April S, 1884. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
259 
what is taken out to raise the sides, forming them similar to that 
shown at A fig. 58. 
On such a foundation, 6 inches of granite, whinstone, or flint, 
broken to the size used in properly macadamising roads, will 
make a very fair road for such traffic as a carriage road on a 
gentleman’s estate is subjected to. The first-named materials, 
or any others that equal them in hardness, are of course to be 
preferred; but flints if bi-oken in the same way as the stone 
make a fair good road for light traffic. They should, however, 
never be used in a whole state. The rounded nodules, like coarse 
beach—also sometimes used—do not bind together, and have not 
the strength to resist a heavy pressure. The great point in 
making a road is to get the stones to fit into each other so as 
to form one mass and stand up as if it were a low arch of bricks. 
A few of the largest of the stones should be placed on the top of 
the drains at each side up to the level of the bottom, and then 
the whole of the surface should be covered with an equal thickness 
of stones. A thin layer of some suitable binding gravel should 
then be applied to the surface. If this can lie loose until it has 
a good soaking of rain, and is then rolled with a heavy roller, it 
will be all the better, as the top layer of stones will be less apt to 
get moved than they would if rolled at once. The gravel should 
not be applied too thickly—just enough to cover the stones when 
it is settled—and it should be of such a nature as to render the 
road, so long as it is kept up in the middle, as shown in our 
section, fig. 58, absolutely waterproof. I may say in passing, that 
in keeping it in this waterproof condition by never allowing it to 
become so worn in the centre by the horses’ feet, or by the 
wheels as to give water the least lodgment, lies the secret of 
good keeping. But more of that anon. 
In some localities it is found necessary to use a less hard 
material, such as freestone. This should not be broken so 
small, and a greater depth used, and also a greater depth of 
gravel placed on the top. This will keep the direct wear off 
the freestone and provide for keeping the road even, as it 
cannot be expected to stand the same traffic as hard stone. 
In other localities again we find stone of a slaty nature, such 
as is so plentiful in some parts of Scotland, where they utilise 
them in building “ dry stone dikes ” as fences. A very good 
road may be made of this stone by carting them on the road 
unbroken and setting them on edge, to the depth of from 
G to 12 inches just as they come, and afterwards breaking the 
rough points off with the hammer and working the pieces into 
the larger cavities so as to bring all up to a general level. 
Road-making is generally prosecuted during winter, horse 
and hand labour being then generally less pressingly engaged 
on other work. I think, however, that it is a great mistake to 
do so during wet weather. It is especially desirable that the 
stones should be laid on a dry even surface, and this cannot be 
effected when it is wet, as the carts plough up the surface of 
the ground, and consequently there is sure to be some waste of 
material in the puddles that ensue, and the permanent lasting 
quality of the road is impaired. 
The first steps in connection with making such a road over 
an undulating surface requires a little more thought and care 
than on a comparatively level surface. In the first place avoid 
sharp turns as far as possible. Let the curves be easy and 
graceful, and as far as possible correspond with the sur¬ 
rounding ground. Cutting through hills and filling up hollows 
after the manner of making a railway should never be tolerated, 
except in extreme cases, where the declivity of the ground is so 
sharp as to render it necessary. When a hollow is filled up 
ample time should be allowed for it to settle before the stones 
are placed upon it. In carrying a road across sloping ground 
some little care is necessary to strike on the right level, so that 
it will not have the appearance of navvy work about it. As a 
general rule level pegs may be inserted in the centre to the 
general level of the ground, and other pegs at each side made 
level with them. Excavate the soil from the top side and place 
it on the lower side to make it up to the level of the pegs. This 
gives a level space from which the soil has to be excavated for 
the stones in the usual way. A road in such a position should 
have a level piece of turf on each side, where possible, equal to 
half the width of the drive. To get this more soil will have to 
be taken from the high side and deposited on the lower side. 
The banks on each side should then be gradually sloped to 
meet the general level of the surrounding ground as shown 
at a and b fig. 58. Very steep roads are very liable to be cut 
up by heavy rains. Gratings should be placed at shorter 
intervals, the roads kept well up in the centre, and a narrow 
channel at each side paved with round flints or some other 
material to prevent its being washed away.—R. Inglis. 
(To be continued.) 
HARDY PLANTS IN FLOWER. 
Ranunculus anemonoides. —This is Anemone-like to a great 
extent, having ternately pinnate leaves with numerous linear-oblong 
segments, rather glaucous, rising above which are the pretty capitula 
from 1 to 1^ inch across, with numerous white strap-shaped petals. 
It is indeed a gem among Buttercups, and but rarely met with under 
cultivation. Although not so fastidious, the plant from which these 
notes are taken is happily thriving in a damp semi-shaded part of the 
rock garden. 
R. amplexicaulip. —This is just opening its first flowers, on stems 
about a foot high, prettily decorated with the stem-clasping leaves. 
The flowers are pure white, an inch or more across, each stem carrying 
several. It does remarkably well in a rich sandy soil, and it has not 
been disturbed till this spring for several years, consequently it had 
formed dense tufts. It appears not to thrive like this everywhere. 
It ha3 been in cultivation in this country for a considerable time, for 
in J ohnson’s edition of Gerard it is figured and mentioned as being “ a 
denizen of our gardens.” 
Primrose “ Harbinger.” —This is all that Mr. G. Abbey says of 
it. Like him, I am quite in love with it, and, doubtless, it will find a 
place in all gardens. It is one of the most useful and showy of the 
protean Primroses, and may be the progenitor of a sturdy race of 
white-flowered forms. Mr. Gilbert has sent out many good things, 
and, in my opinion, this will be one to gratify the million, and thus 
be ample reward for any raiser. Its large trusses of large white 
flowers are indeed very beautiful, and the freedom wuth which it 
grows in pots render it all the more valuable. It is one of the 
charming “ hybrid Primroses ” of which we can scarcely have too 
many in our gardens. Let every nook be made a pleasant garden 
with them, and many other pretty flowers which would be only too 
glad to associate with them. 
The “ Blood Root ’ (Sangu naria canadensis).—Another gem 
from the western hemisphere which is far too seldom seen, as it is 
most distinct and pretty, very hardy and easy to establish, especially 
in a damp position. It has been cultivated in this country since 1640. 
A good figure appeared in the “ Botanical Magazine,” t. 162, and a 
poor engraving is given in Parkinson’s “ Theatre of Plants,” under 
the name of Ranunculus virginiensis albus, or the “ White Virginian 
Crowfoote,” page 326 ; and on page 327 he thus describes it:—“ The 
White Virginian Crowfoot shooteih forth from a reddish tuberous 
roote, with some small fibres thereto, three or foure somewhat large 
broad, whitish-green leaves, upon longe foote stalkes, rent or torne on 
the edges for the most part, along which riseth up a slender naked 
round stalke, 5 or 6 inches high, bearing one white flower at the 
toppe, made of tenne, or of twelve small narrow and pointed leaves, 
with a few yellowish threds in the middle set about a green umbone, 
which in time groweth to be a long slender pod wherein is contained 
round whitish seede.” Truly a clear and minute description. It 
appears that Parkinson was the first to describe the plant in this 
country, for he says lower down the same page, “ it hath not lean set 
forth by any before.” 
Daffodils. —These flowers a”e now charming. The common 
Daffodil, N. Pseudo-Narcissus, is about the only bond fide species in 
the trumpet section, varying considerably, of course, but from one form 
to another there is every intermediate step which connects the whole. 
Look at minimus as the tiniest, and lorifolius Emperor or princeps 
as the largest, and cannot every gradation be traced ? How difficult 
t) find substantial points of distinction. In my opinion this is a 
chain in which there are no “ missing links." This day I have 
examined two forms of minimus, one with a short perianth tube, the 
other lengthened, minor, three or four forms of nanus, lobularis, and 
Pseudo-Narcissus ; and after several efforts to find for these true 
distinguishing features other than that of a slight difference in size 
aad colour, I gave it up as hopeless. N. spurius is a hirge-flowered 
variety, very early, close upon princeps, but the latter is not yet in 
bloom. N. moschatus and cernuus are both in good order ; the former 
is the earlier and much more robust, thriving well year after year, 
whereas cernuus frequently fails. N. moschatus I find increases freely, 
and has a shorter broader tube than cernuus. The double form of 
the N. Pseudo-Narcissus is extremely pretty. In a batch of collected 
bulbs of this species I have selected some double and semi-double 
flowers, which seem an evident passage from the single to the duplex 
form, and this fact gives one another new locality for the double 
