i August 7.] 
it is which in the main determines the elevation of the 
building, and the height of the border outside. As to 
the necessary height of the border, that depends on the 
character of the locality, as before observed. As a 
general maxim we should say, that whatever the depth 
1 of the soil is intended to be, two-thirds may be above the 
ground level. If the subsoil is exceedingly dry, and the 
climate tolerably so, there is no occasion to keep it quite 
so high. Nevertheless, it is always safe practice ; for as 
| to the fear of drought, it is very easy to apply water or 
liquid manure in extreme weather, and also a good 
thick coating of mulch in summer, through which the 
I water may be made to filter. 
And now as to drainage. The first point to be consi- 
j dered, is to secure a good outlet; and if the natural 
' surface is a tolerably good incline, this is no difficult 
| affair. If the main drain has to be carried into an 
existing drain, care should be taken that such is in 
sound working order, and it must be examined aeeord- 
1 ingly. We are no advocates for concrete or impervious 
bottoms to borders; certainly, we cannot recommend 
! them from experience, neither condemn them from well- 
; substantiated facts; we confess, however, to a trifling 
! amount of jealousy on their behalf. Much difference of 
opinion, too, exists with regard to depth of soil; some 
persons make them so much as five feet in depth, others 
not more than fifteen to eighteen inches. We have 
known good grapes produced under both circumstances; 
thus evincing that the matter of depth is not to be 
viewed in an isolated way, but in connection with the 
character of the staple of the soil, &c. If we are to 
suggest a depth for the border, it must be about two 
j feet, that is to say, of soil or compost;—let it not be 
I understood, however, that this means two feet of soil 
below the ground level, but simply two feet in depth at 
whatever level. 
As to the situation and character of the drains. The 
best practice, we think, is to run two lines of drain 
parallel with the frontage of the house, providing cross 
outlets of a subordinate character as a communication 
between the two, about six feet apart. Thus, supposing 
the border to be eighteen feet in width (if wider, so much 
the better), we would place one of the longitudinal 
mains at about six feet from the frontage, and parallel 
with it. The other, of course, would be at the border 
edge. The first-named would be of much benefit to the 
vines when young, and is, we think, a most necessary 
I course; for the distant, or marginal drains, do not act 
sufficiently speedy in the case of sudden precipitation 
of moisture Indeed, many good practitioners make their 
i borders by a progressive plan ; that is to say, about one- 
1 third parallel with the house first, in the second or third 
1 year a secoud portion, and the remainder when deemed 
necessary. This is but an unsightly proceeding, how- 
' ever, and the course we have to recommend entirely 
supersedes the necessity of it. The bottom of the exca¬ 
vation must, of course, be formed to an incline, nearly 
of the same character as the surface will be when com¬ 
pleted. Nevertheless, it is well, we think, to allow a 
somewhat greater depth at the back, or next the house, 
than at the front, say nearly a foot. The portion of the 
border contiguous to the house is generally somewhat 
1 drier than the other portions; and, moreover, vines like 
1 to nestle their roots about the walls at all times, evincing 
I a partiality for bricks and mortar. As for the incline, it 
may be considered good practice so to raise the border, 
or bed of soil, as that the bottom of the soil at back is 
nearly as high as the front walk, if there be one. The 
bottom incline being formed, we would place any ordi¬ 
nary fiat stones, slates, or other imperishable material, 
all over the surface; first testing the bottom, and securing 
the whole against any settlings, which would, of course, 
teud to derange both the drainage and the soil. Con¬ 
crete, as before observed, has been highly recommended 
by some first-rate men; one of its strongest advocates 
being no less a person than Mr. Fleming, of Trentham, 
a deservedly high authority. We, however, beg to 
recommend for the present what was before named. 
Flag stones, thin slates, &c., may be placed all over the 
surface of the subsoil, and we would not have them 
more than a couple of feet square; certainly not in a 
continuous way, or it would be better to adopt concrete 
itself. These should be made perfectly even, so that if 
bottom waters should arise, such may speedily pass off 
into the drains. 
We must now defer the remaining advice about filling 
in soils, &c., for a week or two, when we will fully carry 
out the subject. R. Errington. 
THE FLOWER-GARDEN. 
Companion to the Calendar for August. — Aneviones, 
sow, is the first item, and the common garden Anemones 
are meant. When seeds of these, selected from the best 
coloured sorts, are sown in April, May, at the begin¬ 
ning of July, and again in August, the chances are that 
a bed, or row of them will be in bloom all the year 
round, at least every month in the year, if it is a mild 
winter. By planting roots of them monthly, from the 
end of August to the beginning of May, a succession of 
flowers may also be expected. More so, however, from 
planting the roots, as the growth of seedlings depend 
much on the weather during the summer, and also in 
part on the kind of soil. In light dry soil seeds and 
seedlings make little progress in very hot weather ; and 
I have known a bed of them sown in May which did 
not vegetate at all till after St. Swithin’s-day. Were it 
not for the purpose of getting new and better sorts, I 
would not indulge much in sowing these seeds on light 
soils; and it need hardly be told to cottagers that the 
roots will do just as well left in the ground from year to 
year as to bo taken up and dried, as we gardeners often I 
do, and are compelled to do at times, in order to renew 
the beds or borders with fresh soil, &c. 
Auriculas. —The flower-gardener beats the florist out- 
and-out with Auriculas. Plants twice the size of potted j 
ones all along the sides of the borders, and all hues and 
colours—powder-eyes, belts, pin-heads and all—are seen 
to perfection on a fine April day by the hundreds—a 
regular show of itself, and when the show is over, the 
whole are put out of sight till next February or March; 
and what the Calendar means for them in August is 
only to see that all is right with them in their privacy; 
and seedlings of them, now coming up as thick as lettuces 
on a north shady border, are to be pricked out in rows 
four inches apart, and two inches plant from plant. No 
frames or glasses are wanted for this kind of work ; but 
the north side of a wall, or wooden paling, is the best 
place for them, as it is more uniform throughout the 
winter. I recollect, many years ago, having had charge 
of a bed of Auricula seedlings, in which there were some j 
thousands. The bed was in the melon, or framing- | 
ground, behind a close wood-fence, and raised eighteen j 
inches above the general level,—it was about eighteen ; 
inches wide, and a wooden cover on hinges could be let 
down on the bed in a short time to keep oft’ too much 
wet and snow. The plan was pursued for many years at 
that place, and I have never seen finer Auriculas since; 
butthere was something in the soil which suited them ; in 
short, it was an Auricula soil. We are all too philoso¬ 
phical in these days to admit the doctrine of “ some¬ 
thing,” but there is something in it, nevertheless, whether 
we choose to own it or not. 
Bulbs. —It is recommended to sow seeds of these, and 
to plant annuals in the beds they occupied; but that is 
merely to draw attention to them ; any other plant will 
do to fill up with as well. Nowadays we seldom 
