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FOEEIGN NOTICES. sir 



Eo^eigi] l(oiiee3. 



Gakden "Walks. — The comfort and enjoyment of a garden, especially in our moist climate, 

 depend in a great degree upon the condition of its walks ; for unlesa these are smooth, firm, and 

 dry, they can seercely be passed over during a large portion of the year except in very fine 

 weather, and rarely indeed by invalids, move especially at those times when gardens are most 

 enjoyable, viz. morning and evenings, as well as after showers." A main feature in the formation 

 of a garden should therefore be walks so made that they could be walked on in all weathers with 

 comparative comfort 



In forming walks, the first thing is to determine the position of the verges. In doing this it 

 must be kept constantly in view that in nearly every ease, whether on level ground, ascending 

 or descending inequalities of surface, the verges at right angles across the walk should be on the 

 same level, and for the following reasons : First, each half of the walk will receive only its due 

 proportion of rain, which tends in so many instances to disfigure and disturb the surface; 

 secondly, walks so made will be found more agreeable to walk on than if they had an inclination 

 from one verge to the other ; and lantly, by this arrangement the eye of taste will neither be 

 offended or annoyed. The mind will receive that kind of satisfaction which it derives from 

 looking at a perfect architectural elevation, and to affect this appears to me equallv important in 

 m.itters of gardening as in those of building, especially where the utmost refinement in the art 

 is aimed at. 



The next point to be considered is to make provision for carrying off water, and this should be 

 so contrived as to meet the maximum amount of our atmospheric precipitations, particularly 

 where the inclinations are rapid and of great length; on level surfaces and when the natural soil 

 is loose and friable, this will not be so urgent, provided the walks are otherwise properly formed. 

 Tlie best material to use for c&nveying the water will be the earthernware tubing now so well 

 known everywhere, and of a diameter in proportion to the width of the walk and the length the 

 water may have to run before it is discharged. This will be easily determined by persons accus- 

 tomed to such matters, or at all acquainted with draining. The most convenient place to lay the 

 tubing will be in the center of the walk, with communicating tubes to the sides, where square 

 cesspool's about nine inches square and eighteen inches deep, built in brickwork, should be formed 

 to receive the water and sand or other earthy matters which may be carried along with it. The 

 water will pass into the drain near the surface of these cesspools. A grating fitted into a stone 

 frame must be placed over each cesspool, so that by lifting up the grating the cesspool may be 

 readily cleaned out; where the walk takes a precipitate fall, and for a considerable distance, 

 provision must be made for the water to run in before it reaches the gutters, without allowing it 

 to rut the gravel. This can be effected by means of surface guttering both sides of the walk with 

 tiles made for the purpose, or where sea pebbles abound these may be used with good effect. 

 One of the main points which conduces so largely to the beauty of a garden is the perfect keeping 

 of the walks, and unless precautions fire taken in their first construction to guard against those 

 natur:il and unavoidable causes which disturb the surfiice, there must be continual repairing and 

 unsightly patching, producing at best a most imsatisfactory result, which a little extra trouble in 

 the first instance would have effectually obviated. 



The materials of which walks should be formed is a subject depending in some measure upon 

 the geological formation of the neighborhood ; for where the most fitting material is not readily 

 accessible, few are inclined to incur the expense of distant carriage, although railroads have in 

 many instances assLsted in this matter. In nearly every part of the country some kind of rough 



