The art of gardening is so often called in to make objects not only look their best, but often also to make them look what they are not, that it becomes a question how far such a course may be safely followed. By clear combinations, effects are often produced which at first sight would appear incredible: even apparently small matters often give great results.

I have been led into this train of thought by musing on the effect produced on terraces, on broad walks, and on the more severe and formal class of flower-gardens, by the liberal introduction of Orange-trees, trained Portugal Laurels, Bays, and many others, in tubs or boxes - sometimes the tub or box being the more ornamental part, a fact certainly not creditable to gardening. These scenes are highly artificial; and the introduction of these prim, formally-trained trees is in perfect keeping with the surroundings. The point I wish to come to is this, Do not the tubs mar the whole effect? and if so, why retain them as at present? Or if they must be retained, why not employ means to prevent their being an eyesore? Two modes present themselves to my mind for obviating the difficulties; one is by having pits sunk in the walk, deep enough to admit the tub or box out of sight. These pits would require a drain, and to be bricked round the sides, say a foot wider all round than the tub or box to be put in: this would admit the action of air, beneficial alike to the tub and the roots and soil it contained.

One great gain would be the saving in watering, the direct action of the sun being prevented; but the primary object would be the more natural appearance of the trees when seen growing as it were from mother earth, instead of something propped up about it. The great objection to this plan is the present mode of training such trees - they are too short in the stem; but were the idea taken up, long stems would soon be supplied by our enterprising nurserymen.

Another mode of hiding the tubs and boxes; instead of standards, let the trees be grown as cones or pyramids, the lower boughs neatly trained down so as to cover the tub entirely. Why should these trees invariably be standards? From the simple fact that we have derived the idea, and the association in our minds, from the Orange, which was first used for this purpose, being generally grown as a standard; but that is no reason why the pyramidal form might not be used with advantage in training Portugal Laurels, and other substitutes for decorative purposes. S. X.