LAYING OUT GARDENS. 69 



black earth of considerable depth, similar to that of the mai-ket gardens of 

 the neighbourhood ; the subsoil, the gravel of the district, mixed in some places 

 with a little clay. Being surrounded by houses, or building-sites for houses, 

 somewhat palatial in character, the formal, or geometrical, garden was pro- 

 bably the only style admissible ; that, however, was rendered imperative by 

 the decision of the Commissioners of the Exhibition of 1851, to whom the land 

 belongs ; they determined that the gardens should be architectural, under- 

 taking themselves to erect all the permanent buildings. 



142. The natural inclination of the ground greatly facilitated the formation 

 of the terraces. The ante-garden at the south extremity, an oblong square of 

 800 feet by 400, occupies the lower level, — the earth taken from its more 

 elevated pai-t served to form a raised bank of a foot and a half along its whole 

 breadth. This second level extends for about 300 feet at this level, when 

 another rise of two feet occurs, — broad raised verges 12 feet wide all round, 

 and sloping ramps loading by a grass promenade to the gravel walks round 

 the canal, at the same level as the ante-garden, with their embroidered flower- 

 beds and evergreen clumps and scrolls. Another space of about 3G0 feet, 

 and a third rise of five feet occurs, which is attained by two flights of steps on 

 either side of the basin. The gardens on this third level bring before the 

 spectator much of the architectural display of the place, and lead to the 

 fourth level by three flights of steps in the path and grassy slopes in the 

 grounds. The conservatory terrace is attained bj' an additional flight of steps 

 and grass ramps. It is not necessary to follow the workmen in the various 

 steps by which the grounds were levelled and the embankments made good ; 

 it is obvious enough that the several excavations were made, and the nearest 

 earthworks raised by the material removed in excavating, the surface soil, 

 a fine friable loam, being reserved for the surface of the sloping banks and 

 level ground. 



143. The system of surface-drainage, and the arrangements for watering, 

 are of the most complete description ; a deep drain, laid with 18-inch glazed 

 pipes, cemented at the joints, runs under the central cross-walk of the ante- 

 garden, receives all the surface drainage, and communicates with the sewer in 

 the adjoining street. Two other main drains, laid with 12-inch glazed pipes, 

 traverse the gardens from north to south on each side of the central walk, 

 about 80 feet apart. Two other drains, parallel with these, laid with 9-inch 

 pipes, run down the side of each corridor, outside the gravel, entering the 

 main drain in the ante-garden. Into these main drains, lateral drains, with 

 pipes of 4 or 6 inches diameter, according to the extent of surface they have 

 to drain, collect and lead the surface-waters over the whole area ; these smaller 

 pipes being jointed with clay or cement, and having elbow-joints for the recep- 

 tion of other pipes, which ramify in a different direction. 



144. The arrangement for distributing water is equally efiieient ; a well, in 

 course of sinking, is already 300 feet deep. This is to supply the basins 

 when completed. The v»ra!.er will be raised by an engine behind the con- 

 servatory ; iron pipes, o. the largest calibre, convey Lhc water to a reservoir 



