HOUSE AND GARDEN 
310 
November, 1911 
Where the wall is used for retaining purposes, the lower stones 
should be laid at right angles to its length 
Everlasting, rock cress and bearberry are some of the plants which are 
so successful in covering this wall 
stone construction, where the moisture can penetrate the inter¬ 
stices from the supported bank, are still more successful as a base 
for planting than mere enclosing walls, which need more care 
and water, though even then the satisfaction gained is worth the 
trouble. The lines of earth connection in a retaining wall should 
be continuous from the bank so that moisture may work through 
and the plants be not wholly dependent on water from outside. 
The stones in a dry wall should be slightly tilted where the wall 
stands independently. This may be done by means of small 
wedged shaped stones. In this manner rain will trickle through 
the crevices. 
Fall is the most suitable time for building dry stone walls. 
Then everything has a chance to get settled in place before win¬ 
ter. The condition of the ground and 
the delay in planting makes spring wall¬ 
building unsatisfactory. A properly 
constructed dry wall is proof against 
injury from the weather and when it re¬ 
tains a bank no frost action can make 
it bulge. The best foundation for such 
a wall, whether it be meant to support 
a terrace or merely to enclose, is made 
of concrete. For a retaining wall the 
depth and breadth of foundations must 
be determined by the requirements of 
the particular instance, in some cases 
where a steep and high hillside is to be 
kept in place a depth of 3,^2 or 4 feet 
and a breadth of 5 feet being neces¬ 
sary. Ordinarily, however, a depth of 
2 to 2,3/2 feet will be enough. 
For building the part of the wall 
above ground it may be found better to 
employ intelligent laborers under the 
direction of a competent person rather 
than skilled masons. It is often difficult 
to persuade the latter, with their de¬ 
sire to do a “good job,” to refrain from 
“dressing” the stone. Do not let them 
“trim things up.” Make them put their 
hammers by, and, if one stone will not 
fit. o-et another. If the stones are 
“trimmed” the charm of the wall will Where the garden wall is of brick, it is best of rough surface. Put the lattice work a few inches 
be gone and it will look prim. Almost from the surface to prevent the accumulation of dirt and insects 
any kind of field stone or rough stone from a quarry can be used 
as long as it is properly laid in place. Few will deny the beauty 
of the old rough boulder walls between New England fields. In 
a retaining wall, which must be thick enough at the base (some¬ 
times 3, 4 or even 5 feet) to sustain the thrust of the bank above, 
the large stones at the ground line, resting immediately upon the 
foundation, should be laid with their length at right angles to the 
line of the wall and their inclination nearly at right angles to the 
batter of the wall. This will keep the earth from washing out. 
Toward the top the breadth lessens greatly. 
Whether the wall be a dry one or of mortared joints, the ques¬ 
tion of soil is important. In the former case a mixture of loam 
(Continued on page 338) 
