THE GREEN-HOUSE. 



131 



or of the same species, sheltering by choice of low 

 situation or otherwise, and manuring and pruning; 

 — all such plants, we repeat, as are much affected by 

 these and other operations of culture, will grow in a 

 sandy loam. This, it will be at once seen, includes 

 nine-tenths of the perfect plants (we exclude Crypto- 

 gamece); and of this nine-tenths, it may be safely 

 affirmed, that they will all grow well in a sandy loam. 

 They will not all attain equal perfection in this soil ; 

 for some may require it to be a little stronger, and 

 others a little lighter than the general average ; but 

 they will all grow better than if left to themselves, 

 in their natural soils and situations. Of the remain- 

 ing tenth of the perfect plants, it may be said that 

 they are absolute as to soils, the greater part being 

 either aquatics, or plants that grow in what are called 

 aquatic soils, that is, peat earth plants. There are 

 only a few plants which grow on sands and rocks so 

 absolutely as not to be made to grow in sand with a 

 little loam. 



If this theory be correct, it will follow that the 

 chief earths required by the cultivator are loam and 

 sand, from which he will be enabled to form composts 

 for all plants of culture ; and next peat earth, which, 

 with the aid of sand, will enable him to form com- 

 posts for all plants of unalterable habits as to soil. 



What loam is, and hoAV, where, and when it is to 

 be procured, are the next subjects which we might 

 treat of ; but this we fear we could not do to much 

 advantage. Every gardener knows a loamy soil from 



K 8 



