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JOHNSON, ROBBINS, & CO'S. 
enjoyment, if be has not a garden in -which to occupy his time, 
and in which, he may occasionally try experiments on a small 
scale, either for amusement, or for verifying the experiments of 
others, before carrying them into practice on his farm ! 
Again, children are frequently led into mischief in the 
absence of other means of occupying themselves. How dif- 
ferent -would it be if they -were taught to turn their attention 
to the neatness and productiveness of a garden ! They would 
then be anxious to show their parents how usefully they could 
be employed. And -what an instructive lesson would it be for 
them to find the luxury of flowers and fruit rewarding, in due 
season, their industry and care ! How delightful to see them 
advising and assisting each other to obtain such an object ! 
Ho-w peaceful and innocent is such an amusement, and what 
a contrast does it present to rudeness, quarrelling, or idling 
away their hours in riotous games ! 
Selection of the Site. 
In selecting the situation of a garden, the soil is of secondary 
. importance, for in this respect it will improve every year, by 
trenching, draining, manuring, or by bringing good earth to the 
favorite spot. Indeed, some persons choose a heavy, moist, or 
wet soil for a garden, in order to show their skill and perseve- 
rance in its improvement, to which nothing more contributes 
than trenching the ground deep, and throwing it up into rough 
ridges for the frost to act upon during the winter, and the 
sun in summer and early spring. The soil, in all cases, when 
properly prepared, should be deep and rich, and dry and 
friable enough to admit of culture a day or two after a rain, 
and tenacious enough to withstand a drought. 
The garden, however, ought to have a southern aspect in a 
northern climate, and it is desirable that it should be within 
sight of the house. If possible, a small stream of water 
should be brought into the garden by means of a water ram, 
or otherwise, which will be a great convenience for watering 
in dry weather. If a stream is not at hand, water may be 
caught in cisterns from the farm buildings, and distributed to 
the plants by means of gutters or pipes. 
The garden should also be well protected from animals and 
tempestuous winds by a substantial inclosure, consisting either 
