345. The culture of the gardens of small country villas differs materially from that of suburban villas; as the plants are more healthy, and require less general care. The distance at which plants of this kind grow from the smoky atmosphere of a town, prevents their leaves from becoming choked up with the soot, and the glutinous matters deposited by the smoke, which are so difficult to wash off, and which require such constant syringing. The leaves of country trees are, it is true, sometimes covered with dust, particularly if they grow near a road; but the dust is easily washed off by a slight shower, and it is not very injurious if it is suffered to remain on; besides it is only the trees near the road which are liable to be covered with dust, and these are seldom of any choice kinds.

346. Raising new plants is an important part of garden culture in the country, as the men who carry plants from door to door in the suburbs of London, and sell them at very low prices, are no longer to be met with; and plants procured in a nursery are generally too dear for planting out in beds in the open ground. It, therefore, becomes necessary for the gardener of a country villa to have hot-beds for raising seeds and striking cuttings, and pits and green-houses for keeping his plants in during winter, the directions for forming and managing which will be found in the latter part of this work; where also will be found details respecting the making of cuttings and sowing of seeds, etc, to which we refer our readers.