RURAL HO ME 8. 9 



depth of trench. This will insure a dry founda- 

 tion for the drive, and prevent any soft spots in 

 the spring, when the frost is coming out. A cover- 

 ing of stones to the depth of ten inches or a foot 

 is a sure and solid bed upon which to place from 

 five to eight inches of sharp gravel, until the 

 centre of the road is raised at least three inches 

 above the original surface. The larger stones in 

 the gravel will, of course, be raked to the bottom 

 as the carting proceeds. Should the gravel 

 prove to be -sandy and not sufficiently binding, 

 it will be necessary to procure a moderate sur- 

 face dressing of clay-gravel, which will roll down 

 smooth and hard and leave the road crowning at 

 the centre about four inches higher than at the 

 sides. With this nearly water-tight roof at the 

 surface and the subsoil drain below, the main- 

 tenance of a perfect driveway will be a trifling 

 expense from year to year. Walks are con- 

 structed on the same principle as driveways, 

 only with less need of deep excavations and 

 stone foundations. Generally, they should be 

 four feet wide, in order that two persons abreast 

 may enjoy the beauties of the place together. 



Further directions in regard to ornamenting 

 the estate would be out of place in a volume de- 

 signed as a guide in fruit culture. The first 

 object should be to provide trees which shall be 



