222 Commercial Gardening 



6 ft. long, with its edges planed parallel and a level set in one edge cor- 

 rectly. The plumb-level shown in fig. 167 is a very simple thing to make, 

 and will do the work quite as well as the level just described. Whichever 

 is used it must be set to the rise of the house in this case 9 in. to the 

 100 ft. This is done as follows: Place the level on a perfectly level table 

 or bench. Now raise one end of the level till it has a rise of 9 in. per 

 100 ft. For a 6-ft. level this will be almost exactly in. j^j- to be 

 exact. Mark on the level where the bubble comes to, or on the plumb- 

 level where the plumb-line swings to, and use this mark to work to instead 

 of the centre mark. Drive a peg into the ground at the bottom of the 

 lowest inside corner post till it is only about 2^ to 3 in. out of the ground. 

 Go to the next post and drive in another in a similar position, but while 

 it is still too far out of the ground test it with the plumb-level placed on 

 the top of the first peg. Drive the second peg in gently, till, when the 

 level is resting on the tops of the two pegs, the line stops at the mark 

 on the level showing the rise of 9 in. per 100 ft. Proceed in the same 

 way up the line of posts; but the pegs in the end of the house are set 

 dead level. Now take a small level, or a square, and drive in a peg on 

 the inside of each of the outside row of posts, getting it perfectly level 

 with the corresponding peg on the inside post opposite. If there are any 

 lumps on the ground which bring any of the pegs less than 3 in. out of 

 the ground, the bottom of the trench must be shaved out with a shovel 

 till the correct depth is attained. Any hollows are left as they are for 

 the present. The planks are now put into place between the posts, the 

 lowest ones resting on the tops of the pegs; thus, whatever height the 

 wall, as long as the planks used are uniform in width, the top of the wall 

 is bound to come straight and of the correct rise. The planks are kept 

 from falling in by standing pieces of wood the width of the finished wall 

 down between them. The planks being put up as far as they will go, the 

 mould thus formed, starting from the doorway at one end and up the side 

 of the house as far as the planks will reach, is ready for the concrete. 

 Where a doorway is to come a piece of plank is put down between the 

 boards at the correct spot, set perfectly upright with the plumb-line, and 

 nailed in place. Make a platform of boards on a level spot near the mould 

 for mixing concrete on. The concrete may consist of cement mixed with 

 beach and sand, broken brick rubbish and sand, breeze, broken clinkers and 

 sand, or, best of all, ground clinker with brick ends put in as the concrete 

 is put in position. The proportions should be as follows: 5 parts of broken 

 brick, clinker or beach to 2 parts of sand and 1 of cement. The clinker and 

 brick rubbish should have all the large pieces broken up with a hammer 

 till they are no larger than an egg. If on mixing up a small quantity 

 there does not seem to be enough fine stuff in the mixture, a little more 

 sand and a little less of the large stuff should be added, and the same with 

 the beach. The theoretical perfection of concrete is material of some hard 

 nature broken into pieces that will go through a f-in. sieve, enough sand 

 to fill the interstices between these pieces, and enough cement to fill in 



