72 THE PRINCIPLES OF FLORICULTURE 



depth of the trench will depend largely on the character of 

 the soil. It is necessary in the northern states to go well 

 below the frost line. This usually will be three feet. 

 Where there has been considerable grading, it is always 

 best to carry foundations to the original subsoil. Money 

 spent in establishing firm foundations is money well in- 

 vested, for on the foundations depend, to a large extent, 

 the success or failure of the superstructure. 



For foundations a " grout " made of one part cement, 

 two parts sharp sand and five parts broken stone or 

 " cobbles," is as inexpensive and satisfactory as any 

 material. Forms of twelve-inch hemlock boards are first 

 put in place and held firmly by two-by-four inch hemlock 

 strips (Fig. 10, middle and lower). If the fill is a deep 

 one, a row of wires, the size used in baling hay, is placed 

 about every six feet, to prevent the cement from forcing 

 apart the upright strips. When the forms are later re- 

 moved, these wires are left in the cement but may be easily 

 broken off. In preparing " grout," the cement, sand and 

 cobbles are thoroughly mixed when dry, then sufficient 

 water is added to form a mixture of a consistency to pour 

 easily into the forms (Fig. 11, left). This should be 

 thoroughly tamped into place and allowed to harden 

 before the forms are removed. When the side-walls 

 above grade are of concrete, smaller stones are used 

 in the mixture and more care is taken in placing this in 

 the forms. As the material is poured in, a long-handled 

 shovel is used to draw the coarser stones into the center, 

 and the finer mixture runs down against the forms. This 

 prevents " voids," or unfilled places between stones, when 

 the forms are removed (Fig. 11, right). As wooden 

 forms are expensive, it is possible to use the same boards 

 several times in putting in the foundations. The boards 



