30 



GENERAL FORMATION, &c, OF GARDENS. 



subsoil." After strongly recommending 

 complete drainage, and a soil rather 

 strong than light, he proceeds — " The 

 depth of soil should be governed by its 

 texture and quality. Of such as is now 

 treated of, a strong loam, 2 feet in medium 

 depth, will be amply sufficient for the 

 support of any tree whatever. If of a 

 more clayey nature, 15 inches at the wall, 

 gradually deepening 6 inches to the front 

 of the border, is a proper depth. In very 

 light soils a greater depth should be 

 given, say 2 feet, or 2 feet 6 inches. As 

 we would diminish the depth, so likewise 

 we would increase the width of the wall 

 borders. Some writers have advised 

 them to be as wide as the wall is high ; 

 but this is a very objectionable rule. 

 For a 12-feet wall — and for permanent 

 trees, none should be lower — the border 

 should be at least 18 feet wide : if 20, so 

 much the better; but in that case the 

 necessary walk along the front might be 

 made to pass over the prepared ground, 

 so that the roots of the trees might ex- 

 tend under it. In all cases the surface 

 of the border ought to be somewhat 

 higher than the level of the walk — more 

 or less according to circumstances. Where 

 a garden is so unfortunately situated that 

 thorough drainage is impracticable, the 

 borders for the finer kinds of wall trees 

 may with great advantage be elevated a 

 foot or more above the general ground 

 surface." 



On the formation of borders, Rogers, an 

 excellent practical authority, observes — 

 " In excavating the bottom there is dan- 

 ger lest it become a reservoir for water, 

 which, without such a piece of ditching, 

 would not be attracted there at all. If 

 the subsoil be any kind of clay or earth 

 retentive of water, it is not well to dis- 

 turb it, unless any water lodging in the 

 excavation can be speedily drained away. 

 On such a substratum it is better to raise 

 the border to the requisite depth by a 

 proper soil brought on than to sink the 

 bottom. If the bottom be naturally wet, 

 it should be effectively drained, and some 

 pains should be taken to prevent the roots 

 being invited into it. This is not easily 

 done unless the whole bottom be closely 

 paved: no other material will prevent 

 the descent of the roots, if invited by nu- 

 tritive matter or humidity." 



Harrison proposes, in the case of a wet 



bottom, to lay the foundation with an 

 incline from the wall to the walk of 12 

 inches, and to run a drain close to the 

 wall, and another parallel with it, at the 

 front of the border; these drains to be 

 open stone ones, so that the water may be 

 completely carried away from the border. 

 Over the entire surface of the floor of the 

 border a stratum of moderate-sized gra- 

 vel, stones, or brickbats broken small, 

 to the depth of 3 inches, is to be laid; 

 and upon this 1 inch in thickness of fine 

 gravel, or road-grit, when the whole is to be 

 well rolled or beaten firm together. Over 

 this another stratum of gravel or small 

 stones 3 inches thick is to be laid and 

 rolled to an even surface, but not so as to 

 bind them very close together. For bor- 

 ders in a hot and dry situation, or where 

 the substratum is too open, he proposes 

 the following: The border is to be of 

 the same depth and inclination from the 

 wall as the last, as also the position of 

 the two drains. The bottom of the bor- 

 der is then to be covered with 6 inches 

 of strong clay, and when beaten or rolled 

 to an even surface, 2 inches of moderate- 

 sized gravel or stones are to be laid on ; 

 over that 1 inch of small gravel or road- 

 grit, which is to be well rolled down; 

 and afterwards 2 inches more of small 

 stones or gravel, which, being rolled to a 

 smooth surface, finishes the floor. 



A very good and economical impervious 

 bottom may be made by pitching the in- 

 clined bottom with stones of any kind, and 

 filling the space between completely with 

 concrete— or floors may be made entirely 

 of concrete. Wherever impervious floors 

 are adopted, the greatest possible care 

 should be taken that they are effectually 

 drained. 



Concreting the surface of fruit-tree 

 borders has been much advocated of late 

 years, both for those of forcing-houses, 

 and also for those of the open garden. In 

 cold, damp situations, such borders have 

 their advantages, more especially in 

 localities where much rain falls: they 

 also completely prevent the injury done 

 to the roots of trees by deep digging and 

 cropping the border. During autumn, 

 winter, and spring, the borders so treated 

 are kept dry; and during summer, if the 

 concrete is of a dark colour, which it 

 ought to be to harmonise with the sur- 

 rounding ground, and which it can readily 



