Formation of a Vegetable Garden 



to an acre paths four feet will be sufficiently wide for all 

 purposes, and in many cases three feet of width will be 

 ample, but for laid down paths this should be the minimum. 

 There are many cases where a plot of ground is laid out 

 and crossed here and there by paths, but with no gravel 

 laid down, or any proper edging. Such paths, it will be 

 contended, serve their purpose, and this cannot be denied ; 

 but wherever appearances and comfort of working count 

 for anything, paths formed of good gravel well laid down 

 are always to be advised. In the garden which is intended 

 merely as a piece of ground for profit, it can hardly be said 

 with accuracy that the laying down of good paths would 

 beneficially affect the revenue ; but in cases of small plots 

 I am certainly of opinion that the outlay would be very 

 small, for most of the labour could be done at a time when 

 operations among the crops were fewer, and the gravel 

 may perhaps be procured locally, or a path be made of the 

 clinkers, ashes, &c., on hand. The making of a path will 

 not here be given in detail, for the formation of paths, 

 whether for pleasure grounds or for vegetable gardens, is 

 much the same, and will be found treated of on page 87. 



Now, the arrangement of the paths cannot be well 

 divorced in treatment from the arrangement of the plots, 

 for by the very act of laying out the one we mark off like- 

 wise the other. They will therefore be dealt with together. 

 As has been previously pointed out, the land is, or should 

 be, regarded as a valuable asset, and should not be unduly 

 cut up into paths, which besides being a great waste of 

 space is a great waste of time, for many short rows take 

 longer to put in than a few long ones, even when the 



number of plants in each case is identical. Any one who 

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