardy shrubs, 

 roses, and herbaceous plants require moving every few 

 years. The soil will surely become exhausted, even if 

 manure is regularly supplied. There seem to be certain 

 elements in the soil that only nature can supply. One or 

 two crops will exhaust it. If a third crop is tried, failure 

 results. Another crop of some other kind put into the 

 ground will succeed easily. Still another will do as well, 

 and on the following season after that, the first crop may be 

 tried, and it will be found that the soil before exhausted 

 has recovered, and is ready to be used again. 



If the garden was a large one, it would not require mov- 

 ing. We could select a proper course of rotation from 

 among our plants, and change them from place to place to 

 suit their needs. Here we have many plants and a small 

 garden. Manifestly, it is easier to rotate the garden than 

 the plants. 



THE PLANT GARDEN. 



This is a term that the writer is obliged to invent, to 

 describe a new idea recently carried out in our best com- 



