WATERING THE PARKS. 



39 



ing large spreads of grass in the parks the system is dif- 

 ferent. One day in passing by the racecourse at Long- 

 champs I saw it carried out in perfection. The space had 

 become very much cut up by reviews and races; but in any 

 case it is watered to keep it as green as possible in summer. 

 At first sight it would appear a difficult thing to water a 

 racecourse^ but two men were employed in doing it effec- 

 tually. Eight across the whole open space from east to 

 west stretched an enormous hose of metal^ but in joints of 

 say about six feet each. The whole was rendered flexible 

 by these portions being joined to each other by short strong 

 bits of leathern hose, each metal joint or pipe being sup- 

 ported upon two pairs of little wheels. Fig. 17 shows a 

 section of the appa- 

 ratus at work. By 

 means of these the 

 whole may be readily 

 moved about without 

 the slightest injury to - vv>^w>^>^N:iycjiMi 

 the hose in any part. Section of perforated self-acting hose on wheels. 



At about a yard or so 



apart along this pipe jets of water came forth all in one 

 direction, and at an angle of about 45 deg., and spread 

 out so as to fully sprinkle the ground on one side ; and 

 thus four feet or so of the breadth of the whole plain of 

 Lougchamps was being watered from one hose. There were 

 two of these hoses at work, one man attending to each of 

 them ; the only at- 

 tention required be- 



ing to pass from one 

 end of the line to the 

 other, and push for- 

 ward the hose as each 



portion became Suffi- Hose on wheels with double row of perforations. 



ciently watered. The 



simplest thing of all is the way they make the perforations for 

 the jets along the pipe. They are simply little longitudinal 

 holes driven in the pipe with a bit of steel. They must be 

 made across the pipe, or the water will not spread in the 



