THE GARDENING WORLD. 
January 23, 1909. 
40 
And their Formation. 
This may not be such an interesting 
subject as many operations, yet it is 
withal a very necessary part of a gar¬ 
dener's education, for if there is one thing 
that is absolutely required, it is a well- 
made walk. Architectural and rustic 
adornments may at times be dispensed 
with, but every bit of “laying out” that 
we may have to do demands the outline 
and partial completion of the walks first, 
both as a guide to work by and for con¬ 
venience in carrying out ground opera¬ 
tions. There is no example in nature, 
being a design of man, for his conveni¬ 
ence and comfort, on the same principle 
as the highways throughout the land. 
The inference to be drawn from this is 
that a direct line should be the aim, 
though we are not compelled to be geo¬ 
metrically correct, except on a terrace, 
as it is better to go over a hill by an 
easy gradient than to make a cutting 
through. Oh the other hand, an excess 
of curves is about the most inartistic, ex¬ 
asperating muddle to be found anywhere, 
especially when it traverses a level area. 
The proportion of walks is something to 
conjure with (drives and avenues are not 
considered here). I stand by 12 feet for 
main and 8 feet for branch ones, and 
never less than 8 feet for a main, as effec¬ 
tive outline cannot be achieved by nar¬ 
row tracks, and we should remember that 
much of the beauty and dignity of well 
laid out grounds is the result of ample 
and proportionate walks. 
In order to be of the utmost service, 
they should be dry at all times, and to 
attain this a drain is laid on each side, 
with a good fall and clear outlet, with 
traps at equal distances, to catch surface 
water. These should be sunk a foot lower 
than the pipe for sediment and regularly 
cleaned. On an incline it is necessary to 
lay them right across, to prevent the sur¬ 
face being torn up by heavy rain, the 
grating to be 9 inches wide. In all cases 
the surface should be highest in the 
centre, to facilitate the passage of water 
to the traps ; 3 inches for an 8 feet walk 
is ample, anything more is uncomfortable 
to walk upon. The material for a walk¬ 
ing surface depends on local circum¬ 
stances, but sometimes on large estates, 
where good material may be had for the 
digging, pebbles, all one size like marbles 
are to Ire seen, which is astonishing. As 
they have no binding properties, they can 
neither be cleaned of leaves or weeds, or 
raked level ; people rarely walk on them, 
but make a path alongside, and to anyone 
suffering from one of the ills that feet are 
subject to they must be a real torture. 
Quarry refuse is not so bad, but is there 
any necessity for a loose surface at all, 
when “weed killer” is so cheap and so 
generally used ? 
I think nothing beats a smooth surface, 
and I do not plead guilty to sentiment 
when I call to mind some walks seen in 
early gardening days, which were formed 
of red Romsey gravel, and rolled down as 
hard as cement. 
H. Arnold. 
Clematis repens. 
Many people have a difficulty in grow¬ 
ing the hybrid varieties of Clematis with 
large flowers, whereas those amateurs and 
cottagers who have planted C. montana 
on their houses usually have great suc¬ 
cess. The plant is more hardy than is 
usually supposed, and the amount of 
blossom it produces on the walls of cot¬ 
tages at the end of May every year is mar¬ 
vellous. Messrs. J. Veitch and Sons, 
Chelsea, have introduced a new one from 
China named C. repens, which seems 
capable of producing the same effects 
even on a larger scale than C. montana, 
because the flowers are larger. Each in¬ 
dividual measures 2 in. to 3 in. in dia¬ 
meter, and the four sepals, like those of 
the previously mentioned one, are pure 
white. It may be grown upon walls, 
pillars, or pergolas, and is well worthy of 
attention even by those who grow C. mon¬ 
tana, because this new one blooms in 
August, when flowering climbers are 
usually scarce. It would, indeed, form 
a beautiful companion to C. J.ackmani, 
which blooms about the same time, and 
in advance of the sweet scented C. Flam- 
mula, which blooms here in September. 
- a. w. - 
Prize Competitions. 
GENERAL CONDITIONS: —Competitors mast 
write on one side of the paper only. Regular 
paid contributors to THE GARDENING 
WORLD or other gardening journals are de¬ 
barred from entering, but occasional con¬ 
tributors may compete. The name and ad¬ 
dress of the competitor must appear on each 
article sent for competition. The Editor’s 
decision is final, and he reserves the right 
to reproduce, in any wayjl any article or photo¬ 
graph sent for competition. The conditions 
applying to each competition should be care¬ 
fully read. 
WEEKLY 
PRIZES. 
A PRIZE OFTEN SHILLINGS will be given 
for the best paragraph or short article on any 
gardening subject, such as hints of practical 
interest to gardeners, notes on the propaga¬ 
tion or cultivation of flowers, fruits or vege¬ 
tables, eradication of pests, etc. The para¬ 
graph or article must not exceed a column, but 
value rather than length will be considered in 
making the award. Mark envelopes “ Com¬ 
petition,” and post nit later than the Monday 
following date of issie. Entries received later 
than Tuesday (first post) will be left over until 
the following week. 
Two prizes of 2s. 6d. will be awarded each 
week for the two best letters, not exceeding 
150 words, on any interesting gardening sub- 
jeot. 
RESULTS OF 
LAST WEEK’S 
COMPETITIONS. 
Some of the best papers in this competition 
are too long, and we desire readers to keep 
within a column. 
A prize in the Readers’ Competition was 
awarded to “ Henry Page,” for the article 
on “Starting Vines,” page 28. 
The Prize Letter Competition has been held 
over owing to lack of space. 
How I Made My 
Summer Jdousi. 
There should be a summer house n 
every garden, it is a most useful the. 
to have and can be exceedingly or- 
mental, as I shall try to show by a - 
scription of one I put up in my cq 
garden. The framework is young r 
trees, cut exactly even and put "down a 
the ground to the same level, in octaj a 
form ; the tops of these pillars are joii J 
together by light branches to form a v 1 
plate; then the roof rafters, also of 1 
nailed to a thick block, in the cene 
rest on this wall plate. The next o - 
sideration was the roofing, which, al r 
much deliberation, we decided should f 
of wheat straw; seeing the good effect f 
the thatch we resolved to mat the wh • 
house with straw, to the ground. 
result is splendid and certainly mt 
unique. Between the posts and over ; 
straav we put trellis work of Fir branch. 
which gives it all a finished appearan 
We have a seat inside also composed : 
fir wood and thatched all over to Ej' 
it comfortable. The floor is gravelh 
and a gravel path leads up to the hoi 
which stands on grass in the pleasi 
ground and is much admired; everyo 
who sees it remarks on its unique appe. 
ance. We put no door, just left an ope 
mg from whence a pretty view of the c 
garden is seen. 
The total cost amounted to about t 
shillings, and I may safely say a fi 
guinea house would not look half 
pretty or as suitable to an old garde 
All round this “shanty” we sowed Ca 
ary Creeper, and planted Scarlet Rai 
biers and Dorothy Perkins; these latt 
have almost completely covered the ro 
and sides so that the house is a blaze 
colour in summer. Just at the entran 
we placed hollowed tree stumps ai 
planted them with Ferns and Mossc 
The house is sheltered at the back ai 
at one side by evergreen shrubs, so th 
it looks a really cosy little dwelling, 
least so a wren thought, who built 
beautiful little nest inside; but, alas, 1 
many agreed with the poor bird as to d 
comfort and beauty of the house that si 
at last got frightened, seeing so mai 
coming and going, and deserted her ne^ 
It will be interesting to see if she tab 
courage and returns to the same sp 
next spring; the novelty of the hou 
will by then have worn off and there vi 
not be so many intruders to disturb h< 
peace. 
C. M. Radcliff. 
Co. Meath, Ireland. 
--- 
Gardening Appointment. 
Mr. T. S. Dick, who has been forema 
at Blairvaddick, Dumbartonshire, for th 
past two years, has been appointed heat 
gardener to W. Whitelaw, Esq., Gar 
shore, Kirkintilloch He enters on h if 
new duties on the 19th inst. Mr. Die 
has frequently contributed to these page( 
and rve wish him every success in hi 
new appointment. 
