dry hay or dried short grass, or rubbish of some kind that is stored in summer for that purpose. As soon as the heat rises inside of the frame, get some boiling water, and water the bed regularly all over, which will not only purify it, but destroy every living insect therein; and in a very few days the bed will be ready to receive the soil, which should be well prepared, as stated above. I make it a rule to put a good ridge through the centre of the frame at once, to the depth of 18 or 20 inches, taking care to make use of it in as rough a state as possible. It must be understood that the dung, &c., with which I make my beds is thoroughly worked and sweetened, and such as some people would think of putting on the ground; not depending on any bottom heat from the bed, which, to me, has, for some years, appeared quite unnatural, but relying wholly on the linings for heat. These I find always work very regularly if the dung, &c., is only well mixed before putting to the beds, and then protected well with dry rubbish and feather-edged boards, to keep the wet and winds off. Thatched hurdles, or bundles of evergreen trimmings, placed round the linings, protect them thoroughly. These beds work regularly and kindly for a long time, by occasionally topping up with any dry rubbish; the heat penetrating through the frame similarly to the sun shining on them, and the frames never getting troubled with foul steam, damps, or burning, which the old strong-bed system is always subject to. If the weather proves ever so bad, it is always sweet and kind inside and out of the frame; the plants always dry, healthy, and free from canker and vermin. It is nothing but unnatural usage that produces either: let the weather be rough or smooth, you can always give some air every day, which is most essential to the health and strength of the plants.

My own system is, never to grow but one plant to each light; never to water the plants over-head, but pour plenty of water, a little warmed, out of the spout of the watering-pot, which passes freely through the soil if used in a rough state, occasionally giving them a good soaking of manure-water, and keeping them thin of vine. They will thus continue to produce good fruit in abundance for many months. I take care, when shutting down the lights of an afternoon, to pour some warm water all round the frames, which raises a nice genial steam, and is the means of keeping down wood-lice and other vermin, which delight in drought, foul smells, burned, fusty, bad-worked, fermenting materials.

When I hear a gardener complaining about being overrun with wood-lice, I am perfectly satisfied it is through one of the above causes and want of cleanliness. No man can produce good cucumbers at an early season without some attention.

Merely keeping his hands in his pockets, or boasting over a pot of ale, will not produce them. I have never yet seen an indolent man that could grow them. With a slight well-worked bed; the linings kind and well attended to; the soil sweet and well prepared, used in as rough a state as possible, and a good body of it for the roots to run in; watered with good soft water, a little warmed; occasionally giving a soaking of manurewater; giving the plants air freely every day; keeping the lights and frames clean; and keeping the degree of heat inside the frame or pit from 65° to 72° in the first part of their growth, and for swelling the fruit kindly from 72° to 80°; you may succeed in getting a good crop of healthy fruit, and very rarely be troubled with any kind of disease or vermin, and never know what it is to have a burned, fusty, unkind bed, which is the parent of disease and vermin.

Bicton Gardens, January 16. 1843.

ART. II. Ground Plan and Perspective Elevation of a Portion of improved Landscape Scenery, intended to point out the Errors which are frequently committed by Persons who have little Knowledge of Landscape Composition. By SAMUEL GRAY, Esq., LandscapeGardener and Garden Architect.

Fig. 126. is a ground plan of a scene which has been improved, and the following are its details:

a, A large tree, which, being a prominent feature in the grounds, the principal walk is made to approach it.

b, A boundary fence, with trees planted at regular parallel distances.

c, An iron fence to divide the paddock from the garden. d, A piece of water.

e e e e, Pedestals with vases.

f, A fountain.

g, A summer-house upon the high ground.

h, A sundial in the centre of the lawn.

i, A pigeon-house opposite the end of a walk.

k, A garden-seat, placed near an open space between the shrubs, for the convenience of viewing the prospect; where the children of the family frequently feed their favourite cow or ass, which consequently keeps upon the spot when any one is near the seat.

1, A rustic basket in the centre of a flower-bed.

m m, A seat at each end of the lawn.

n, A macaw and stand.

o, Cow-house, &c.

PPPPP, Various flower-borders.

Fig. 126. Ground Plan of a Garden, for the Purpose of illustrating

Fig. 127. is a view taken from the point A, in which the objects composing it are placed in very ludicrous positions one over another. For example, the lady in the central walk appears to support on her head a circular bed of flowers, with a rustic basket containing flowers and a forest tree. The lady seated in the garden-chair a little to the left, and in the fore

ground supports, first a pedestal and vase, next a lady, chair, cow, and tree; and so on with the rest.

To the eye of taste, this arrangement of scenery is quite as offensive as discord is to the ear of a musician. The best way of detecting similar errors is by reflecting the landscape from the principal points of view in a small convex mirror; by which