116 CONSTRUCTION 



in the middle, level is true; otherwise it must be adjusted by placing 

 pieces of paper between board and low end of level. Now start from 

 one corner, and level the other three jrom that. Check carefully before 

 pouring the concrete. Another way is to dig a shallow temporary trench 

 around the space, fill it with water and drive in four stakes to any re- 

 quired height above the water. To level the form with strings drawn 

 over tops of stakes will then be positive and easy. 



We recommend against fountains and removable pipe drains. Run- 

 ning water chills the plants and drains are an ever-present source of 

 danger, as well as often being leaky. Have a low point in the bottom 

 and to empty, siphon from there. A screened overflow is necessary, pref- 

 erably through the side. 



Of course it is not necessary to have the bog ledge. If used it 

 ought to be about 8 inches wide and 5 inches deep. If a pool is already 

 constructed a bog can easily be made by placing within it a hollow 

 square of cypress boards on edge coming to within the desired distance 

 of the walls. The top edges of boards may be either below or above 

 water surface, as water seeping through from pond will keep the ground 

 moist, even though raised several inches. This scheme really offers an 

 advantage, in that one may also use moist-situation terrestrial plants, 

 such as certain ferns and fancy-leaved Caladiums. The luxuriant effect 

 in figure 95 is worked out on this principle. 



If tiles are used to beautify the concrete, they should be set on 

 mounds of cement immediately after concrete is poured and before fin- 

 ishing coat is applied. 



As the author owes his entrance into the delightful fish 

 hobby to his previous entrance into the equal delights of a water 

 garden, may he here make a plea for his first love? Surely 

 there is no other kind of garden so sure of success, or that is 

 so independent of rain, or that requires so little attention, or 

 has so few insect enemies, or that produces its best for so long 

 a period. 



It gives a final touch of poetic beauty to any garden, formal 

 or informal. As for water lilies themselves, they seem to exist 

 in a calm, mystical world of their own. Most of them have a 

 perfume suggesting a delicious sense of purity ; all have a beauty 

 of which one never tires. If any reader is considering having a 

 lily pool (with fish, of course I) the author hopes the vote will 

 be in the affirmative, and that it will be as large as possible! 



