October 20, 1870. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



301 



attempt may be. He will find that by these means he will be 

 able in a very short time to employ his leisure honrs in either 

 copying or designing a plan. Ho may then take the garden 

 line, pegs, <fcc, to any spare piece of ground he may have in 

 the garden, and execute the design described. 



The greater number of the designs introduced are original, 

 others have been suggested by designs laid out, and a few taken 

 from works already in circulation, but so altered and simplified 

 as to be altogether unlike the original, except in character. In 

 introducing the illustrations, the object will be to arrange them 

 that they may follow evenly from one to another, from the 

 simple square or triangle to the more intricate designs, the 

 manner of transferring them to the ground being explained in 

 the most simple language possible. The pupil is urged to pay 

 Strict attention to the geometrical problems introduced — how 

 to bisect a given line, erect a square, form an equilateral tri- 

 angle, Sea., as they will be of infinite use to him iu converting 

 a design already executed to a piece of ground of a different 

 shape, and also for their adaptation in the more advanced 

 illustrations. By the time the pupil can draw on paper and 

 execute the designs here given, he will have accomplished much 

 towards the attainment of a more general knowledge. 



Having determined upon the site for a flower garden, and the 

 style in which it is to be laid out, the first thing to be attended 

 to is to see that the land is well drained. 



LEVELLING. 

 If the ground presents an uneven surface, or is formed of a 

 sloping bauk, either inconveniently steep or presenting an irre- 

 gular surface, it will be necessary to level it, which may be 

 done iu the following manner : — Take a stout peg and drive it 

 into the ground, as a, fig. 1 ; take a level — either such as is 

 used by bricklayers, as in fig. 1, or a parallel straight-edge con- 

 taining a spirit tube, 

 commonly known as 

 a spirit level — drive 

 in as many pegs as 

 are required, as 6, to 

 the same level as the 

 first peg a. The 

 level line, c, c, is 

 the line required ; 

 the ground line, d. is 

 fia uneven surface 

 of the ground, whioh 

 requires filling up to 

 the level at peg 6. 



As soon as the pegs Fig ' *• 



are in, level the ground with a spade, keeping the earth full up 

 to the top of the pegs, tread it firmly all over, rake it carefully, 

 and roll it well. 



If the ground chosen should be sloping, as b, fig. 2, two 

 depths must be determined upon, one at the highest, and one 

 at the lowest point. Place a borning-rod at each of these points, 



as at points 1 and 



3, place another fj"" "" ^} 



in any point be- 

 tween the two, as 

 the intermedial 

 borning-rod 2. By 

 looking over the 

 top of rod 1 the 

 person holding _ 

 the intermediate 

 rjd can be directed 



to lower or raise ■ Fl| > - 2 ' 



it as occasion may require, until it is brought to the proper 

 level, 88 rod 2. Rod 1 is supposed to be a little raised by 

 placing some earth under it, for the purpose of getting it 

 to the proper level, a, a — that is, the level determined 

 upon. R)d 2 is elevated until the top edge forms a direct 

 line with rods 1 and 3. Rjd 3 is placed on the natural 

 ground. The cress piece of rod 3 should be 1 inch broader 

 and higher than the others — that is to say, if rods 1 and 2 are 

 4 feet high, rod 3 must be 4 feet 1 inch, but a line muBt be 

 drawn exactly at 4 feet, and the top inch painted black. On 

 looking over rod 1 the black line on rod 3 can be seen more 

 distinctly than the top edge of the rod would be, and inter- 

 mediate rod 2 can be placed more correetly iu a line with the 

 top of rod 3 — that is, the under edge of the black, than by 

 looking over the tops of the three rods. 

 The borniDg--od is composed of a thin piece of board about 



4 inches wide, half an inch thick, and about i feet in length. The 

 head is a similar piece of board placed crossways, but only about 

 18 inches in length. The upper and under edges of the board 

 must, be perfectly straight, and at right angles with the body. 



The surfaoe of the ground should be perfectly smooth before 

 oommencing to trace the design on it. If it is to he turfed 

 and the beds formed, lay all the lines. Insert pegs along the 

 lines and in the angles of the beds, so as to form guides by 

 which to lay the turf. After the pegs are put in take up the 

 lines and lay the turf, allowing the edge to go 2 inches beyond 

 the line required, so as to have sufficient firm ground to dress 

 and form the edges of the beds. As soon as the turf is all laid 

 roll it well, stretch the lines in the proper places as directed., 

 and edge the beds. 



If the site is intended for embroidery or any complicated 

 design, it is necessary when digging the ground to pick outfall 

 the stones, as in cutting the edge against which to lay the .Box. 

 a small stone might cause trouble, by preventing the spade 

 from going into the ground or by breaking the edge. 



When the ground is properly level and smooth on the surface, 

 proceed to trace the plan upon it ; as each bed is traced insert 

 pegs 7 or 8 inches apart. When the design is all traced and 

 pegged out, lay lines along the pegs, and proceed to cut the 

 edge against which to lay the Box. The edge must be cut per- 

 pendicularly, as at s,fig. 3. 



Fig. 3. 



Lines of Box embroidery vary in thickness. With regard to 



the thick portion , the 

 outside lines should 

 firBt be planted, and 

 then the interme- 

 diate space filled in 

 afterwards. As scon 

 as all the Box is 

 planted the whole 

 should be clipped to 

 an equal height, and 

 flat at the top, irre- 

 spective of thick- 

 ness. The soil must 

 be carefully taken 

 away from the walks 

 to the depth of 8 or 9 inches ; place about 2 inches of cinder 

 ashes over the bottom to prevent the worms from coming 

 through the gravel, place 5 inches of brickbats or any rough 

 rubbish over the cinder ashes, and then 2 inches of good 

 gravel, keeping the finest on the top. When the gravel is all 

 on, roll it well. If the design is too complicated to admit 



the roller, a turf- 

 beater will answer. 

 Should coloured 

 materials be re- 

 quired to give ef- 

 fect in the winter 

 months, the soil 

 must be taken 

 away the same as 

 from the walk, but 

 not to the same 

 depth ; i or 5 ins. 

 will be sufficient — 2 inches of cinder ashes, and 2 inches of 

 gravel — then lay the coloured material on the top, such as 

 Derbyshire spar, coal, red brick ends, &c. — M. O'Donkell, 

 Gardener to E. Leeming, Esq., Spring Grove, Richmond. 



HORTICLLTUBAL FALLACIES. 

 We hear of a deal of red tape and routine when the doings 

 of our rulerB are discussed ; how few can shake off theiLfliier.ee 

 of hahit and custom in their own affairs. People come here 

 and admire my houses, say how light yet strong they are, seem 

 surprised at the cost not having been more, discuss everything 

 peculiar in their construction, and finish by inquiring the name 

 of the builder. The next thing I hear is that an application 

 has been made for a plan and estimate for a house or row of 

 houses on the oldest and most expensive plan on which a glass 



