Maroli 18, 1873. ] 



JODBNAIi OP HORTIOULTUKE AND COTTAGE GAEDEXER. 



219 



and the transport of stone has also been so much facilitated 

 during the same time, that it is not likely that timber-laid 

 trackways will ever be established in England again, excepting 

 in special cases where a morass or some similar place has to 

 be crossed. But as such roads are not likely to be wanted in 

 the immediate vicinity of a mansion, I will pass over these 

 and other primitive roads. 



Assuming that a carriage road or an ornamental walk is re- 

 quired between two places that are seen from each other, and 

 the ground between them is such as to present no difficulties 

 to a straight line, let the road be a straight one. However 

 agreeable to the eye a curve may be, it ought only to exist 

 where a straight line is impracticable ; but there are many 

 cases where a curve is indispensable, in consequence of some 

 impediment. In this case let the curve be as easy and as 

 graceful as possible, avoiding all short turnings, especially at 

 the bottom of a descent, for a carriage driven briskly down an 

 incline and turned sharplj' to one side at the bottom, is .apt to 

 be thrown over. Let, therefore, curves at such a place be as 

 easy as possible. Further, let it always be a rule to avoid 

 right and left curves near to each other, if possible, unless the 

 reasons for such be very urgent, as some immoveable object 

 in the way, for in general use it will be found that the traffic 

 will lean to both the opposing courses, and tend to make 

 such a place straight, certainly a most natural conclusion, for, 

 to use an expression not Hibernian altogether, " two crooks 

 make a straight." However, there are occasions in which it 

 is necessary to adopt a serpentine course, as where there is a 

 tree, pond, embankment, or precipice in the way; then let the 

 curves be as easy as practicable, having due regard to the 

 safety and convenience of the road. One further observation, 

 however, it is necessary to make with regard to curves, and 

 that is not to approach a gate or a hedge on a curve ; rather 

 let the curve be made before you face either of these objects, 

 so that there may be a few yards of straight line on each side 

 if possible. Of course, this cannot be done where a gate 

 opens upon a highway ; but in such places it is often more 

 convenient to set the gate back, so as to allow ample room to 

 turn before entering or after passing through. Other conditions 

 bearing upon curves will, of course, present themselves accord- 

 ing to the character of the ground; for instance, it may be 

 more prudent to skirt'the base of a hill than to go right over 

 it ; but the zigzags, common in very hilly districts, as I re- 

 member witnessing in Derbyshire and Cumberland, are seldom 

 needful in private places. 



Certainly more important to the animal that draws the load 

 than the curve above alluded to is the inclination of the road, 

 and a due regard to this is perhaps the main requisite in road- 

 designing, as it is in most cases better to lengthen the journey 

 than have a roadway too steep. Assuming that an elevation 

 of 400 feet has to be attained, and that the question is whether 

 that would be better spread over a mile or a mile and a half 

 of ground, I believe most people would prefer the longer jour- 

 ney; although steeper gradients than either are occasionally 

 met with, the one being a rise of 1 in a little over 13, and the 

 other being 1 in about 20, the latter a very easy rise for country 

 roads, where 1 in 10 is not uncommon. It is better to lengthen 

 a road for wheel carriages rather than have it steeper than 

 i in 15, though the latter inclination may be allowed, but 

 ought not, if avoidable, to be exceeded. Sometimes a little 

 tact and management can reduce the gradient to the desired 

 extent by a slight excavation in one place and filling up in 

 another, and it is in matters of this kind that the skUl of the 

 designer is brought fully into play ; for, be it observed, I am 

 no advocate for deep and expensive excavations, but if slight 

 ones can accomplish what is wanted, by all means let them be 

 executed. 



I will now assume that the line of intended roadway has 

 been determined, and that excavations sufficient to fill up 

 hollows have been commenced. Calculations of this kind have 

 to be made in designing and laying-out roads. In making 

 them, remember that if 100 cubic yards of earth have to be 

 removed, it wUl, in the loose state in which it is broken up 

 to be filled into vehicles, occupy 120 or ISO cubic yards of 

 space, and even more than that at first, but the settlement 

 during the first two years wiU bring it down to that ; so if 

 25 per cent, be added to the quantity cut away, a rough guess 

 may be made of how far it will fill up a hollow. This being 

 duly attended to and a beginning made, trees and other under- 

 growth on the part to be excavated should be taken down as 

 the work goes on if only a limited number of hands are em- 

 ployed, but if there are a great number, the trees should be 



removed first, as they impede progress ; this, however, may be 

 arranged as thought proper. 



For removing earth, wheelbarrows are thought to be best and 

 cheapest for distances of 60 yards or under, and carts beyond ; 

 but of course the rate of wages or horse hire will vary this 

 rule one way or the other, and also the custom and habits of 

 the workmen employed. Farm labourers will often prefer 

 tilling a cart to a barrow, while the professional navvy is at 

 home with either, or rather he can either fill a truck or a 

 barrow. For wheeling purposes iron planks are often better 

 than wooden ones where they have merely to rest on the 

 ground, and they wear much longer. Where the ground is 

 very soft, and the weather wet, something of the kind is wanted. 

 Care must also be taken in the excavation not to go too deep, 

 and in the filling-up of the hoUows not to go too high at first ; 

 it is better to add a little more material in the hoUows, and to 

 take off a little more from the heights, rather than have work 

 to do twice over. 



The beginning of a cutting is usually made where the exca- 

 vation and embankment meet, or if the roadway leads along 

 the side of a hill, it is not bad practice to cut notches out at 

 regular distances all along the side of the road at the intended 

 level. This, of course, applies to places where the excavation 

 of one side forms the embankment of the other ; and assuming 

 the hill side to be irregular, with probably a ravine to cross 

 now and then, some judgment is required in Laying it out so 

 that the excavation and embankments may balance each other, 

 and the curve and gradients be also in accordance with what 

 is aimed at. Assuming this to be done and the work pro- 

 gressing, it would be well to consider whether any of the 

 materials found in the excavation can be turned to account. 

 It often happens that stone for the making of the road is 

 found in such places. Where this is the case it is, of course, 

 advisable to preserve the stone. It may also happen, as it 

 very often does in gravelly neighbourhoods, that the only stone 

 for such purpose is met with in the vaUeys. When this is the 

 ease it is well to ascertain if there be any on the hue that is 

 operated upon, and if so, to dig it out before the place is 

 covered up, and in such a case some additional fiUiug-up will 

 be required ; and it can generally be managed. It is well to 

 ascertain before the job is commenced where gravel is found, 

 especially in a district where such material is not abundant. — 



J. BOBSON. 



TOWN ROSES. 

 I LIVE within a mUe of the centre of a large manufacturing 

 town in the West Eiding of Yorkshire, but in a comparatively 

 open situation — say a house and garden every 50 yards. Cirass 

 grows well without being renewed ; and I have an old Blairii 

 No. 2 Rose which has bloomed well for several years in ordi- 

 nary garden soil and on a south wall. Wishing to grow Hoses 

 to peg down in a bed, I have had an open border dug out 

 from 15 to 18 inches deep, and fiUed-in with small chopped 

 sods from an old loamy pasture (about four tons of sods mixed 

 with two tons of very good, weU-rotted, stable manure). I 

 propose planting Provence, Moss, common Cabbage, Charles 

 Lefebvre, John Hopper, La France, Senateur Vaisse, Duke of 

 Edinburgh, Devoniensis, Victor Verdier, Beauty of Waltham, 

 Mrs. Charles Wood, Madame Vidot, Due de Bohan, Baronne 

 Prevost, General .Jacqueminot, Gloh-e de Dijon, Alfred Colomb, 

 Louis Van Houtte, Eugene Appert, Prince Camille de Bohan, 

 Pierre Netting, .Jules Margottin, Madame Knorr, Triomphe de 

 Bennes, Anna Alexiefi', Niphetos, Xavier OUbo, Abel Grand, 

 Souvenir de la Malmaison, Duchess of Sutherland, Common 

 White Moss, Safrano, and Boule de Niege. I shall be glad if 

 you will criticise the above and suggest any alterations you 

 think desirable. Next autumn I intend making a second bed 

 if this succeed, and should like a further list of suitable Eoses 

 for the purpose. — Town Bose. 



[We fear Devoniensis, Triomphe de Bennes, Madame Vidot, 

 and Niphetos would not do so near a large town with a west- 

 of-England cUmate ; and Due de Bohan, Pierre Netting, and 

 Xavier Ohbo would be doubtful, though all three beautiful 

 Boses if they succeed. We should recommend, amongst others 

 you have omitted, Madame Clemence Joigne.aux, Fisher Holmes, 

 Countess of Oxford, Madame Eugenie Verdier, Madame Caillat, 

 Marguerite de St. Amand, Baronne de Maynard, Madame Victor 

 Verdier, Emilie Hausburg, Dupuy Jamaiu, M. de Montigny, 

 Gloire de Vitry, and Berthe Baron. If you make another 

 Bose bed next year, and wUl send us the size and number of 

 Eoses you intend to plant, we shall be happy to furnish you 



