62 



thing ; and this should, in ordinary cases, he laid at 

 least eight inches deep ; in extraordinary cases of 

 wetness, or in our more northern counties, the deeper 

 the better. Such having been spread to a fair and 

 even surface, means must be taken to prevent the 

 soil from entering the surface. We find nothing su- 

 perior to clean-riddled cinders, sweeping them into 

 every crevice, and working them to a very even sur- 

 face, over which a roller may be^finally passed. 



Our practice is to place a layer of thick turves im- 

 mediately on this, with the grass side downwards. 

 These turves should be from a very old pasture if pos- 

 sible, and possess a vast amount of fibrous matter. 

 Our loam being at hand, we proceed by throwing on 

 alternately a layer of loam and a layer of fresh stable- 

 door litter; introducing the latter in very thin por- 

 tions, shaking it out with a fork. We also occasionally 

 sprinkle in a few of the fallen oak or beech leaves 

 recently raked from the Park ; our object being to 

 keep the soil elastic for a long period, and rather to 

 add organic matter than stimulating manures. 



These operations should always be performed dur- 

 ing a dry period ; and those who intend doing full 

 justice to a peach border, should have every thing in 

 readiness by the end of August, in order to take choice 

 of weather between that period and the planting time. 



No loams can ever be relied on if handled in a wet 

 state ; such a proceeding will nullify the best laid 



