120 THE FORMAL GARDEN IN ENGLAND v 



a line of single trees, and from the grounds by 

 a palisade breast high. These side walks were 

 called counter walks. They were usually made 

 half the width of the centre walk. For instance, 

 if the entire walk was 48 feet wide, the centre 

 walk would be 24 feet wide, the side walks 1 2 

 feet each ; but the counter walks should never 

 be less than 6 feet wide at the least. " The 

 best way to gravel walks," he continues, " is to 

 make a bed of mason's rubble or stone dust, 

 lay at the bottom 7 or 8 inches thickness of 

 the coarser stone or gallets, and upon that about 

 2 inches thickness of the finest dust that has 

 been run through a sieve. Let this be beaten 

 three several times with the Beater, after having 

 been well watered each time, and then spread 

 the gravel upon it, which also should be well 

 beaten. When you lay a bed of saltpetre over 

 this mason's dust, as is done in making a mall 

 or Base to bowl on, it should be beat eight or 

 nine times." Coarse gravel or pebbles may be 

 used instead of mason's dust. He admits that 

 this way of gravelling is "very chargeable," and 

 that in ordinary cases 2 inches of gravel well 

 beaten and rolled may do. " Draining wells 

 should be made at convenient distances of flint 

 and dug stones." Another method is to make 

 a deep V groove under the length of the path, 

 and fill up with boulders and smaller stones to 

 form a continuous drain. As to the dimensions 

 of great walks, the French author gives a width 



