There should be a good stout cotton LINE, long enough to reach across the garden, and a reel to keep it on is a great convenience, as it takes such a short time to wind it up that there is not the same temptation to leave it out all night. A good cotton line, carefully housed, will last for years, and is one of the most important requisites in the garden. Neatness is one of the essentials of good gardening, and I have never known a gardener successful who was “hit or miss” in laying out his rows; every plant must be squarely in the row to admit of close working with the cultivator. If it is necessary to keep a few inches away from the row to avoid cutting the stragglers, either the soil is not loosened around the plant as it should be, or it has to be gone over with the hand hoe, which consumes time in a large garden. PLANTING THE GARDEN. It is common in most gardens to plant blackberries, raspberries, currants, etc., around the fences. This is not only a waste of half the fruit, as it can only be borne on one side, but involves much needless labor in keeping the plants trimmed and worked, and unless hoed frequently the plot becomes a harbor for weeds. The only advantage in so planting is the protection the fence affords in winter, as it catches the flying leaves and weeds in the fall, and these with the shade afforded by the fence and drifted snow make a natural protection for the roots and canes. It is not the severity of the frost which determines the hardiness of a plant, so much as its ability to withstand freezing and thawing in rapid succession. For this reason I would have the small fruits planted at the north side of the garden, especially if it be the highest part, and if there is some kind of wind-break or protection, as this will cause the snow to drift and lie longer, making a natural covering, while the slope will drain the surface water quickly away, so that it does not form hard ice around the crowns. If it were possible, I would prefer to have no fence around the garden, as it makes it much easier to keep clean. A fence is always a nuisance and waste of ground unless absolutely necessary; but if a fence is needed, have one that will not only keep out stock, but also the gardener’s most aggravating enemy, the poultry. A scratching hen seems to have an instinct which tells her as soon as the seed has been planted, and which are the hills containing the choicest varieties.