GABDENING FOE WOMEN 275 



that the rope rests either on the ground or parallel 

 to it. 



A circular bed is the easiest of all to set out, but it is 

 the foundation of several others. The easiest are polygons 

 of four, six, and eight sides. To lay out a four-sided 

 polygon (Fig. 2), equal a square : Lay off the diagonal 

 A B. Lay off C D at right angles to A B, and join A 

 D, D B, B C, C A. 



To lay out a six-sided 

 bed (Fig. 3), equal a 

 hexagon : From the 

 centre C draw a circle 

 with radius C L Then 

 from 1 with the same 

 radius cut the circle at 

 2, from 2 cut it at 3, 

 and so on. Then join 1 

 2, 2 3, 3 4, etc. To lay 

 out an eight-sided bed, 

 equal an octagon (Fig. 4t): ^^'^'^ -f 

 Draw a circle, lay off the diameters A B, C D at right 

 angles to each other. Next bisect the four right angles 

 at E F G H, and join A E, E C, C G, G B, etc. 



These three are the most usual figures, but it is easy 

 to draw any number of sides to your polygon you may 

 require; 



First draw a circle, and lay off any diameter A B. 

 Divide A B into as many equal parts as you want sides 

 (in Fig. 5 it is five, as that is the most usual number 

 required, but it may be seven or nine or any other number). 



