43. In the neighbourhood of the coast, sea-weed is often used ; and if dug in soon after being collected, its fertilizing powers are considerable ; for artichokes, as paragus, sea-cale, and cabbage, indeed, there cannot be a better manure. The careful gardener pays great atten tion to the preservation of the dung of the stable and cow house. The essence of these kinds of dung is often in some measure lost, by the drainings being allowed to escape. These should be collected in cisterns, and pour ed occasionally over the dunghill or the compost-heap. Indeed, it appears evident, that every large garden, and every well-regulated farm, should be furnished with a close shed as a dung•store ; for dungs, properly so called, should be as little exposed to the influences of the weather as possible. It is two centuries since this was pointed out by Sir Hugh Platt, who recommends the building of a brick receptacle, and covering it over, so as to pre vent the access of rain, and exclude air to a certain de gree.
49. Mr Knight has proved, that vegetable matter in its recent and organised state may be employed as a manure, with more advantage than when it has been decomposed. It is evident, that no inconsiderable proportion of its com ponent parts must be dissipated and lost during the pro gress of the putrefactive fermentation ; and it is no less evident, that if this process be made to go on beneath the surface of the soil, the exhaled particles must first be applied to the roots of the plants, before they can escape.
Fruit-tree Borders.
50. The proper forming and managing of borders for fruit-trees is a matter of great consequence, when peaches and nectarines, vines, and the best sorts of plums and pears, are cultivated. In many old gardens the borders are only five or six feet broad, and are crowd ed with perennial flowering plants. Such borders are too narrow, and such plants must greatly rob the trees of their nourishment. The border, according to a gardener's common rule, should not be less in breadth than the wall is in height ; but the general breadth is only from 8 to 12 feet. If care be taken to make the soil good below the walk, such a border may prove sufficient. If the bot tom be not dry, it is made so by means of drains. Many are of opinion, that it should at the same time be render ed impervious to the roots of the trees, by means of lime rubbish, or clay and gravel rolled hard, or by complete paving this precaution is particularly necessary where the subsoil is a cold wet till.
The monastic cultivators of fruit-trees in the 12th and 14th centuries were well aware of the importance of this matter, and seem to have been unsparing either of labour or expence. When Mr Ferguson of Pitfour was laying
out a new orchard in Aberdeenshire, he found, in clear ing out the remains of the garden of the ancient Abbey of Deer, which is included within the precincts of the orchard, a border which had been prepared for fruit-t•ees in the following laborious and expensive manner : " First, rich soil above three feet deep ; secondly, a well-paved causeway ; thirdly, a bed of pure sand, a foot deep ; fourthly, another causeway ; and beneath the whole, a con siderable depth of rich earth." Gardeners always wish the soil of their borders to be more than two feet deep ; for pear-trees it should be three feet at least. In many cases, no part of the natural soil is retained ; but the entire border is formed, partly of good loam brought from the neighbouring fields, or prepared by rotting some old pasture turf, and partly of such com post moulds as have been already described. When the natural soil is to some extent retained, if it be a strong clay, it is opened by adding sea sand, or coal-ashes that have been kept dry. Sometimes, in place of these, a small proportion of quicklime is used ; but this is seldom advisable. If, on the other hand, the natural soil he loose and sandy, the clayey matter to be found in ditches and open drains in ploughed land is resorted to, and laid about six inches thick at the bottom of the border. Many cul• tivators are particular in adapting the quality of the soil or compost to the nature of the trees to be planted. For apricot and apple trees, the compost usually preferred, consists of three-fourths light earth, and one-fourth strong loam, well mixed ann incorporated with some thoroughly rotten cow clung. For peach, plum, and pear trees, a stronger soil is prepared, and the proportions are revers ed, the loam constituting three-fourths, and the light soil one-fourth. Cherry-trees, too, like rather a cool bottom ; and equal parts of light curd) and of loam form for them a suitable soil.
In forming a new garden, it is very advantageous to have the borders prepared a whole season before plant ing the trees, and that, equally, whether these consist mainly of travelled soil, or of the natural soil enriched by sonic composts. If the ground be repeatedly turned and ridged up, it is found ultimately to be in a much better condition for receiving the plants.