Suburban Home Grounds. 35 



CHAPTER V. 



What is worth doing at all is worth doing well. 



GOOD design needs good construction. The execu- 

 tion is often beset by many difficulties largely caused 

 by lack of knowledge or the failure to appreciate the 

 value of good work. Man can judge of, and will pay 

 for, a good piece of wood or stone work, but in the grounds there 

 is often an effort to save expense at the loss of good results. 



By all means the use of poor soil or rubbish should be avoided 

 in the filling, as it will show later when an attempt is made 

 to grow grass or shrubs. The disposition of the subsoil and 

 the topsoil must be carefully watched. Not every man who 

 can handle a shovel well can grade well; the workmanship of 

 the skilled artisan is' displayed even in this menial type of 

 work. A man with good judgment will save extra expense 

 by scheming the work to avoid much double handling of soil. 



A good way is to clear the topsoil from a small area in both 

 the portions to be excavated or filled, and pile the soil in some 

 convenient yet out of the way place. Then make the exca- 

 vation or the fills, and when more area is needed to work on, 

 clear away some more topsoil and place it over the filled subsoil 

 in its permanent position. 



In grading or shaping the ground every effort should be 

 made to have the slopes graceful and smooth. There is a line 

 of beauty known as the ogee curve, which can be used in 

 grading with as good results as by artists in their work. See 

 Plan XI. 



In making the side slopes to a drive or walk, care should be 

 taken to grade them to graceful lines and make them soften 

 into the adjoining grounds, avoiding any sharp or abrupt 

 angles. If anyone observes the natural slopes which occur in 



