ON LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 



39 



inlet, the overflow, and the emptying pipes must be built in 

 the solid ground. 



Draining. — Soil that is always saturated and boggy is necessarily 

 cold and poor, as the circulation of warm air, which promotes 

 the evaporation of the moisture, is prevented. The soil gets 

 into a state of decomposition, rendering the existence of any 

 sound vegetation impossible. This condition is due to the subsoil 

 being impermeable ; the cold water cannot, therefore, find its way 

 through, and it must be led away by artificial drainage. This 

 operation consists in digging trenches, at the bottom of which 

 pipes are laid to collect the water and lead it out of the 

 ground. 



The depth at which drain-pipes should be laid, and the dis- 

 tance at which they must recur, depend upon the nature of the 

 soil. In heavy ground they should be placed at from 2ft. to 

 3ft. deep, while in light soil 4ft. below the surface, and at 

 intervals of from 20ft. to 40ft., would suffice. The collecting-drains 

 must run parallel with the line of ground having the greatest 

 fall, and the main drain should lead to the lower ground and 

 fall into a lake or a river, being discharged above the water-level. 

 The drains of the lawns should be made to join those running 

 parallel with the drives and alleys. Collecting-drains should 

 have a fall of lin. to the yard, and should join the main 

 channel at an acute angle. The pipes must be covered with 

 porous material, such as ordinary soil, broken bricks, crocks, 

 stones, or clinkers, &c., within 6in. of the surface of the ground. 



Lawns. — Verdant grass is one of the most beautiful features 

 of a landscape, and nothing tends more to enhance the charm 

 of a garden than a well-kept lawn. In large gardens there 

 are two different kinds of lawns. One is close to the house, 

 and belongs to what may be termed the pleasure-grounds. 

 This is formed of short, velvety grass, to which all the 

 necessary attention can easily be given. The other belongs to 

 the park, and is formed in pasture expected to produce a 

 regular crop of hay. Lawns can be made by either sowing 

 seed or laying turf. It is proposed to describe both methods 

 here, giving preference to the first. Experience has proved that 

 better results are to be obtained as regards appearance by sowing, 

 though these advantages may not be manifest at first ; they 

 are, nevertheless, very striking. During hot weather, in the case 

 of a laid lawn, the sods, though they have been placed as closely 

 as possible, very often separate, and show ugly crevices. The 



