380 JOUENAL OF THE KOYAL HORTICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 
ears, " Aye ! aye ! there ye are noo, dod if there's a richt wi' an' a wrang 
wi' o' daen a thing, ye'r sure tae tak the wrang wi'." AYhether or not 
this is characteristic of youth in general 1 am not prepared to say, but 
few inexperienced people arrange the stones the right way. The wrong 
way is to set the base in the soil, with the edges and sharp points sticking 
up. The right way is to lay them embedded about two-thirds of their 
height in the soil. Place the stones irregularly along the walk, leaving 
nooks and corners and crannies for such subjects as Stonecrops, House- 
leeks, rayless Violas of pronounced tufted habit. Primroses, Thrifts, 
Alpine Phloxes, Dwarf Bellflowers, &c. It is difficult to describe in 
detail exactly how the work should be done. Good taste and sound 
judgment, a knowledge of the requirements of the plants to be grown, 
with the spirit of poetry as a guiding instinct hovering over all, are sure to 
lead to success. 
Bind the stones one upon another, so as to leave open spaces for soil 
and foothold for plants, and pack them firmly with the prepared soil, 
which will be referred to further on. Remember such gems as the 
Androsaces — the most Alpine of Alpine plants — will not (particularly the 
tomentose rosetted forms) bear the drip of our winter rains. They 
must either be safe under a projecting ledge or protected from damp by 
a glass covering. They will not even bear to touch the damp soil in 
winter. Some parts therefore should be perpendicular and overhanging 
or at least with projecting ledges, the bulk sloped in various degrees 
interspersed with level patches and mounds. Stepping-stones should 
also be placed all through the rockery, so as to give easy access to every 
part. In building, keep in view the necessity for guarding against the 
disintegrating action of frost and water. Some hold that, in making a 
rockery, the stone framework should first be built. I have no doubt 
it is a very good method, but I do not think it essential. 
Many form their ideas of the habits of Alpines by seeing such subjects 
as Stonecrops, Thymes, and the mossy Saxifragas creeping and spread- 
ing over almost bare rocks. They conclude depth of soil is not required. 
Such people look only on the surface of things. True it is, some plants 
live and thrive in such positions, but they are comparatively few. In 
nature a plant may be seen clinging to the surface of an apparently dry 
solid wall of rock, but a closer examination reveals a narrow seam or 
fissure filled with soil into which the slender spider-like roots of even 
very tiny plants penetrate to an almost incredible extent, one and tvv^o 
feet and even more. Try to dig out a plant and you will be surprised to 
find how far the roots travel, and how lovingly they cling to the rocks, 
and creep away into the narrowest cracks and crannies. The sun may 
beat on these almost perpendicular cliffs and their floral tenants, but 
with a secure foothold they withstand his burning rays, because their 
far-reaching roots have access to supplies of moisture lying deep down 
in the rocky fissures The tourist, unknowing, gazes and wonders how 
any green thing can exist there. Yet such are the environments in 
which many of our most beautiful Alpines live and thrive, develop 
lovely flowers, and ripen seeds. 
Soil. — For general purposes rotted sandy turfy loam with a fifth or 
sixth part of leaf mould added is most suitable. For such as grow on 
