78 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
October 31. 
would lie wholly out of place. Who would think of 
showing their curving abilities in close contiguity to 
the straight lines of a noble mansion, or pirouetting 
, their convolutions between the two rows of trees that 
formed a splendid avenuo. In this, as well as many 
I other matters in life, the lesser must yield to the (/renter; 
i and the line of the bouse, and the direction of the 
1 avonue, must be the sole guide in forming the walk. 
On this principle, tho main walk that leads from the 
house, as Althorpe, should, for a space at least, be 
straight, and for other reasons mentioned, and if the 
ideas of unity of expression, convenience, extension, 
seclusion, &c., are to be taken into consideration, that 
main walk to the pleasure-grounds should go straight, 
and at right angles with the building. 
These remarks will, in the meantime, bo a sufficient 
reply to various questions on this and collateral subjects, 
1 more particularly if we add, for the sake of young 
friends, that in performing their ground work operations, 
they will give most satisfaction to themselves and others, 
if an apparent reason should be obvious for every 
| group and clump standing just where thoy do, and a 
j similar reason should be apparent for every curve and 
sweep of their walks being just as they are. Hence, in 
forming new walks, where nothing interferes with 
having curves and sweeps at pleasure, the thorough en¬ 
joyment of them afterwards will depend upon the taste 
of so placing siuglo specimens and groups, as to make 
it evident that alter such arrangement, that, and no 
other curve, was the right one. 
A great objection against carrying out something like 
the idea of width and extension of walks at Althorpe, 
is the difficulty, if not next to impossibility, of getting 
good gravel. It seems deficient in stony matter, consists 
chiefly of fine sand, with a mixture of earth, and has 
little adhesive or binding properties. I have bad many 
enquiries, during the last season, as to obtaining firm, 
smooth walks, but I coidd add nothing to what has 
previously been advanced in The Cottage Gardener. 
ft is a very expensive thing to get great quantities of 
gravel from a distance, especially when people will 
persevere in first making something of a ditch where 
their walk is to be, instead of making it almost on the 
hard, firm surface. Various remedies may bo resorted 
to, which I have either tried, seen, or used with good 
effoct. A bottom of chalk well wetted and rolled, and 
just enough of such sandy matter placed on the top, as 
when thoroughly rolled would incorporate with the 
saponaceous chalk or lime, and yet retain a sandy, 
gravelly surface, will always bo smooth, clean, and very 
lasting. Those wishing to try that scliemo, should get 
acquainted with the ample experience of Mr. Beaton, 
as detailed in a previous volumo. 1 have also seen fine 
walks made with such sandy material, by incorporating 
j with it a portion of clay, and that in two ways. First; 
j getting the clay very dry, and then mixing it with tho 
! sand; and, secondly, placing tho sandy matter on the 
; walk, beating up tho clay into a thin puddle, pouring it 
over tho walk from the spout of a wator-pot, incorpo- 
i rating the mass a little with the teeth of a rake, and 
then, whilst wet, adding as much sandy gravel as will 
i roll firmly in and leave the sandy matter on tho surface, 
i A third mode 1 will mention has already been alluded 
to, and, from my own little experience, I am confident 
it will one day be more used by those who love dry, 
firm walks—namely, a coating of coal-tar from the gas¬ 
works, of which thcro seems to bo plenty at Althorpe. 
The first essential to success is a smooth, hard sur¬ 
face; it matters not what it is, whether earth, or an old 
gravel-walk covered with weeds. On this spread the tar 
just as it comes from tho gas-works, thinly, with a clean 
spado or trowel. I have found the thickness of a six¬ 
pence thick enough for ordinary seasons, but a sevoro 
frost would be apt, as I have found, to heave it up. Tho 
thickness of a shilling would bo better, and where 
plenty of tar was come-at-able, I would spread it about 
as thick as half-a-crown, or more. On this, as you go 
along, throw on your sandy gravel, as dry as you can 
conveniently get it, from a quarter to half an-inch thick. 
If not thoroughly dry, let it dry a little, then roll, and 
keep putting on a little more, until the surface is quite 
smooth, and every traco of tar obliterated. A piece of 
walk was so done nearly two years ago, and it has been 
smooth, firm, dry, and clean, having bad nothing done 
to it, except clipping the edges. The tar was very thin, 
not much more than a wafer, and I was afraid the frost 
of last winter would heave it up, but the snow saved it. 
I believe Mr. Judd intends using it as a trial round his 
pits in the first place. The best time to apply it is 
spring, summer, and autumn, in good dry weather. The 
great and chief objection is the smell, as that will be 
folt for three months, and even longer, in particular 
close, muggy weather. But then some people actually 
like it, and when gardener’s employers do not, and they 
still wish to use it, it should be put on when their em¬ 
ployers are away. There arc many modes in which the 
tar might be mixed with the gravel before laying down, 
and this might be necessary in the case of roads with 
much traffic over them ; but for walks, nothing answers 
better than spreading the tar over a smooth surface, and 
then giving it as much fine gravel as it can absorb, so as 
to have a gravelly-coloured surface. Sand drift from a 
road-side answers well when dry. The walk must be 
properly rounded before the tar is applied, so as to throw 
off tho water, as none will pass through it when properly 
done. 
There are few places where there is such room for 
indulging variety of tastes for positions for flower- 
gardens as at Althorpe. Besides my growing-likeing 
for what is, I think much judgment has been displayed 
in having the pleasure-grounds on the east side of the 
mansion. Supposing the Conservatory built,—a neat, 
pretty garden might occupy the space between it and 
the wing of the library; but then there would be a 
deficiency of sunlight from the shade of the mansion. 
Splendid groups might be mado in the park on the 
west side, so as to be brought under the view of part of 
the library, the drawing-room, and dining-room; but 
then the champaign look of the park there woidd be 
broken, and tho pleasure of having cattle coming close 
to the mansion destroyed. 
Kitchen-garden. — Tho first sight of the interior 
tells you, that in the contest between the extreme of 
neatness, and the extreme of luxuriance, and fine, 
useful products, the first was made to givo place to the 
latter. Mr. Judd informed me, that be could scarcely 
keep weeds from seeding, though he used a short scythe 
at times to chop off their heads, as well as tho lioe and 
the spade to cut up and bury them. No sooner was a 
piece of ground turned up, but ere long the surface was 
as green as a lawn. Tho garden, some years back, bad 
been held chiefly as a mercantile concern, and weeds 
had been allowed to prosper in such a way that the 
ground was thoroughly filled as a storehouse with seeds 
that just wanted air and elbow-room to germinate and 
grow. Perseverance, and a few more boys keeping 
Dutch hoes continually going, will, in time, lessen, if 
not eradicate, the evil. The allowing a garden, from 
whatever motive, to bocomo thoroughly stored with 
seeds of weeds is no trifling matter, and tho neglect of 
a season or two will toll on many future years. 
But, if Mr. Judd was inclined to grumble a bit over 
his active opponents, tho weeds—be could not, with any 
face, show any discontent about his crops. From what 
be told me, the ground, naturally, was a blue, loamy 
clay, and not at all over-productive. For some time, he 
bad great difficulty with Asparagus, and other vegetables. 
His chief resource, in addition to manuring, was deep- 
