208 THE MANSE GARDEN. 



To have no unnecessary carriage, the gravel at the 

 pit or river side must undergo one sifting with a 

 search one inch between the wires, disposing of all 

 large pebbles. Of stuff in this state walks are com- 

 monly made, and the result is evil continually. The 

 small sand is a seedling bed for all manner of weeds, 

 and the coarser part compacted with it renders hoeing 

 almost impracticable ; nor is the work well over till 

 in showery weather there is need to begin it again. 

 Thus the coarse and fine work to each other's hands, 

 the one giving birth to weeds and the other protect- 

 ing them. Divide and govern dissolve the com- 

 pact and the conquest is easy. Use a quarter-inch 

 search for a second sifting, and apply the coarse to 

 one part of the walks and the fine to another. The 

 coarse, it is true, does not bind; but that is the 

 beauty of it : it will not grow one weed for many 

 years. No feet are idle on such a walk : every one 

 who comes into the garden does some good : the 

 gravel is continually shuffled about, and an immense 

 deal of work is saved to the hoe. For dryness it is 

 admirable a property which makes the roughness 

 a pleasure, as every one feels in walking on the sea- 

 beach, though much rougher and not more dry. 

 And now for the small sort, which is almost pure 

 sand, and in most cases will be three to one of the 

 gravel : it binds and grows weeds ; but the Dutch 

 hoe pares it as easily as moss is scraped from a tree. 

 For the wheels of a little coach such walks have the 

 smoothness of marble ; and as to the raking of leaves, 

 on gravel the work is imperfect on this as neat as 

 the sweeping of a floor. 



Where a walk, having plenty of gravel, has got 



