GAEDEN WALKS AND ROADS. 



193 



neglected, and the grass walk lias fallen, meta- 

 phorically, into ruts and muddiness, the simplest as 

 well as the only radical cure is to lift the turf, in 

 October or November, see to the repair and unblock- 

 ing of the drains if need be, re-level the ground if 

 it has subsided into irregularity of surface, add an 

 inch or two of fresh compost, and re-lay the turf. 

 The effect is almost magical ; even the simple pro- 

 cesses of re-levelling the ground and fresh laying 

 the turf being generally sufficient without the extra 

 aid of top-dressings. In cases where the old turf 

 will not suffice to cover the new surface, the defi- 

 ciency may be made 

 up from the nearest 

 common or roadside ; 

 or the existing turf 

 may be torn, not cut, 

 into pieces ten inches 

 across, and laid down 

 roughly, so as to regu- 

 larly cover the space, 

 leaving about equal in- 

 terstices between. If 

 evenly rammed or 

 rolled in, so that the 

 pieces of turf almost 

 disappear, they will 

 spread so rapidly hori- 

 zontally as speedily to 

 cover the entire surface 

 and make a good grass walk 

 for years. This process — 

 technically called "inocula- 

 tion" — will be again ad- 

 verted to when we come to 

 treat upon grass lawns, as, 

 where these are made or im- 

 proved on a wide scale, it 



proves an immense saving of turf, labour, and con- 

 sequent expense. 



EDGINGS FOR GARDEN WALKS. 

 In pleasure-grounds and flower gardens nothing 

 equals turf. In kitchen gardens nothing can match 

 ornamental tiles, stone, cement or compost, terra- 

 cotta, cast-iron, slate, or glass ; all these can now be 

 had, of chaste patterns and at a cheap rate, and they 

 leave little to be desired in the way of cleanly, orna- 

 mental, durable, and efficient walk edgings (Fig. 5), 

 Flints from chalk' strata, pebbles from the sea- 

 shore, shells, bricks, and clinkers are also often used 

 for edgings. Common bricks, or white Suf- 

 folk bricks (costing about £4 per thousand), 

 laid end to end with one of the four square edges 

 uppermost, have a neat appearance, and lie tightly 

 when the edges are laid evenly against each other 

 13 



Fig. 5.— Terra-cotta Edgings. 



from end to end. The white Suffolk are hard and 

 cheerful. The common red become somewhat green 

 with age, and as they show only an angular edge 

 above ground, are not distasteful. Both their 

 utility and appearance may be greatly aided, how- 

 ever, by giving them one or two coats of liquid 

 cement ; and to suit individual tastes this latter may 

 be coloured somewhat if needful, though the stone 

 tint of the cement is perhaps more desirable than any 

 other. One other form of edging is commendable. 

 It consists of the extremely hard and endurable kind 

 of minor brick known as " clinker," generally used 

 for stable floors, con- 

 sisting of long narrow 

 shape, roughly formed 

 and burnt. They 

 prove, when laid slop- 

 ing one against the 

 other, with only an 

 angle of a corner of 

 each above ground, 

 very neat, and of a 

 pleasing rustic appear- 

 ance (Fig. 6). Fixed 

 firmly together, these 

 also are not easily dis- 

 turbed. With the soil 

 firmly attached upon 

 the walk side, forking 

 the border on the inner 

 side can be fully performed 

 without moving them. 



Living Edgings. — 



Among these. Box is still the 

 most popular and most suit- 

 able. It is also one of the 

 oldest garden edgings in ex- 

 istence. It has been so long in use for this purpose, 

 and so vigorously suppressed, as to have attained to 

 a lowness of stature that has become a second nature 

 to this particular variety. Dwarf, dense, and green, 

 it is the beau-ideal of a living walk edging. Well 

 laid on a solid base of hard soil, and only per- 

 mitted to grow to two or, at the most, three 

 inches high, and from an inch to two through, 

 it is at once neat and efficient. It becomes objec- 

 tionable when allowed to grow out of form into 

 excessive bulk. The roots then draw the goodness 

 from other crops, and the tops afford shelter and 

 breeding-places for slugs and other vermin. Clipped 

 twice a year, in April and July, and cut into the form 

 of a sharp-pointed wedge, few edgings look better 

 than a neatly-cut line of li\-ing Box as a dividing 

 line between the earth and the gravel. 



Box edgings are easily laid. Previous to finish- 



Brick Edging. 



