118 THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. [CHAP. VL 



placed facing the main walk of the garden ; 

 and what is called the melon ground, which 

 forms a small walled garden, is often placed 

 behind them. This, however, is not essential ; 

 but the melon ground should always be on the 

 side next to the stable offices, for the conveni- 

 ence of carting manure. 



Walks. — The obvious use of walks, in a 

 garden constructed on a general principle of 

 utility, is, to enable the gardener and others to 

 reach every part of the garden as speedily as 

 possible, without treading on the beds ; and for 

 this reason, though the walks are made to 

 intersect each other at right angles, it is cus- 

 tomary in many gardens to round the central 

 beds adjoining them at the corners. Paths two 

 feet wide are also made between the beds into 

 which the compartments are divided; and the 

 beds themselves are never wider than a man 

 can conveniently reach across to the middle, to 

 lake or hoe. These paths, however, as they 

 vary according to the nature of the crop, are 

 never made of any permanent materials ; and 

 the whole compartment is generally dug over 

 when necessary, without paying any regard to 

 them, and redivided into fresh beds every 

 season. 



The walks, on the contrary, being intended 

 to be permanent, are of a very different nature ; 

 and, in addition to their obvious uses, it is 

 essentially requisite that they should be hard 

 and firm. This is necessary, as the manure, 

 &c, wanted in a kitchen-garden is generally 

 distributed through the garden in a wheel- 

 barrow; and the weight, in the act of wheeling, 



