WALLFLOWER. 



to be removed on eacli side of the 

 ■walk, so as to reduce tlie whole to 

 an uniform surface. The next step 

 is to mark out the width of the 

 walk, after which the soil is to be 

 excavated. The depth of the ex- 

 cavation will depend on the nature 

 of the subsoil. If that is dry and 

 absorbent, such as gravel or rock, 

 then the depth need not be more 

 than a foot or eighteen inches ; but 

 if the subsoil is retentive, such as 

 clay or loam, then the depth, at 

 least in the centre of the walk, 

 should be between eighteen inches 

 and two feet, and it should be at 

 least one foot in depth at the sides. 

 The di-ain may be made in the 

 centre, that being the deepest part ; 

 and this being done, the excavation 

 is to be filled up to within nine 

 inches of the surface with small 

 stones, broken brickbats, and such 

 like materials, which are to be well 

 beaten down with a rammer. On 

 this surface a layer, three inches in 

 thickness, of coarse gravel should 

 be laid and well rammed do'mi ; 

 then the remaining six inches should 

 be filled in with the best gravel, 

 which shoidd not be rammed, but 

 rolled after being raked to an even 

 surface. If the walk is to be edged 

 with box, that should be planted 

 immediately before laying on the 

 three-inch stratum of coarse gravel ; 

 but if it is to be edged with turf, 

 the most convenient time for laying 

 it down is before putting on the 

 Tipper stratum of six inches. — See 

 Bu'xus and Edgings. 



The managements of walks con- 

 sists in keeping them clean by the 

 removal of all extraneous matters 

 from the surface, including weeds ; 

 and in preventing worms from work- 

 ing in them, and throwing up casts. 

 Leaves and other extraneous matters 

 are removed by sweeping ; but weeds 

 must be hoed or pulled up. Every 



time a walk is hoed, it ought to be 

 raked and rolled ; and to preserve 

 the surface quite smooth and firm, 

 it ought always to be rolled as soon 

 after rainy weather as the surface 

 has become dry. To renew the 

 surface of walks, they may be 

 turned over ouce a year in spring ; 

 but this is only advisable in the 

 case of fine-coloured gravels, such as 

 that of Kensington, in order to 

 present a fresh surface ; for, with 

 reference to the smoothness, firm- 

 ness, and easy keeping of the 

 walk, turning over the gravel is in- 

 jurious rather than otherwise. — 

 See Gravel. 



Wall Cress. — See A'rabis. 

 Wallflower. — Common as this 

 flower is, it well deserves great 

 pains to he taken in its cultivation, 

 as its principal beauty is displayed 

 at a season when there are few 

 hardy plants in flower ; the Cro- 

 cuses, Hyacinths, and Narcissi, are 

 just over, or beginning to decay, 

 and the annuals have not yet begun 

 to expand their blossoms. In April 

 and May the brilliant yellow and 

 dark orange of the Wallflowers give 

 a peculiar brilliancy and liveliness 

 to gardens, which without them 

 would present a naked and dull 

 appearance. The common Wall- 

 flower {Chclranthus Cheiri) is gene- 

 rally called a biennial, and it does 

 not flower till the second year after 

 sowing. It will, howevei", frequently 

 live three or four years in favour- 

 able situations. There are ten or 

 twelve varieties; some with rich dark 

 reddish brown flowers, called the 

 Bloody Wallflowers, and others of a 

 light yellow, with nearly all the 

 intermediate shades. There is also 

 one with dark purple flowers, and 

 another with purple and pale yellow 

 flowers, the first of which has varie- 

 gated leaves. The dark and double - 

 1 flowered kinds should be grown in 



