14 



GENERAL FORMATION, &c., OF GARDENS. 



number and direction, as to form the area 

 into compartments, or, as they are called, 

 quarters, of convenient sizes for the pur- 

 pose of cropping, and also for examining 

 the crops, — as shown in the preceding 

 diagrams. 



The advocates for picturesque beauty 

 have all objected to the formation of gar- 

 dens of regular forms, as not harmonising 

 with the surrounding scenery. In this 

 they are so far right ; for few things de- 

 stroy the effect of a fine park more than 

 the straight lines and stiff formality of a 

 square or oblong garden, particularly 

 when placed in a conspicuous situation. 

 Such gardens must either be hid by arti- 

 ficial means — an object not always easily 

 effected — or recourse must be had to irre- 

 gular forms, so chosen as to suit the lay 

 of the ground. Now that the merits of 

 span-roofed hothouses are fully appre- 

 ciated, there can be no objection to such 

 forms ; and if the garden is laid out in 

 the mixed style, a very good effect may 

 be produced. Man is, however, so much 

 the creature of habit, that it will be long 

 ere irregular gardens become general, 

 although few, we think, can entertain any 

 doubt as to their utility and fitness for 

 many situations. 



In many cases great and unnecessary 

 expense has been incurred in the erection 

 of a stiff and formal garden, where, had 

 the form and style been adapted to the 

 situation, a much happier result would 

 have been attained. In most cases where 

 the ground is naturally much out of 

 level, all other circumstances being fa- 

 vourable, there should the irregular form 

 be adopted. 



§ 4.— SUPPLY OF WATER. 



An abundant supply of this element is 

 indispensable in every garden. Although 

 the fact is admitted by all, yet how sel- 

 dom do we see, even in gardens otherwise 

 very complete, this matter attended to, at 

 all events to the extent to which it ought 

 to be ! The consequences of this neglect 

 are, the loss of crops in dry weather, and 

 the incurring of an annual expense equal, 

 in a few years, to all that would be re- 

 quired to bring an abundant supply to 

 the most difficult situation. Rain or 

 soft river water is the best; but spring 



water, when naturally or artificially freed 

 from those mineral ingredients which 

 many springs contain, and which are in- 

 jurious to vegetable life, may be used 

 with safety. An immense waste of rain 

 water takes place annually in every gar- 

 den ; for if we calculate the quantity that 

 falls on every square yard of surface — 

 which, according to Waistell, averages 

 126 gallons per annum throughout Bri- 

 tain — and multiply that by the superficial 

 contents of all the roofs, whether glass, 

 tiled, or slated, we shall find a supply 

 greater than is generally supposed, in too 

 many cases allowed to saturate the 

 ground, or be carried off in drains, and 

 consequently lost, instead of being col- 

 lected in adequate reservoirs. As an ex- 

 ample of this, we may state that in the 

 kitchen gardens at Dalkeith there are 

 5,866 square yards of roofing, exclusive 

 of pits, giving 739,116 gallons of water 

 per annum : the whole of this roofing is 

 provided with cast-iron gutters, which 

 deliver the water into cast-iron tanks and 

 stone cisterns distributed throughout the 

 hothouses and gardens. Pipes are also 

 laid to convey the water to different parts 

 of the kitchen garden, and at convenient 

 distances are placed taps which supply 

 half-hogshead tubs, neatly painted, and 

 set clear of the ground on brick piers, to 

 serve as temporary supplies during sum- 

 mer. These are removed during winter, 

 when no watering is required ; and the per- 

 manent cisterns, of which there are many, 

 constructed of iron or stone, are allowed 

 to remain. Most of the cisterns attached 

 to the hothouses are placed over the fur- 

 naces, where the water becomes slightly 

 warmed, and is taken through the back 

 walls in pipes immediately over the hot- 

 water boilers, which are all within the 

 houses. Every house has its own supply. 

 In one of the Orchid houses is a reservoir 

 42 feet long, 4 feet broad, and 3 feet deep ; 

 this, together with the other cisterns, 

 contains 1000 cubic feet of rain water, 

 exclusive of the main reservoir under the 

 cellars, containing 2110 cubic feet. Into 

 this latter reservoir all the drains empty 

 themselves, and the superfluous water is 

 carried off by a common sewer beyond 

 the boundary of the garden. We have 

 given these details to show what can be 

 effected by collecting the rain water that 

 is in general allowed to pass away to 



