30 



THE GARDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



portions from where it is deeper than the aver- 

 age, to where it is too shallow. In general it 

 will, however, be found best to throw up the 

 soil at the place where an extra depth occurs, 

 and then to regulate the surface after the whole 

 of the ground has been trenched. If additional 

 soil or manure are required they may be intro- 

 duced as the trenching proceeds. The latter 

 should be placed half-way between the top and 

 bottom, and a good layer of well-rotted dung 

 should also be dug or ridged in near the surface 

 of the ground, after the latter has been levelled, 

 especially if much fresh earth has been turned 

 up. 



Although it is desirable to obtain a depth 

 of at least 2 feet of soil for a kitchen-garden, 

 and the ground should be loosened to that 

 depth, yet it may not, in some cases, be ad- 

 visable to turn the lower part of the trench 

 uppermost. If there be a foot deep of black 

 soil, and as much of good loam beneath, the 

 whole may be turned upside down; but if the 

 black soil is shallow, or if the bottom part of 

 the trench is a clayey loam, it will be advisable 

 merely to loosen it a spit in depth in the bottom 

 of the trench, and so leave it to be gradually 

 brought up, a little at a time, at subsequent 

 trenchings. 



Walks. 



In planning walks for the fruit and kitchen 

 garden, utility ought to be the leading principle ; 

 whilst regularity should be kept in view as much 

 as possible. 



With regard to their number and direction, 

 the necessity of one all round, so as to leave a 

 border of greater or less breadth between it and 

 the walls, is universally admitted ; and two 

 intersecting each other in the centre of the 

 garden are found convenient. This arrange- 

 ment is very generally adopted. Besides these 

 principal walks, two or more subordinate ones, 

 as represented in fig. 793, may be necessary; 

 but the number and direction depend upon the 

 extent and form of the ground. 



Where walls for fruit-trees form the fence 

 the distance of the walls from the outside walks 

 will be according to the width of border pro- 

 vided for the trees. Supposing the walls are 

 12 feet high, and that the enclosed area con- 

 sists of 2 acres or more, the distance of the 

 walks from the walls may be 18 feet. If the 

 wall on the south side is lower than elsewhere, 

 as is frequently the case, the walk next it may 

 be 12 feet distant. Where the area is between 

 1 and 2 acres, the walk in front of the south- 



aspect wall may be still 18 feet distant, and 

 that by the north-aspect wall 12 feet; but the 

 others on the east and west sides 15 feet. In 

 smaller gardens the distance of the walk from 

 the walls may be only 12 feet, in order that the 

 ground to be laid out in quarters may not be 

 too much reduced ; whilst in very small gardens 

 the walks may run within 3 or 4 feet of the 

 walls, except that facing south, the border of 

 which should be as wide again, this, from its 

 south exposure, being so useful for early crops. 



The width of the walks should be in propor- 

 tion to the extent and character of the garden. 

 For small gardens the walks should not be less 

 I than 5 feet wide. In gardens of between 1 and 

 2 acres, the walks should not be less than 6 

 feet, whilst in those of larger extent they may 

 be 7 feet; and to admit of manure, &c. being 

 conveniently carted along the cross walks they 

 may be 8 or 9 feet wide, with a circle, where 

 they intersect, large enough to admit of a horse 

 and cart turning round in it. These are fair 

 average widths for walks in gardens of the 

 various sizes, as they afford sufficient free space 

 for working operations. 



The width of walks having been determined, 

 we have next to consider their height with 

 reference to the general level of the ground. 

 Generally the edges may be made a little lower, 

 and the middle or crown a little higher than the 

 soil level. The lines of the walks having been 

 set out and marked by small stakes driven at 

 each end of them, so that the tops of the stakes 

 shall also mark the proposed height of the 

 edging, the soil should be well trodden or 

 otherwise made compact, then by means of 

 boring or levelling rods, a number of points 

 should be made on the same level as the tops of 

 the stakes at each end. When the soil has been 

 taken out to the proper depth, the line should 

 be again stretched so as to mark exactly the 

 line of edging, and Box, the best kind of live 

 edging, may then be laid. 



The excavation should be deep enough to 

 hold a sufficient depth of materials to constitute 

 a walk substantial enough for wheeling upon. 

 The cross walks, where wide enough, and in fact 

 all the walks in large gardens, should be firm 

 enough for carting upon. The excavation for 

 this should be at least 9 inches deep from the 

 level of the edging, but where the heaviest traffic 

 is wheeling, 6 inches will be sufficient. It is a 

 question whether the bottom of the walk should 

 be dug out level, convex, or concave. The 

 best plan in dry climates, and on friable soils, 

 is to give the bottom a curved form like that 



