240 COME INTO THE GARDEN 



bottom. As a matter of fact, however, such 

 cleaning is seldom needed, since a bottom cover 

 of gravel ought always to be spread above earth 

 if this is placed directly in the pool for the pur- 

 pose of growing plants therein; and this gravel 

 should remain undisturbed throughout the sea- 

 son at least. 



A small pool may be made by digging out the 

 earth in the form of a deep saucer — oval, rect- 

 angular, or round as desired — instead of making 

 side walls that are definitely vertical. Such an 

 excavation as this slopes gradually down to the 

 requisite depth and actually becomes a big 

 saucer of concrete, when finished; for the four 

 to six inch layer of this is molded directly onto 

 the ground and rests in the depression quite se- 

 cure from frost action. Make the wall gradu- 

 ally increasing to the greater thickness as it 

 reaches the lowest point; and make its descent 

 as steep as you choose, providing you avoid an 

 actually flat bottom. For all concrete pools 

 the proper proportion is one part cement, 

 two parts sand and three parts broken stone 

 or gravel. 



Of water plants there are a great number; and 

 many kinds. The water-lily is of course the 

 best known of all, for it grows in all parts of the 

 world and is one of the loveliest. Always re- 



