ROAD-MAKING. 203 



When the seeds are sown down and bush-harrowed in, the roadway 

 should be well rolled with a heavy roller, and again rolled after the 

 seeds have made their appearance and grown a few inches ; this will 

 tend to make the road more solid. If the grasses are cut once in each 

 year it will improve the sward, and the road will be found to stand a 

 greater amount of tear and wear. 



SECTION 4. Walks. 



The construction of walks in shrubberies, pleasure-grounds, and woods 

 is of more importance than at first sight might be thought, and hence 

 we often find walks improperly made. The chief object to be attended 

 to in the formation of walks is to keep them dry, as they should be in 

 such a state at all times and seasons of the year as will admit of their 

 being walked upon with comfort. To effect this they must be properly 

 drained. Where the soil and subsoil is gravelly, or near the rock, it is 

 a simple matter to form a good dry walk ; but where there is a good 

 depth of soil, and especially a clay soil, good drainage is required. In 

 regard to the width of walks, this depends very much on their position 

 in the ground. When made near a residence, it must agree with the 

 extent and character of the house. In any case, they should never be 

 less than four feet six inches in width. This will admit of two persons 

 walking abreast ; but they may be made large enough for several per- 

 sons walking together. Fig. Flo 

 75 gives an idea of the way 

 in which I have generally 

 made such walks. Having 

 had the walk staked off, all 

 the soil should be dug out 

 square to a depth of eight 

 inches. The soil should then be removed to a further depth of ten inches, 

 but sloped on the sides, as shown in the figure. A drain should then be 

 cut in the bottom of the excavation one foot deep, as shown from a to 6. 

 Having laid a two-inch drain-pipe in the bottom, it should be filled with 

 the loose earth taken from it to the point a, after which the excavation 

 is filled with stones to the point c, then filled up with lime-rubbish, or, 

 what is very good, broken bricks from a brickyard. This should be laid 

 on a few inches to the point d, after which the walk should be finished 

 off with a coating of fine gravel, raising it slightly in the centre. A walk 

 thus formed will always keep dry and in a fit state to walk upon. The 

 soil laid above the pipes will prevent the water washing any sand or 



