h regarding
each plant they send out, not merely in a negative way either. If an
alpine, for example, like _linnea borealis_, is extremely difficult to
grow and flower in this country, it is only fair to say so; to place it
amongst a lot of easily-cultivated plants without a word of warning is
=not straightforward dealing=, moreover is apt to make people disgusted
with the whole thing. Some plants bloom much the best when in their first
youth; this is the case with many of the soft-wooded plants, which soon
give signs of exhaustion, especially in a light soil. When it is noticed
that the outside flowering stems produce finer blossoms than those from
the centre, it is generally =a sign that division is required=, and that
the soil wants enriching.

=THE CALENDAR.= That there is =a time for everything in gardening= is
almost a truism; the calendar is considered one of the most important
parts of a technical book on this subject. It is advisable for an amateur
gardener to =have a note-book=, in which he jots down what he has to do
several weeks or months in advance; so often some fault easily remedied is
left over from year to year, because perhaps it is only observed in the
summer, and cannot be mended till winter. Recently, the calendar has not
been given quite so much prominence; gardeners find out more and more that
the weather is not governed by it, and that though one year it may be best
to sow a certain seed at the beginning of February, another season may be
so cold that it will have to go in at least a fortnight later.
Nevertheless, taken roughly, this diary of events, as the dictionary calls
it, holds good for most years, and it is wise to stick to it as far as
possible.

CHAPTER XII

The Profitable Portion

_Fruit--The best kinds for a small garden--Avoidance of size minus
flavour--Vegetables--Herbs._

If a small garden has room for any fruit-trees, =apples are the most
useful= kind to grow; they can be so trained as to take up little room;
for instance, in _espalier_ fashion, down each side of a sunny walk. These
=apple-hedges= are a lovely sight in spring and also in the autumn, when
the ruddy fruit is waiting to drop into the outstretched hand. Though
names can easily be given, it is generally a good plan to =make enquiries
in the neighbourhood as to the best varieties= to grow, for so much
depends on soil and position. Colloquial names are often given, which
require identifying with e