(With the late editor's apologies to Mr. T. E. Brown.) 
" The garden is a loathsome thing — eh, what? 
Blight, snail, 
Pea-weevil 
Green-fly such a lot! 
My handiest tool 
Is powerless, yet the fool 
(Next door) contends that slugs are not. 
Not slugs! in gardens! when the eve is cool? 
Nay, but I have some brine; 
'Tis very sure they shall not walk in mine. ' ' 
K. L. B. 
Value of Decaying leaves provide one of the finest top-dressings one 
Fallen could desire for shrubs, especially those of an evergreen nature, 
Leaves such as the Rhododendron, Azalea, Kalmia, Camellia, etc., whose 
roots are fond of surface nutriment. I know of no shrub or tree 
which does not derive considerable benefit from a top-dressing 
of decaying vegetation, into which the lowest branches, if they 
touch the ground, layer themselves freely. An example of this 
occurred here. An extensive plantation of Laurustinus Vihurmim 
was encroaching upon the paths to such an extent that 
restriction became necessary. As the work proceeded it was 
found that, without exception, the lower branches had rooted into 
the layer of decaying leaves, which had been left undisturbed. 
Scores of these rooted plants were reveling in this layer of spent 
leaves. These will be lifted and planted in the nursery for future 
use. Sir Herbert Maxwell, writing in one of the gardening papers 
deplores the practice he saw in one of our great London parks 
recently (and this is quite a common one in many of our gar- 
dens), where men were clearing all the leaves from beneath the 
shrubs as — to use his words — scrupulously as a housemaid cleans 
a grate. This foolish practice arises from the anxiety of gard- 
eners to keep places tidy, and the fear of being brought to book 
if this is not so. 
It is a mistake to clear away fallen leaves from flowering 
shrubs as we often do, leaving the surface quite bare. If such 
leaves must be disposed of it is far better, in the case of choice 
shrubs, to cast a few shovelfuls of fine soil over them to keep them 
down. This clearing away of valuable plant food takes up a lot 
of time which might be devoted to work of much greater import- 
ance. Any one possessing groups of peat-loving shrubs, espec- 
ially where these are carpeted with Snowdrops, Crocus, Daffodils, 
and other spring bulbs, should scatter any surplus soil they may 
have — or even fine ashes — over the surface of the soil. The leaves 
so buried become in due course an excellent rooting medium. 
ROMAYNE LaTTA WaRREN. 
52 
