186 
Rustic Adornments . 
After this has been accomplished, the next operation, and one that is of 
primary importance in laying out new grounds, is to drain the land thoroughly, 
for no comfort and enjoyment can be obtained on undrained land, and 
besides, no plant will thrive well where the land is not dry and porous, while 
the sun is unable to penetrate and sufficiently warm the earth when it is 
saturated with water. In garden land, as well as any other, deep drainage has 
been proved to be the best, as the roots of trees, shrubs, and vegetables strike 
down so far into the earth that shallow drains impede their progress. About 
three feet six inches is quite deep enough for the ordinary drains, and three 
feet eight inches, or two inches lower, for the main drain. The drains should 
be laid in parallel straight lines, fifteen feet apart, taking care that the main 
drain has a quicker fall than the ordinary drains, on account of the amount 
of water it has to carry away, and bearing in mind that a good outlet is 
absolutely essential. Section III. represents a drain as it ought to be laid, 
the scale being four feet to an inch; at 3 is the tile pipe, three inches in 
diameter, resting on a flat piece of slate or stone, and filled round the sides 
and above with rubble (2), while over the top is an inverted sod (1), placed 
there in order to prevent the soil working into the drain and disturbing the 
fall of water. One word more before leaving the subject of drainage, and 
this is, that as you proceed in the work of laying out the ground, the soil 
should always be dug over to the depth of at least eighteen inches to two feet, 
especially if the subsoil be of a close retentive nature, in order that the water 
throughout the garden may work its way into the drains, otherwise they will 
be of little or no effect. While the draining is in progress the builders can 
be getting on with the ornamental wall which separates the kitchen garden 
from the pleasure grounds, so that by the time the drains are laid, the wall 
ought to be nearly finished; in the meantime the terrace bank can be 
roughly formed, and the clumps or plantations, so as to gradually work the 
surface of the ground into its proper form and shape, as no trenching or 
levelling ought to be done until the bricklayers are out of the way. 
The walks can then be formed, and as they constitute an important factor 
in the pleasure and comfort of a garden, Sections I., II., III. are given, to 
show the most satisfactory and best way of making perfect walks or drives. 
Walks, to be perfect, should be dry, smooth, and hard, during every 
season and in all weathers, otherwise you are robbed of a good deal of enjoy¬ 
ment, comfort, and exercise. Section I. represents the bed of a walk cut out 
before the rough gravel, clinkers, or any other angular material has been 
