42 HARDY PERENNIALS 
broken up. Another two-foot strip is then measured 
off and the top-soil is turned into the open trench. 
The loose soil that falls from the spade is to be 
shovelled up and used for levelling the surface of 
the completed part, thus clearing the second trench 
ready for forking. The work proceeds in this 
manner until the last trench is forked and filled in 
with the soil taken from the first. Our ground is 
now completely dug to a depth of a couple of feet, 
but the top-soil, which is most fertile, remains on top, 
the subsoil, which is probably acid and lacking in 
humus, remains below. If manure is plentiful, a 
dressing may be evenly distributed through bottom 
and top spits, but if only a moderate quantity is 
available, it should be worked into the top spit 
alone. Some of its virtue will eventually be washed 
down to the subsoil. 
The chief benefits of deep digging are improved 
drainage and conservation of moisture available 
for the roots of the plants in time of drought. 
Manuring 
we can only treat in a general and superficial 
manner. The ordinary run of herbaceous plants 
are not fastidious but require a reasonably rich 
soil, and must have a tolerable amount of 
humus, which is decayed vegetable matter. Some 
subjects prefer a heavy soil, whilst there are plenty 
that will even thrive in the harsh gravelly and chalk 
soils that seem to baffle many a would-be gardener. 
