It is a common practice in shrubberies and plantations near houses or gardens, for the gardener to continue to dig, or hoe and rake, the surface, for a number of years after the shrubs or trees are planted; even though it can do no good to the trees and shrubs, and though no flowers can grow among them. This, in our opinion, is a great deformity, because digging, hoeing, and raking are only means to an end; and, kept up in ornamental grounds after they cease to be of use in aiding the growth of the trees, they are as bad as keeping up the outline stakes to a road after it is finished. Now, what we have to recommend on this subject is, that, as soon as the trees and bushes are large enough to protect themselves from weeds (which, on an average, will be in about three or four years), the surface around them should cease to be dug, and should be only mown or clipped, either as far from the walk as the eye can reach, or to the distance of a few feet from it; pulling out, from among the bushes, any larger weeds which may appear beyond the space so mown or clipped. Groups, or clumps, on highly kept lawn, unless they contain flowers, or very delicate shrubs, as well as the more hardy kinds, need never be dug above five or six years after being planted; they should then be turfed over in all those parts where the soil would otherwise appear. To allow of this being done at an early period, the more tender under-shrubs, such as Daphne Cneorum, Erica (different species), Vaccinium, &c., should never be planted with the stronger-growing American shrubs, but kept in beds or borders by themselves, near those parts of the grounds where flowers are cultivated, and where, of course, the beds always require to be dug. A thinking gardener may easily remedy these and other evils, if he will constantly keep in his mind, that digging, hoeing, and raking are only means to an end; and that, in ornamental scenery, in proportion as these operations are conspicuous, they are injurious to the effect to be produced.
