HOUSE AND GARDEN 
112 
February, 
1914 
The working of a garden axis is well shown in this picture. The main longitudinal axis focuses upon 
the small tree and is continued to the exact center plot of the garden parapet. This is a decidedly good 
formal arrangement 
If the piece of land to be mapped is of 
definitely known dimensions it is not, of course, 
necessary to take your own field measurements; 
but if it is not, the taking of such measure¬ 
ments will be the first thing towards getting 
a representation of the land onto paper. Start 
from any of the boundary lines — choose the 
longest preferably—measure its length, and 
draw a line representing this, of the proper 
length according to your scale. Establish the 
direction of the next boundary — provided, of 
course, that its direction is not the usual exact 
perpendicular to the first line. First draw a 
circle on the ground with any given radius—5 
feet is a good choice — at the end of this 
boundary, using the exact end as a center; 
then draw a similar circle on the paper, with 
the corresponding radius — 5 feet, otherwise 5/4 
inch. The circle drawn on the ground, with the 
aid of a string and two stakes, will, of course, 
cut the boundary which you have already rep¬ 
resented on the paper, and the one which you 
are establishing also. Measure carefully and 
In an irregular house important features of the 
design determine various axes; garden axes 
should have a suggestive connection with the 
house 
Irregular forms will of 
A scale of N inch t° the Dot will 
make an allowance of i 2 l / 2 inches for 
every 50 feet necessary, so a sheet of 
paper about 27 inches square will be 
required for a map representing 100 
x 100 feet if the form is square. This 
allows an inch all around for margin, 
course have to be calculated for accordingly. 
It is better, as well as much more convenient, to lay off the 
scale on a strip of stiff paper rather than to depend upon a ruler 
and its measurements; mistakes are altogether too easy with the 
many inch marks of a ruler to confuse, and the constant calcu¬ 
lating which they make necessary. Take a 2 to 3 inch wide strip 
of any smooth, good quality paper, any length, and fold it once 
lengthwise to insure a perfectly straight edge. Prick off on this, 
with a needle point, any number of units of exactly 634 inches 
each. These represent 25 feet, and two are enough to work with 
on plots of average size. Have three or four if you prefer, how¬ 
ever. At the end of the first mark it “25 ft.;” at the end of the 
second, “50 ft.;” of the third, “75 ft.,” and so on. Subdivide 
the first 25 feet into five units of 5/4 inch each (otherwise of 
134 inches, of course) ; mark these respectively—at the right 
side of each-—5, 10, 15 and 20; and then finally, subdivide the 
first two of these into five divisions each of N inch. These will 
not need marking, for they are readily counted whenever it is 
necessary to calculate single feet. 
An axis as viewed from its culminating point. These trees are laid along the main entrance axis, which, in this case, 
is coincident with the path 
accurately the distance straight 
across between the points where the 
circle and these boundary lines inter¬ 
sect, on the ground; and then meas¬ 
ure the corresponding number of feet 
and inches and fractions of an inch, 
if you can calculate thus closely, 
straight across the circle drawn on the 
paper. Draw a line from the center 
of the circle, otherwise the end of the 
first boundary line, through this 
point; measure the second boundary, 
on the ground, make this line the 
proper length—and the second boun¬ 
dary is “established.” At the other 
end of the first boundary repeat the 
same operation—if this next boundary 
also departs from the perpendicular. 
Then connect the ends of the two lines 
thus determined for the fourth side, 
A T-square mounted on a 
stake with a plumb-line 
attached serves as a sight¬ 
ing instrument in determ¬ 
ining contours 
