
256 
KIDD’S OWN 
JOURNAL. 

130 miles of the railways in question were 
opened for traffic, making, with the 1,793 miles in 
the return, 1,923 miles open for traffic. In ad- 
dition to these, there are 89 miles on the point of 
opening, or nearly completed, making, together, 
2,012 completed out of the 6,2382 miles autho- 
rised, leaving 4,226# miles to be completed. Of 
these about 594 miles are in course of construction, 
a considerable portion of which will be completed 
before the end of next year, whieh will further 
reduce the mileage of uncompleted railways to 
3,632 miles. On adding the 2,012 miles com- 
pleted to the 594 miles in course of construction, 
they make 2,606 miles; and, calculating the cost 
of them at the average rate of those already exe- 
cuted in the United Kingdom—viz., £35,000 per 
mile—they would amount to £91,210,000, leaving 
£14,453,905 to complete the 3,632 miles of rail- 
way, which sum would not be sufficient to com- 
plete more than 400 or 500 miles of railway, 
leaving 3,100 miles unprovided for. During the 
past session of Parliament, several bills were 
passed, authorising the incorporation of new 
companies and fresh capital to be raised for 
constructing some of the above railways; for 
making which the former powers had expired, and 
the capital, in many cases, had been used for 
other purposes.—W. R. 
———e 
Seasonable Hints to People having Small 
Gardens.—The beauty of most of the plants which 
enlivened the flower-border with gay blossoms in 
summer, isnow nearly over; and little remains to 
cheer us at this.season except some late flowering 
Phloxes. ‘The different varieties of Chinese Chry- 
santhemums will, however, scon be very orna- 
mental; more especially when tied up so as to 
show their flowers to advantage. Cut down the 
stems of all plants that have done blooming. The 
roots of Dahlias will survive moderately severe 
winters in the open ground, if protected by a 
covering of dry litter or fern; but treated in this 
way, they do not flower so well; and on that 
account it is better to take them up as soon as 
their leaves and flowers have become blackened 
by frost. Leave about six or eight inches of the 
stem attached to the tuber. They may be pre- 
served over winter in any dry cool place, where 
they will be free from frost. When the flower- 
border is dug, and put in order for the winter 
(which should be done as soon as the leaves are 
fallen from the trees), any plants that have become 
too large should be reduced, and such as are not 
wanted may be removed altogether. Let decaying 
leaves and other refuse be taken to the manure- 
heap. Any drainings from it should not be allowed 
to be lost ; they should either be thrown back over 
the heap, or they should be made available for 
some useful purpose.—G. 
The Advantages of a good Gravel Walk.— 
Tn a season like the present, when heavy drenching 
rains succeed each other in quick succession, the 
comforts of a good gravel walk can scarcely be 
over-rated. It is, therefore, a serious drawback 
when paths are not good; and there are yet many 
that are not so, owing as much to the injudicious 
‘manner in which they have been made, as to the 
indifferent materials of which they are composed. 
But there are walks, likewise, with which, in ordi 

nary weather, no fault can be found. These, after 
heavy rains, present a guttered and broken appear- 
ance. Such walks are those on hill sides, when 
the water is sure to break them up into gullies, 
more or less deep. Now to obviate this defect, 
many walks are provided with outlets at the sides, 
where the water is caught by an earthenware pipe, 
which conveys it to some subterranean channel. 
These outlets (or eyes as they are called) are, to 
say the least of them, but clumsy appurtenances 
to a walk; and they must be pretty numerous, 
otherwise the accumulation of water does all the 
mischief they are intended to remedy. Any plan, 
therefore, that would bind the walk together (so 
as to resist the flow of water, without, at the same 
time rendering them unpleasant to walk upon), 
must be an acquisition; provided it be capable of 
general application. The following, though pos- 
sibly nothing new, will effect this object :—Pound 
some good lime (do not slake it); and convey some 
of it to the damaged walks. Then mix it with 
the gravel, in something like the proportion of one 
part of lime to four or five of gravel. A small 
quantity only ought to be mixed-at a time with 
water, and then laid on immediately; beating and 
smoothing accordingly. Then another quantity ; 
and so on, until the whole is done. The mass by 
this means becomes so consolidated, that it is years 
before water can have any effect upon it. The 
process is, in fact, what builders call “‘cementing,”’ 
and it is one which I certainly like better than 
asphalte, besides being so much cheaper ; for in 
districts where lime is plentiful and good, it may 
be used less sparingly. But it is not an expensive 
affair at any time; and to those who have been 
suffering from the effects of thunder showers, and 
other heavy rains, I advise a trial of a little of it 
in the most exposed places. It can hardly fail to 
answer.—V. 
Nest and Incubation of the Swan.—Will any 
of your readers be so obliging as to give us some 
particulars of the nesting of the Swan,—telling 
us how many eggs she lays, and how long she sits? 
Little appears to be known about this,—although 
the swans are seen in such numbers upon our noble 
river Thames.—Joun P., Wandsworth. 
A LOVE SONG. 
Tue stars are climbing up the hill, 
Like footsteps of the night ; 
And, like a child, the little rill 
Runs whimpering out of sight. 
It is an hour when love hath birth— 
When hands and hearts are given ; 
An hour when stars are nearer earth, 
And lovers nearer Heaven ! 
When visions of the future glow, 
Despite the world’s control ; 
And whispers, musical and low, 
Steal softly o’er the soul! 
An hour all other moments worth, 
That life hath ever given; 
When Heaven’s own stars are nearer earth, 
And lovers nearer Heaven. 
C.S. 




















































