THE FRUIT GARDEN. 187 



wil] be sufficient. If the soil be damp, and the subsoil 

 compact, it will be necessary to remove the earth to the 

 depth of a foot in the centre, and rising towards the sides, 

 so that the excavation will resemble a semicircle ; this is 

 fiLed with small stones and a few inches of good pit gravel 

 on the top. This makes a walk dry at all times. We 

 often see very comfortable and neat looking walks, made 

 of spent bark from the tannery ; six inches deep of this 

 will last two or three years, and no excavation is neces- 

 sary in any kind of soil. It is not to be supposed that so 

 great expense will be incurred, in any case, in the forma- 

 tion of the walks of a fruit or kitchen garden, as those of 

 a pleasure ground or flower garden, and, therefore, it is 

 unnecessary to suggest either costly modes or materials. 

 The chief point is to secure dry, comfortable walking, 

 without introducing any material that will produce a 

 decidedly unpleasant contrast with vegetation. This can 

 all be accomplished by the cheap and simple means 

 referred to, and others that may suggest themselves. 



The main walks alone should be gravelled ; the smaller 

 alleys or paths between the different lines of trees or com- 

 partments of the garden are principally for the use of the 

 workmen. In very small gardens, where it is important 

 to economize the ground, the spaces devoted to the walks 

 may be of plank raised up on pillars or blocks a foot from 

 the ground ; the roots of trees can then penetrate the ground 

 below the walk as well as the border, and scarce any 

 ground will be lost. 



Water. A supply of water in the garden is a most 

 important consideration in our warm, dry, sunny climate. 

 Good crops of culinary vegetables cannot be secured in 

 many seasons without a liberal application of water, and 

 fruit trees are greatly benefited by frequent showering, 

 especially in dry weather. It refreshes them and drives 

 away insects. A good well or cistern should therefore 



