Where the occupier has only a temporary interest in a residence, say of seven or eight years, though he may not think it worth his while to undertake substantial repairs, he will naturally require a supply of fruits and vegetables from the kitchen-garden. 'Where the soil of the part devoted to vegetables is worn out, it will not answer his purpose to renew it, by taking out the old, and carting in fresh, soil; but he may restore it, by allowing it to rest for a year, or for two years in succession, without any kind of crop whatever: and, though it would be unreasonable to expect that he should purchase new fruit trees, yet he may graft the newest and best sorts on the branches of such as are already there. Fruit shrubs, such as the gooseberry, currant, raspberry, etc, he may renew either by cuttings, or by procuring young plants from the nurseries. It may be useful here to introduce, as a general remark, that the simplest, most effectual, and least expensive mode of renovating worn out soil of every kind is, to allow it to remain a certain period without any plants growing on it.

This period may vary from six months to three years, according to the state in which the soil is; that in which there is most inert vegetable matter, and most seeds of weeds and eggs of insects, requiring the longest period of rest. During the resting period, all weeds should be destroyed while they are in the seed-leaf; and, in order to bring the greater number of the seeds of weeds into a vegetative state, as well as to admit air to the interior of the soil, it ought to be dug over, or trenched, three or four times a year, each digging being of a different depth from that which preceded it, in order to expose a fresh surface to the influence of the atmosphere, and thus occasion the germination of the seeds which the soil may contain. The manner in which worn out soil is benefited by resting is, by the admission of air to the interior of the soil; by the decomposition of the roots and other organised matters which it contains, from heat and the alternate action of dryness and moisture; and by the germination of the seeds of weeds, and the destruction of the eggs and larvae of insects, snails, and worms, or their complete developement, and migration from the spot, because no kind of animal can live where there are no vegetables to support it.

Subsection. IV. General Observations On Laying Out, Planting, And Managing Large Country Villas

353. Large country villas differ from those we have called small country villas, in having a paddock and dairy; and from country mansions, in not having a park and farm. The extent of these large villa residences may vary from four acres (three being, in most situations, the least quantity that will serve for keeping a cow, and one the least that will suffice for a suitable house, pleasure-ground, and kitchen-garden) to eight or ten acres, and upwards. The characteristics of this kind of residence being the paddock and dairy, we shall confine our introductory observations chiefly to them.