iss 
ah Et 
GRAVEL. 
ever, this preparation is not neces- 
Sary; as either moist clay alone, or 
cow-dung, may be plastered over 
the graft, and covered with moss, 
or even with coarse paper; the 
moss, or paper, being tied on with 
matting. ‘The use of the covering 
is to exclude the air, and conse- 
quently to retain the moisture of 
the scion and stock, and also an 
agreeable degree of temperature, in 
order that the vessels of the two 
woods may be able to unite. 
Grafting wax is composed of 
bees’ wax and pitch, with some tal- 
low, and a little rosin; at first melt- 
ed and mixed together, and after- 
wards heated as wanted. ‘The pro- 
portions are of no great consequence. 
The mixture is kept in an earthen 
pot, in which it may be heated 
when wanted; and it is laid on with 
a brush till it is a quarter of an inch 
thick; and, if covered with dry 
sand while it is still soft and warm, 
it will not be likely to melt and fall 
off, which otherwise would probably 
be the case. 
Grains or Parapise.—The ber- 
ries of Cocculus indicus. 
Grare Hyacintu.— See 
ca‘RI. 
Grasses.— There are but very 
few ornamental kinds of Grass that 
are worth cultivating in a garden; 
and the most remarkable of these 
are the Quaking Grass, Briza 
média, and- the Feather Grass, 
Stipa pinnata. The Italian reed, 
Ariindo Donaz, and its variety, the 
Ribbon Grass, A. D, versicolor, are 
very ornamental; but they are 
Reeds rather than Grasses, though 
they belong to the same natural 
family, Graminee. For a list of 
the Grasses proper for laying down 
a lawn, or grass plat, and their 
qualities, see Lawn. 
Grass Vetcu.—See Nisso‘nia. 
GRAVEL is in universal use for 
forming walks in Britain; as sand 
Mus- 
234 
es 
GRAVEL. 
tinent. The grand desiderata in 
gravels are: the quality of binding, 
or forming a smooth compact body, 
not liable to be disturbed by the 
feet in walking; and a good colour 
which shall harmonize agreeably 
with the grass, and trees, &c., 
around it. It is a very common 
practice in forming gravel-walks, 
to use the gravel as it comes from 
the pit, and, after it is laid down 
and rolled, to cover it with sand 
taken from the same gravel by 
screening or sifting ; but unless this 
sand be of a binding nature from 
its containing a good deal of iron, 
it soon separates from the rough 
gravel below, and is removed by 
sweeping. _ Gravel, whether con- 
sisting of large or small stones, or 
particles, if laid down when per- 
fectly dry, very seldom can be made 
to bind; and, under such circum- 
stances, it forms a rough, moving, 
and consequently a most disagree- 
able surface to walk on. A remedy 
for evils of this kind, which is some- 
times successful, is to strew over 
the walk Roman cement in powder, 
then to rake it so as to incorporate 
the powdered cement with the sur- 
face of the ground to the depth of 
two or three inches, and immediate- 
ly afterwards to water it thorough- 
ly, and roll it till it becomes quite 
hard and smooth. This is one of 
the best modes of forming a per- 
manent and agreeable gravel walk 
on a steep slope; it is also an ex- 
cellent mode in small gardens, 
where the object is to save labour 
in keeping, and to prevent the 
growth of weeds. Seashore gravel, 
which is generally mixed with sand 
and shells, can only be rendered 
firm by this process, or by one 
which destroys its colour, viz. mix- 
ing it with tar or gasliquor. When 
so mixed, however, it forms a very 
durable walk, though it is of a dark 
and disagreeable colour. Next to 
is, for want of gravel, on the Con-' these modes the best means is to 
