12 The TJoeory Part E 



Grounds > which^ ofairothers, are'th^ warft for Gar- 

 dens. ' ' ' ' 



A s to the Colour of good Earth ^ It ftiould h'€ a gray, 

 inclining to blacky the whitilh Earths are never good. 

 There is alfo another Requifite in good Ground ; that to the 

 Eye the Surface of it appear neither too dry, nor too nioift ; 

 and that in Handling, it feel of a temperate Moifture. 

 LaQuinti. Fruit Gardener^ add to thefe. That, to know a good' 



^yf- . Earth, one IhoiMd confult the Tafte and Smell : The Tafte, 



LejardfSr bv foaking a Handful of Earth in a Glafs of Water, -and 



Francois. ftraming it afterwards through a Cloth r if) in Drinking, 

 you find it has a lharp or bitter Tafte, the Fruit and Le- 

 gumes will have the fame : For the Smell, 'tis but taking a 

 little, of the Earth in one's Hand, and fcentihg it, to under- 

 ftarid its good or bad Flavour. 



The two laft Qualities refped rather the Fruit and Kitchen- 

 Garden, than the Pleafure-Garden, where the Tafte and 

 Smell fignify nothing. But, as Fruit and Kitchen-Gardens 

 are ncceifary to a fine Seat, 'twill not be amifs to-have Re- 

 jstheFrm gard to thefe too, it being very difagreeable to eat Fruit that 



SSy, I^^sa fliarp, bitter,^ or infipid Tafte, or that fmeUs likea^ 

 Cabbage or a Turnep. 



' The third Requiute, which is Water, is one of the mof^ 

 eonfiderable of all i for, befides that it is extremely rtecef-. 

 fai-y for Life, 'tis alfo for fo 'many other Purpofes, that if 

 a Country-Seat be without it, 'tis the greatcft Inconvenience- 

 in the World, and brings a certain Mortality on whatever is 

 planted. A Garden neceffarily requires Four Things; the 

 Sun, Water, a good Soil,' and the Care of the Gardenrer. 

 Without thefe, there h no* Good to be expected ; and 'twould 

 be the greateft Folly to plant a Garden where any one o£ 

 jtpmmnrix thefe are wanting. But Water, above all, is indilpenfabiy 



mmumvir. nccclfary in every Garden: 'Tis by Waterings the great 

 Droughts in Summer are allayed, which would infallibly 



ih ufus mm- burn up all the Plants, had we not the Help of Water to 



^^'^^^ qualify thofe exceffive Heats. 



Especial Care, then, fliould be taken in the Choice of' 

 the Ground, that Water may be had without Difficulty : The 

 Keceffity of it rs a§ vifible^ as the Beauty 'twill add, in 

 " " making. 



