ARTIFICIAL STREAMS. 



"3 



water at times, very winding or crooked. Abrupt curves are never found in rapid 

 water-courses for the simple reason that they are washed away ; but in the case of 

 gentle streams more curves may be allowed with advantage. The width of streams 

 ought not to vary greatly other than at the bends, where they naturally widen from the 

 action of water, unless prevented by masses of rock. If fish are to be cultivated then 

 these bends may be deepened and the cmwes planted with overhanging deciduous 

 trees such as willows, alders, and birches. The depth of an artificial stream must be 

 determined by circumstances. If there is likely to be a heavy volume of water at 

 times, allowance must be made for this, and a depth of 4 or 5 feet may not be too 

 much ; while if there is a decided fall towards the point intended to be widened into 

 a pond, provision should be made for breaking the fall . 



Having decided upon the 

 course to be followed, stake 

 it out fully 2 feet wider than 

 it is to be left at the finish, 

 allowing the extra width for 

 filling in with concrete or 

 puddle, and either rockwork 

 or soil. Give the sides a 

 gentle slope and make the 

 bottom perfectly smooth and 

 fairly level. It has been 

 premised that few of the sites 

 of artificial streams or ponds are sufficiently retentive for the purpose of holding water 

 and must be made so, or disappointment will result. On a large scale, a solid bed of 

 puddled clay is the cheapest material for the purpose ; strong plastic clay free from 

 gravel or sand must be used, and in some districts a depth of 6 feet or more of this can 

 be found not far below the surface. Sliced, watered, and pounded till it becomes of 

 the consistency of clay that is moulded into bricks or pottery, it can be applied in 

 layers and heavily pounded with ordinary rammers, till the bottom is 1 foot and the 

 sides are 18 inches in thickness. 



Concrete made of either one part of Portland cement to five parts of broken stones 

 and sand, or one part of hydraulic lime to four parts of stone and sand, though more 

 costly than clay, is the more durable and better in the end. It should be spread to a 



VOL. I. Q 



Fig. .37. AiiTiFiciAL Water-Couese. 

 «, concrete or puddle ; 6, water ; c, banks with iris and willow ; 

 (1, rocks and ferns. 



