48 
THE ELORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
roots of these should be carefully collected, and burned if possible, 
or they -will become a continued nuisance. If there be any box 
edging, this should be taken care of, and if there are any plants or 
shrubs that are ornamental, or might become so, they should be 
laid aside ; in other respects, improving an old garden is much the 
same as laying out a new one. With regard to soil and drainage, 
very little need be said ; it would be unwise to describe expensive 
processes to those who cannot make use of them. The soil must 
generally be taken at what it is, to make the best of it ; but for the 
benefit of those who desire to know, and can get the material, we 
would observe, that if ground is light and quickly loses moisture, a 
dressing of fat loam, or even clay, will greatly improve it ; or if it be 
stiff, heavy, or retentive, a dressing of road-scrapings, or any grit 
would improve it. Drainage will scarcely be required, unless the 
ground lays very low, and the soil is of a retentive nature ; where 
this is the case, first find some outlet, then lay one or more drains 
towards it — these are made by laying pipes or tiles in a trench, which 
slants towards the outlet ; in lieu of tiles, the trench may be filled 
with brick rubbish, broken crockery, or anything that will preserve 
an open space for the water to run through j the drains may be 
covered, just allowing that the water can filter to them. When the 
ground has been deeply dug or trenched, the next thing to consider 
is the plan or shape. The designing of a garden will admit of as 
much variety as the printing of calico, or the staining of paper, yet 
there is too great a tendency to imitate, and too little originality. 
An original design, however tame, is at least, something fresh, and 
far better than copying from neighbours. We leave it to those who 
may have such an affair in hand, to exercise their ingenuity, and 
bring out something new, merely observing that the circular and oval 
form is preferable to the square, and that the curve line is better 
than the point or angle, and that one bold large bed or border will 
have a better effect, and be easier to keep tidy, than a number of in- 
tricate ones which are productive of much trouble, and often look 
puny and simple. We cannot recommend the introduction of turf 
into little gardens, unless it can be well and thoroughly attended. 
A broad sweep of lawn in a large garden is a noble feature, and even 
in a small garden, well-kept grass is highly ornamental ; but the few 
square feet of neglected grass in the little frontage, has a miserable 
appearance, and for the reason that it might not be kept in trim, 
we advise that it be kept out of the little garden. 
Having fixed on a plan, and marked out the paths, the next affair 
is the edging. If box is obtainable, nothing can be better for the 
purpose. Any one who has seen box edging may guess how it is 
planted. The ground should be made firm to prevent its sinking ; 
it should be exactly level, and of the proper height ; the edge should 
be cut smoothly with a spade, the box laid evenly, and the soil 
pressed to it immediately, and if in dry weather, it should be well 
settled in with water. The surplus soil from the path should he 
thrown on the border to raise it a little as it recedes from the edging. 
But if box edging is not easily obtained, the next best thing to it is 
white arabis j the next to that is thrift, or Statice maritima, Gen- 
