SUBURBAN RESIDENCES. 53 



very wet, there may be a drain along one side of each of the side walks : to 

 these drains there ought to be communications, with gratings at regular dis- 

 tances, if the walks are above 100 ft. in length; but, if they are shorter, one 

 grating, in the lowest part of the garden, will be sufficient. If the garden 

 be 50 ft. or 60 ft. broad, the soil a very strong clay, and the surface flat, there 

 ought not only to be drains to the walks, but drains to the part of the garden 

 kept under kitchen crops or flowers, and also to those parts which are kept 

 under grass. Nothing contributes more to the comfoi-t afforded by a garden 

 on a strong clayey soil, than thorough drainage ; without which it is impos- 

 sible to walk out in it after a shower of rain, though this is generally one of 

 the most delightful times in which a garden can be viewed by a person fond 

 of gardening. In very small gardens, where it is not considered necessary to 

 have under-drains, it will be sufficient to direct the water by the surface- 

 drainage to one point, where it may sink into the soil. The proper execution 

 of the surface-drainage is of the utmost importance to the enjoyment of every 

 description of garden, whether large or small ; more especially of all such as 

 are on loamy or clayey soils. For this reason, even, in some cases, before 

 determining on the under-drainage of the back garden, the surface-drainage 

 ought to be attended to by smoothing down all the inequalities of the ground, 

 and by forming it so as to give it an inclination, or slope, to some one part 

 in the garden, generally that which is the most distant from the house. To this 

 point all the rain water that falls on the walks should run, and find an exit 

 either by a porous subsoil, or by a grating communicating with an under- drain. 

 In back gardens of great length, it may happen that the middle is the lowest 

 part of the sui'face ; and when this is the case, the surface water ought to be 

 directed thither from both extremities ; but in suburban gardens it seldom 

 happens that the surface may not be made to slope from the house to the 

 extreme end of the back garden, even though it should be 200 ft. in length. 

 In regard to front gardens, if the walk and the lawn have an inclination from 

 the house to the street, that will generally be found sufficient. The surface- 

 drainage, and also the imder drainage, being determined on in the mind of 

 the artist, we shall suppose that he has had the surface of the ground, both 

 before and behind the house, sloped accordingly. The next point is to deter- 

 mine the number and direction of the walks ; because it is alongside of them 

 that the under-drains are commonly formed with the greatest advantage. In all 

 small gardens, the object is to get as long a walk as possible ; and the longest 

 line within any given space must necessarily be that which goes round it. 

 The direction and position of the walks is therefore easily settled. The next 

 point is to determine where the drains are to be placed, and to have them dug 

 and filled in, the manner of doing which will be treated of under the head of 

 garden operations. The walks may be then hollowed out, in the manner 

 which will also be hereafter described; and the ground which is to be planted 

 or covered with turf may be trenched to the depth of 2 ft. or 3 ft. ; and, in 

 performing this operation, if the soil requires to be rendered lighter, or more 

 porous, which is always the case with a strong clay, it ought to be mixed with 

 lime rubbish, grave], or sand, or with all of these, to such an extent as to 

 render it readily pervious to water. It is more especially necessary to do 

 this in those parts of the garden which are most in shade ; particularly on 

 the north side of the house, when it fronts the south. The ground being 

 trenched, and the walks hollowed out, the whole should remain some weeks, 



