168 ' PARKS AND PLEASURE-GROUNDS. 



although, on trenched grounds, the drains may be 

 placed at greater distances from each other. Jn large 

 plantations the drains are always open, and may be 

 laid down at intervals of sixteen to forty-eight feet, 

 according to the porosity of the ground. In many 

 places of the park open drains are inadmissible ; and 

 in these cases we prefer box drains, formed with 

 stones, as much less liable to be choked up with roots 

 of trees than tile-pipes or tiles and soles certainly are. 



Roads through Plantations. — Roads, or rides, as 

 they are frequently called, are needful in large plan- 

 tations. Though used for carts and carriages, they are 

 in most cases only grass walks, fifteen, twenty, or 

 thirty feet wide, with open ditches on each side. 

 Where the ground is soft, it may be necessary to lay 

 a portion of the center with road-metal or gravel; and 

 .in hollows, it is useful to lay a box-drain across the 

 line of road, and communicating with one of the main 

 drains. The open drains on the sides should not be 

 deep, and should never be main drains. In extensive 

 woods, we would form some of the leading rides at 

 double the width of those mentioned above ; it is in 

 such open spaces that we generally have the appear- 

 ance of ornamental scenery. Or we would occasion- 

 ally expand them into broad lawns and glades, and 

 also form bays and recesses along their borders. These 

 open spaces, besides being highly picturesque, afford 

 good feeding-grounds for game. 



Planting of Forest Trees. — The differences of 

 opinion which exist, as to the best method of planting, 

 the distances between the trees, and the most suit- 

 able season for the work, afford sufficient proof that 

 there is room for a variety of treatment — a fortunate 



