SITUATION, SOIL, CHAP. 



hedge. Hardly any family can want a greater space than 

 this for the raising of things for which hot-beds are ne- 

 cessary j and, if the space were found to he larger than 

 was wanted, this would be a very good place for the de- 

 positing of a heap of compost, or any other thing which 

 is unsightly, and which, if not somewhat hidden, would 

 disfigure the garden. 



40. The borders e are, as has been seen in the explana- 

 tions, ten feet wide 5 and the earth in them ought to 

 have a little declivity from the wall : it may be very 

 trifling, but it ought to be a little. As to the plats /, g, 

 h, i, k, they are for the growth of garden- plants in 

 general ; and the parts of them best suited for different 

 plants at different seasons of the year, will be spoken of 

 under the heads of the particular plants. The paths 

 and walks ought to be of gravel, if possible ; for, 

 whatever expense this may be attended with in certain 

 cases, there are hardly any other means of having dry 

 paths and walks in winter. Grass is very bad, for it must 

 not only be walked upon, but frequently wheeled upon 

 with barrows heavily laden, and especially in winter- 

 time ; and this soon makes them a mass of dirt and of 

 ugliness. But, you cannot have gravel-walks or paths, to 

 be kept in any thing like order, unless you make them 

 well in the first place, and protect them against the falling 

 down of earth upon them for ever afterwards. There- 

 fore, when you have laid out the garden by lines and 

 stumps, the place or places for the walks and paths, 

 should be dug out to the depth of all the top-soil, which 

 ought to be thrown over the adjoining ground on both 

 sides, and made perfectly level at the bottom. Then 



