FINAL CONSIDERATIONS 259 



few boards lashed round them. Beyond the 

 ropes the garden's development may begin. 



The main lines are first set out ; the chief paths, 

 the parts that require levelling, the kitchen garden 

 and its boundaries. From all paths and ground 

 to be levelled the turf must be stripped, and it 

 may be saved either for relaying, or stacked near 

 the kitchen garden to rot down for use. If 

 it is to be saved it must be taken up carefully in 

 sods three feet by one, of a uniform thickness of 

 about an inch, and stacked in its rolls. Where 

 carting must be done over otherwise untouched 

 ground it is sometimes wise to roll up an eight 

 feet wide track of turf, to be relaid when the cart- 

 ing is finished. On soft land this precaution saves 

 much after trouble in repairing the surface. 



When levelling, all the top spit must be taken 

 off first, and put aside to finish off the surface, 

 and the operation of levelling should be arranged 

 so that carting and wheeling pass over the newly 

 made-up ground to consolidate it, and surplus 

 earth should be carted straight to where it will be 

 needed. 



After levelling, the drains are laid, and the 

 pipes for the water supply. The preparation of 

 beds for shrubs and trees is the next item, and at 

 this point the paths may be excavated and the 

 top spit taken to add to the soil of the beds. If 

 all the ground cannot be ready in time for planting 

 before November, the rose garden should have 



