Renovating and Improving Old Homes 113 



It must be borne in mind in the construction of roads 

 and walks, under all circumstances, that a good road cannot 

 be made, no matter what the material used, unless the road- 

 bed is thoroughly underdrained, and the surface of the road 

 or walk must have more or less curve or slope toward the 

 sides to carry off the surface-water. The finer and poorer 

 the material used, the greater this curve must be. 



Wherever it is possible one or more lines of tile should be 

 placed under the road-bed, at least three feet deep, with 

 a good fall and free outlet for drainage. 



The extent of the walks and drives should be limited to 

 the actual needs of the place. The fewer the gravelled 

 walks or roads the better; yet a place without at least a 

 walk up to the front door, or a smooth drive to the stable, 

 would look inhospitable or almost uninhabited. 



While there is no beauty in walks and drives in them- 

 selves, yet if they are well laid out in graceful curves just 

 where they are needed, and well cared for, the variety they 

 afford and the air of comfort and the inviting hospitality 

 they give to a place make them very important factors in 

 all home landscape work. 



In many cases the relocation of walks and drives is sim- 

 ply a matter of ploughing up the old one, grading a little 

 and relocating, as a majority of these walks are made on the 

 surface of the ground without previous subsoil preparation. 

 If, however, a road-bed has been formed by excavation 

 and filling in with stones, the work will be more expensive. 



In relocating, the rules given in Chapter VI for the estab- 

 lishment of new roads and walks will be equally applicable. 



An already established place that needs improving may 

 be likened to an unfinished picture the details of which 

 must be filled out and retouched and any defects covered 

 up, while in the new place we have but the canvas the 

 colors and other material are all new and fresh, i.e., the 



