244 



The Garden Magazine, June, 1922 



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THE LITTLE POOL COMPLETE 



Bedecked with Water-lilies and peopled by goldfish; rimmed with Pansies 

 gaily abloom; Carinas, Funkia, Rushes, etc., lending the stateliness of height 



made 4 inches smaller each way than the excavation and when 

 put in place left a 4-inch space to be filled with the wet concrete. 

 When the cement of the floor had become partly set the form 

 was put in place and the concrete mixture filled in to the level 

 of the ground. A shallow lip was constructed at one end for 

 the birds to drink and bathe. The concrete was the usual 

 sidewalk mixture of one part Portland cement, two parts clean, 

 sharp sand, and four parts clean, broken stone or gravel. As 

 the walls were being constructed a quantity of small stones was 

 filled in, care being taken that these did not go completely 

 through the wall or rest against the inner form. To give a 

 finish to the upper rim of the tank small stones were embedded 

 in the soft cement before setting commenced. 



To construct the inside form it is necessary to make from 

 inch boards two circles 5 feet in diameter. These are made in 

 halves, one pair for the bottom and the other pair for the top 

 surface of the form. Two of the half circles are laid on the 

 ground 3 feet apart and united by wooden strips. 

 When both surfaces have been thus prepared, they 

 are laid parallel 22 inches apart, corresponding with 

 the depth of the tank. Strips of wood are then nailed 

 on the whole way around, making the form contin- 

 uous on the outside. (See illustration below.) 



If I were constructing another tank of this form, 

 I would make the circle for the lower edge of the 

 form 2 inches smaller, which would give the sides a 

 slight slope, and that would facilitate removing the 

 form as well as lessening the danger of the tank 

 being damaged by freezing water. 



To ensure slow hardening of the cement it is 

 necessary to keep it pro- 

 tected from the weather 

 for about one week. One 

 of the accompanying pic- 

 tures shows the cement 

 work finished and the 

 form still in place. By 

 that time the cement be- 

 comes thoroughly hard- 

 ened and the form can 

 be taken out and the 

 tank put into service. 

 After removing the form, 

 it is well to wash the 

 inside of the tank with 



a thick wash made of pure cement 

 and water. In a few hours put on a 

 second coat; this renders the tank 

 water-tight. 



The Water-lilies are grown in tubs 

 (see illustration), three corms to each 

 tub. . So luxuriant have these grown 

 during the last two years that the 

 whole of the surface was covered with 

 Lily pads, making it necessary to re- 

 move one of the tubs by mid-summer. 

 An additional water garden was 

 created by dropping this tub into an 

 ordinary barrel of water. It is im- 

 portant to have suitable plants bor- 

 dering the pool. With us these have 

 been changed from year to year, but 

 consist in the main of Japanese Iris, 

 low-growing Cannas, and Plantain 

 Lily. A narrow moon-shaped area on 

 one side is devoted one year to 

 Pansies, another season to Portulaca, 

 and still another to Mignonette. 

 A pail of Bulrushes growing close to 

 the wall next the Iris produces the 

 effect of one plant, gives height in the 

 background and makes a pleasant diversity — any moisture- 

 loving plant with sword-like leaves might be so used. 



TO MY surprise the pond constitutes a fish hatchery, as 

 the first year about eighty young goldfish were taken out 

 in the autumn. Whether from cannibalism or some other 

 cause, the increase since then has not exceeded a dozen young 

 a season. These are readily wintered over to be distributed 

 to boys and girls in the neighborhood who enjoy watching the 

 development and change to the red color that occurs during 

 the second season. 



I often wonder why more gardeners do not include the pool. 

 It is of comparatively simple construction and requires no weed- 

 ing or cultivation, merely the trouble of turning in the hose for 

 a few minutes about once a week to make up for evaporation 

 and to replace water dipped out in cans for sprinkling individual 

 plants about the garden. 



Showing excavation for 

 pool and wooden form, 

 everything in readiness for 

 beginning the cement work 



To ensure slow hardening of the 

 cement it is necessary to keep 

 it protected from the weather 

 for about one week. Finished 

 cement work shown above with 

 form still in place; tubs for 

 Water-lilies standing near by 



