280 PRACTICAL GAEDENING. 



of varying the planting. There is nothing cuts up a ground 

 so much and detracts from its grandeur of effect more than a 

 number of roads or paths crossing each other. A specimen 

 of this, done too by a London landscape gardener, was the 

 dearest and worst we have seen. A piece of ground which 

 would have afforded a fine bold design had the worst and 

 meanest effect imaginable. Beyond the main road which we 

 have mentioned, and which should be twelve or fourteen feet 

 wide at the very least, and would be better if sixteen, leave 

 all the inside space of park or park-like ground in view ; and 

 if this be cut up by cross paths and other roads, without any 

 excuse for them, the whole charm of the landscape is destroyed. 



If there must be other roads, and the space is sufficiently 

 large to warrant it, let there be some temptation to use them. 

 A lake is an object : so if there be a woody glen, a shepherd's 

 hut in the rustic style of building, a boat-house after the style 

 of a fisherman's hut, or any other attractive object, a road 

 may lead to it or past it ; but plain roads, merely passing 

 across plain pasture, are intolerable. There should, for good 

 effect, be a spacious green lawn or pasturage, for expanse is a 

 great object, and although a noble specimen of wood may be 

 tolerated, it is as unwise to cut up the space with specimens 

 as with roads. If we must have other roads, let the same 

 rule be obeyed ; the road must not be straight, and there 

 must be obstacles to cause its deviation : it would look silly 

 to see a road in half a dozen different directions over plain 

 grass, without any reason for not going straight, because 

 common sense would teach everybody, not only to wonder 

 why it went winding, but to give a practical lesson in his own 

 person by going over the grass the shortest way. 



To set about making the road, when we have pegged out 

 the direction we mean to carry it, or rather cut it, let six or 

 eight feet be measured on each side, according to the width 

 it is to be, and let the turf, or the ground, be marked with 

 stakes on both sides the row of pegs put down ; and, in 

 measuring this, be exceedingly careful to measure at right 

 angles ; for if the rods used were sloped one way or the other, 

 there would be a less width marked. A very easy way of 

 marking it would be to take a line the exact length that wiU 

 reach across the road, and let one man go on each side, and 

 having a knot in the middle of the line, place it against the 

 pegs ; stretch the line exactly across at right angles with the 



