128 ON THE MAKING AND FORMATION OF GRAVEL WALKS. 



top, secured at that width by iron brackets eighteen inches from 

 each other. The bottom is six inches wide, and so constructed 

 that the water escapes into the drain under the centre of the walk, 

 or is allowed to pass off at one end. The distance at which the 

 spouts ought to be placed from each other, will depend on the 

 inclination of the walk. 



If walks are composed of sand or any other loose material, 

 hoeing and raking will always be found the most economical mode 

 of keeping ; but when covered with binding gravel, weeding and 

 sweeping will seldom cost one half the expense of hoeing and 

 raking, to say nothing of the horror which a walk newly hoed and 

 raked, and covered with loose pebbles, naturally raises in the minds 

 of those who happen to have such things as corns on their feet. 

 At the season when the seeds of weeds are most profusely scat- 

 tered about by the wand, the surface of walks, if weeded, are smooth 

 and hard, and by occasional sweeping, the seeds are removed 

 before they have time to strike root ; but when hoed, the surface 

 is generally in a loose uneven state, and any seeds that are de- 

 posited upon them, must remain there till they have become perfect 

 plants before they can be destroyed. Hoeing and raking, though 

 it generally destroys one crop of weeds, is certainly the most effec- 

 tual means that coidd be adopted to secure another. 



Were gardeners, instead of having one, two, three, or more 

 labourers, without the power of increasing them when required, 

 allowed a certain number, with a discretionary jiower to expend a 

 given sum, to be called in at particular seasons when mogt 

 wanted, — they would then, by a concentrated force of labour, often 

 be enabled to accomplish at the proper time that which, if delayed, 

 must frequently be done to disadvantage, and sometimes at double 

 the expense. Were this arrangement more generally acted upon, 

 the walks could be let to women and children to be kept clear of 

 weeds at so much for the season, and swept a certain number of 

 times, either twice a week, once a week, or once a month, accord- 

 ing to circumstances. The mowing of low grass could also be let 

 at so much for each time going over, including all the details of 

 clipping, sweeping, &c. ; for such is the toilsome nature of this 

 operation, that a man will be better able to give double the quan- 

 tity of labour per day, if exempt from mowing, than if he is sub- 

 jected to it for two or three hours every morning. I speak from 



