GARDEN WALKS.

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7245, 27 February 1889, Page 6

GARDEN WALKS.

Kitchen garden walks are unavoidably used during all sorts of weather, and I hold that utility rather than appearance should be the principal consideration when they are first constructed. It must be conceded that a well-formed and carefully preserved gravel walk, with perhaDS a neat box edging, is very pleasing to the eye; but in how many instances will such walks bear the strain of traffic or fail to rise up after frosts or rains ? Good binding gravel is often very scarce, and those walks with a loose surfacing of either pea gravel, ground stone, granite, or sandy material are much more suitable for the pleasure grounds than they are for the kicchen garden. In very many instances the latter has a rather sharp slope in a southerly direction, and in thin case loose walks, or any with badly binding surface material, are liable to be much injured by heavy rains, the greater part of the surface being washed to the bottom of the garden, choking the main drains and otherwise doing harm to the surroundings. It is quite disheartening to repair such walks only to find the next downfall of rain repeating the old mischief, and in all such cases something different should be' done in order to remedy the evil. Much may be done with the aid of brick gutters on each side of the well-rounded path, and if rounded paths are objected to, those more flatly made have either grips or raised obstructions formed across them, either bricks on edge or a strip of wood being suitable for this. If these are disposed at intervals of about 60 feet apart they materially lessen tbe rush of water and save the gravel. The water, thus turned out of its course, ought to be run direct into drains near the sides of the walks, and at each grip or obstruction a small grating-covered brick cesspool should be formed. If the9e are kept properly cleared of the sediment that rapidly accumulates in them, the drains will not get choked for many years. In this manner a work may be kept in good condition as far as appearance is concerned, but yet not available for wheeling over or much traffic perhaps at a time when most needed, nor will any such measures long preserve rather steep walks such as we have spoken of. After repeated experiments with the best materials obtainable, I short of cement, we have. arrived at the conclusion that asphalte walks are by far the cheapest as well-as the-most durable and in addition they can be used in all weathers. These are sometimes objected to on account of the smell that emanates from them in hot weather, and they are supposed to be Injurious to the roots of fruit trees growing near to them. There may be some reasons for these assertions, but all other objections are fanciful and not worth noticing. During the first two summers the sunshine does soften these asphalte walks, and the smell may be somewhat objectionable, while the water that runs off newly-made walks is liable to be impregnated with tar, and certainly does injure Box edging, but I have seen no ill effects accrue to fruit trees that may be near the walks. As it happens, much depends upon the way in which such walks are formed. If the tar is not well boiled at the outset or prior to mixing with the ashes, or If too much of it la used Tn proportion to the sifted ashes, it falls to set properly and may never answer well. An asphalte walk if formed with properly mixed materials applied to a thickness of not less than two inches, and duly faced over with fine spar ground, or jflne gravel, or even sand, will set firmly in the course of a few weeks. It will be only slightly affected by hot sunshine in after years, remain intact for a long time, and never present an unsightly appearance. Such walks can always be used, and heavy wheeling will not wear them out .very quickly. - They are best formed in tbe summer, or, as in our case, in August and September. The ashes from the stokeholes ought to be saved especially for the purpose, and in most instances sufficient will be collected in one year to mix with gas-tar to cover one long walk every summer. That was the plan we adopted till all the kitchen garden walks, as well as those among the houses and pits were covered. Asphalte walks are also frequently .made to order by those in .charge of gas-works, and . this is the simplest, if not the cheapest way out of the difficulty. Ordinary well-made walks are most suitable for covering with asphalte, these usually being well drained and solid. If quite new walks are made the bottoms of these should be slightly curved or rounded off from the centre, and be covered with not less than 9. inches of rough stones, brick ends, or clinkers, this being faced over with about 3 inches of common gravel, on which the asphalte can be spread. A smooth and strong surface cannot be formed on an uneven or very atony bed, and if the old walks are lightly broken up prior to applying the tar mixture, the coarsest of the stones must be raked off. Once made, these walks are no further trouble—weeds, if we except Dandelion, which I have seen push through a comparatively firm surface, not making any headway, and an occasional sweeping up ensures a tidy appearance at all times. It is only the main walks, or those near the walls and passing through the centre of the garden, that are so treated. In large gardens smaller intersecting walks are also necessary, and these may be kept in good order with the aid of clinkers and ashes. Such walks, well made, are frequently more durable, or at any .rate more fit to walk on, than are the majority of those formed of gravel. They need not be more than 30 inches wide, and Ought to be laid up rather above theordinv den j level. A depth of not less than U <of clinkers, roughly broken, should v. >v be ! formed, on this being placed a thin layer 'Of finely broken clinkers, finishing off with 2 Inches of ashes. These being duly levelled, should be well watered and then I well rolled. Thus treated the surface will bind surprisingly well, and it IS only after I severe frosts that it becomes soft and j liable to rise. Even quite broad walks made of clinkers and ashes are preferable to any constructed of stones and inferior gravel, and are not nearly so liable to be overrun by weeds. Capital walks are frequently made of ground lime and gravel in mixture, but I have had no experience with them. They answer well in the pleasure grounds where tried, but whether they would be so serviceable as asphalte in the kitchen garden remains to be proved. Where there are broad borders on each side <t a central kitchen' garden walk wholly given up to flowers, I much prefer to dispense with any hard material, bellevintr a turf walk by far the most appropriate _nd enjoyable. Supposing the site is well drained and the ground made very firm and level, a closaly-mown turf can always be used for walking over, there being no more damp to the feet than gravel. In summer time turf'walks are pleasant to walk upon, and materially add to the beauty of the borders.' There are only few such to be met with, but there is no reason why the number should not be largely increased, especially seeing how numerous herbaceous borders in the .kitchen garden have become.