734 TOWN AND SMALL 



place them in a good condition to sup- 

 port the plants to be set in them. Shrubs 

 and trees are much benefited by the ope- 

 ration of what is called root-pruning, 

 particularly those that are over-growing 

 their allotted spaces. This checks the 

 disposition to over-luxuriance, which all 

 the pruning and reduction of the branches 

 would only greatly encourage. A trench 

 is cut round the outer circumference of 

 the roots to admit of the root-pruning 

 taking place, which need not be above a 

 foot or 15 inches in breadth ; but this 

 depends on the size of the tree or bush, 

 and the depth of its roots, for it is essen- 

 tial to cut off all that descend in a down- 

 ward direction, as well as all those ex- 

 tending horizontally beyond the inner 

 edge of the trench. As much of the soil 

 should be removed as can be done with- 

 out materially injuring the roots, and 

 fresh soil laid in its place. The trench 

 should then be filled in with fresh soil, or 

 at least three parts of it to one of the 

 former, which finishes the operations both 

 of root-pruning and renewing the soil 

 about the roots of the plant. We need 

 hardly remark, that no manure should 

 be applied, unless it be with a view to 

 greatly encourage the magnitude of the 

 plant; and in some cases this is neces- 

 sary, as in the case of getting up rapidly 

 screen fences, climbing plants to hide dis- 

 agreeable objects, and the like. But even 

 in this case, ground bones or other slow- 

 decomposing matter should have the pre- 

 ference to stable-yard or other very rich 

 manure. Every tree in a villa garden 

 need not be done at the same time; a few 

 may be operated on yearly, taking those 

 first which seem most in need of such a 

 renewal. By following these suggestions, 

 such gardens would assume a very dif- 

 ferent appearance from what they do at 

 present. 



Plants take up much of their food 

 from the soil ; and to enable them to do 

 so the more completely, a beautiful pro- 

 vision is made, each rootlet being fur- 

 nished with an appendage called a spon- 

 giole, from its resemblance to a small 

 sponge : these collect the food in a 

 state of solution from the soil, and deliver 

 it to the roots, which convey it to the 

 other parts of the plant. But plants 

 derive food also in a gaseous form through 

 the pores of their leaves, which pores are 



SUBURBAN GARDENS. 



much smaller in some plants than in 

 others ; and on this also depends, to a 

 great extent, their fitness or unfitness for 

 the impure air of towns. Plants with 

 very small pores, such as heaths, roses, 

 &c, are, in consequence, amongst the 

 least proper for town gardens. The 

 Aucuba japonica, Virginian creeper, and 

 even the - vine, having large pores, are 

 found to thrive in situations where many 

 others could not exist. The dust, soot, 

 <fec, which fall on the leaves close up 

 these pores, and respiration is suspended ; 

 and the consequence, if this is not re- 

 moved, is death. The best means of 

 remedying this evil is powerful syringing; 

 and those amateurs do well who attach 

 a flexible hose to the water-supply pipe, 

 and apply it with all the force of the 

 pressure to their trees and shrubs in the 

 evenings, making it play over, around, 

 and up through the branches, that every 

 leaf, and the whole surface of the bark, 

 may be washed clean. This necessary 

 operation will account, to a certain ex- 

 tent, for our recommending well-drained 

 and shallow soils for such gardens, that 

 this extra supply of water may find a 

 ready escape, and so preserve the soil 

 from saturation. 



Fruit trees. — It may be expected we 

 should give a list of such fruit trees and 

 culinary vegetable seeds as are adapted to 

 villa gardens. Under the conditions stated 

 above, all fruit trees and bushes sufficient- 

 ly hardy to stand the climate of the loca- 

 lity are equally suitable ; and, as we have 

 given such copious descriptive lists else- 

 where, (vide Vol. II.,) we think the reader 

 will find sufficient data to form his collec- 

 tion from them ; and in the select lists of 

 culinary seeds the villa garden will not 

 be overlooked. We may, however, ob- 

 serve, that apples wrought on Paradise 

 stocks, pears on the Quince, &c, will be 

 found the most valuable, as requiring 

 little space, and creating scarcely any 

 shade. The upright espalier mode of 

 training will afford the greatest surface 

 for fruit on the least extent of ground ; 

 and, indeed, in such gardens, the goose- 

 berry, currant, &c, should be subjected 

 to the same mode of treatment; and 

 where a covered espalier (vide fig. 797) is 

 admissible — as, for example, separating 

 the flower part of the garden from that 

 occupied with fruits or vegetables— it 



