ROCK-GARDEN CONSTRUCTION n 



near together; this is naturally settled by the steep- 

 ness of the ground. In a wall they are necessarily 

 close, and in very steep ground it is convenient to 

 build them with the courses rather near each other. 

 In such a case as a steep slope with an angle of 45 

 degrees, the face of the rock-bank could be built in 

 either of the two ways shown in the diagram. Both 

 will suit the plants. The flatter the angle of the 

 ground the further apart may be the rocky courses, 

 as the danger of the earth washing away is diminished. 

 If the stone is not in large pieces, it will be found 

 a good plan in rather steep banks to begin at the 

 path level with a few courses of dry-walling, and then 

 to make an earthy shelf and then another rise of two 

 or three courses of walling, using the two or three 

 courses to represent one thickness of deeper stone. 

 But in any case the rock-builder should make up his 

 mind how the courses should run and keep to the 

 same rule throughout, whether the stones lie level 

 or dip a little to right or left as they generally do in 

 nature. But whether a stone lies level or not as to 

 the right and left of its front face, it should always 

 be laid so that its back end tips down into the ground, 

 and its front face, when seen in profile, looks a little 

 upward. 



This, it will be seen, carries the rain into the ground 

 instead of shooting it off as it would do if it were laid 

 the other way, like the tile or slate on a building. 



As for the general shape or plan of the rock-garden, 

 it must be governed by the nature of the ground and 

 the means and material at disposal. But whether it 



