32 THE GARDENER. [Jan. 



LESSONS IN DRAWING, ETC., FOR YOUNG GARDENERS. 



No. XXIII. 



At the commencement of these papers I pointed out that in drawing 

 any geometrical figure, or group of figures in a geometrical design, 

 it was first necessary to have two or more lines crossing each other 

 at right angles at the centre of the figure or group, to keep all 

 the parts exactly on the square. The same number of lines that are 

 found necessary to draw the design on paper is required for the 

 same purpose when laying it out on the ground. If a flower-garden 

 has to be laid out on a piece of ground which has been levelled and 

 is about to be turfed over, these lines may be marked out by laying a 

 line and taking out shallow drills, such as are taken out for small 

 seeds. The lines may be made perpendicular by the same rule given 

 for drawing them on paper, using either of the compasses described 

 in this chapter. It is, however, desirable to have a large T square 

 for this purpose. This may be made by any joiner. The legs should 

 be 8 or 10 feet long. The various centres, &c, can be measured from 

 these perpendicular lines, pegs inserted to mark them, and the whole 

 design traced out on the level surface. A number of pegs should 

 then be inserted all round the flower-beds, but at a distance of 2 inches 

 inside of where the turf will ultimately be cut, to permit of a good edge 

 being got. "When you have pegged out each bed, with a peg at each 

 centre, the perpendicular lines are of no further use. The ground may 

 then be lightly pointed over where the turf has to be laid, and the work 

 proceeded with as before described. When a design has to be laid 

 out on a lawn, lines will have to be stretched to serve as perpendicular 

 lines, till the centres, &c, are accurately marked by inserting pegs. 

 To facilitate the laying out of flower-gardens, and also in preparing 

 flower-beds for planting, especially carpet-beds, a ground-compass is 

 of very great service. A very good ground-compass may be made by 

 any ordinary joiner. It may be made from 3 to 5 feet long, the 

 wood being good, sound, well-seasoned Ash, 4 inches wide and 2 

 thick. The joint at the top, and the legs, may be formed similar to 

 an ordinary drawing-compass ; but instead of making both legs with 

 sharp points, make one stouter at the end, and have it fitted into the 

 top of a short stout peg, such as is shown at «, fig. 59, so as to form a 

 joint, with a wood peg through it, the same as at the top. This is 

 of much importance when working on soft ground, as the other leg 

 can be extended to its utmost extent, while the peg a still stands firm 

 and upright in the centre of the circle, keeping the circumference 

 quite true, which would be more difficult to do were both legs alike. 

 A compass of this sort should also be fitted with a semicircular piece 



