314 
many cases a gentle watering is all that is necessary. A watering 
can with a very fine rose should be used. 
It is not necessary here to go into the various other methods of 
propagation as it will be found in practice that all or nearly all the 
plants hereafter mentioned can be propagated by one or other of the 
methods already mentioned. 
PREPARATION OF SOIL AND PLANTING. 
The soil in which it is intended to plant should be carefully examin- 
ed as regards its composition and physical properties in order to asertain 
its capabilities for cultivation, the kinds of plants best suited to it and 
the means by which it can be made more fertile. The amount of 
organic matter or humus in the soil greatly affects its value and also its 
capacity for absorbing and retaining water, although in a climate like 
ours the latter is probably not of so much importance. A light sandy 
soil will require more manure and vegetable matter than a heavy 
clayey one and in forming beds or borders or planting out trees these 
matters should be considered. If the subterranean water is near the 
surface substances are apt to be formed in the soil that are injurious to 
the plants. In these instances drainage is necessary to prevent the 
water from accumulating and doing damage in this way. In preparing 
beds the soil should be dug out to a depth of two feet and a quantity 
of broken bricks or old lime rubbish should be placed on the bottom as 
drainage, if the soil is of a wet nature. If the ground is naturally 
dry and sandy it will be beneficial to introduce some humus in the 
form of rotten leaf mould or well decayed cow manure. 
This should be well mixed with the soil and the bed should 
he allowed to stand for a few days and again well turned over before 
planting. These remarks apply in an equal degree to the formation 
of borders or positions for single plants or trees. Care should be taken 
that the surface of beds and borders is considerably above the surround- 
ing level otherwise water collects and they become waterlogged and 
S ° U A space of two or three feet round the base of trees should be kept 
surface tilled and free from grass and weeds, and occasionally mulched 
with well decayed manure, this induces the young feeding roots to the 
surface, admits air and keeps the soil sweet. One generally finds that 
the gardener carefully sweeps up and burns every dead leaf he can find 
in the garden. This is a mistake and should not be encouraged A 
pit should be dug in some out of the way corner of the garden and all 
dead leaves should be thrown into it and turned over periodically. 
This rubbish will soon decay and forms excellent manure either for 
mixing with the soil or for top dressing. 
Planting is of the greatest importance and the methods vary 
considerably in detail according to the different plants and the mamner 
in which their roots are naturally disposed. Some are deep others 
shallow rooting but the following general method may be followed m 
planting most kinds of trees and shrubs. The special details attending 
the management of individual plants can only be given in dealing with 
their cultivation separately. 
