The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-04-13
Grsning State gOurnal.
THURSDAY EvENG, APRIL 10. 1871.
small Grounds or Gardens.


read by Major King, before the Potoma
Fruit Growers Association at its Marc
meeting 1t was entitled
FEW HINTS ON IMPROVING AND oRNA
MENTING SMALL GROUNDS OR GARDENS.
The season being at hand for executing
improvements, we propose to offer few
hints that may be of interest to those il
the management of small gardens of al
acre. half acre, or even quarter acre lots
From observations we are of the opinion
that the errors committed in improving
small places or gardens is in attempting to-
much
In improving their gounds, almost every
one has natural desire to gather around
him the greatest variety of interesting OBJ
jects and scenes, that he may make the
most of his limited space, and thus it is
that many otherwise attractive garden
fronts have been rained, as the beauty and
pleasure to be derived from a small place
lies not so much in its variety of embellisb-
ments as from its simplicity and high
keeping-well-kep lawn, judicious walks
and well-selected trees and vines.
A good lawn is one of the most desra-
BILE features, and no pains should be spared
to secure it. Grass is among the first
things to gladden. us in spring. It's green
ness and the fragrance of its frequent
mowings are always grateful to the senses
during the heat of summer, and it takes
on new shades of loneliness amid the desc.
lations of autumn. Provide, then, for a
good lawn by draining any wet or spriugy
spots in your grounds, and deepen your
soil by trenchng or subsoil blowing.
Break up your ground thoroughly, that
all surplus water may pass off readily into
your drains, at the same time dressing
literally with manure that your trees aud
shrubs may speedily become established,
and grow luxuriantly in defiance OF the
fercest droughts. Sow a sufficient ouan-
tity of grass seed and clover, three parts
of red top to one part of white clover, at
the rate of three bushels to an acre,) that
your lawn may retain throughout the
summer the beautiful verdure of spring
beauty which is at once cheap and per-
mar ent.
As economy is one of the first objects to
be consulted in laying ont the grounds,
thai your means may be made to effect as
much as possible, and that the subsequent
expenditure may conform to your circum-
stances, requisite towards securing econ
omy is to study well beforehand what is
likely to be wanted or desired, and form a
fixed and definite plan OF procedure. The
avoidance of numerous walks and the
adaptation of the design to the grades or
levels of the surface, will aid in reducing
the expenses. The materials of which
walks are often costly and mostly carried
and wheeled from a distance, moving of
earth is an expensive operation and there
fore think twice before you alter material
ly any of the natural features of your
place; numerous walks destroy the unity
and extent of small piece of ground, and |
add to the cost of keeping, therefore rigid
iy adhere to having only such walks as are
absolutely indispensable, and they to be
kept in the best of order. A good, we'll |
kept walk, is both great beauty and COM |
fort.
The position Of the entrance gate and |
course of the walk must be determined by
the shape of the grounds and situation of
the front door Of dwelling. A single walk
in most cases, six or eight feet wide, in
proportion to extent, will be quite enough.
If the space between the house and street
be narrow-say 20 or 80 feet--and the
front door be 10 centre of the building,
the most convenient is having the gate
the door, and the walk straight
but should the main entrance be at one
side, (which is the best,) SO as to have the
ground in front of principal rooms kept in
lawn, embellshed with few select trees.
1t would afford a more agreeable sight
from the windows than a gravel walk
and persons approaching the house would
not be directly in front Of the windows.
When the house stands back sufficient
even if the front door is in the
centre facing the street, the walk should
approach it by easy curve from one side,
leaving the front clear. A curved walk is,
however, inconsistent in very limited
space.
FRUIT SPECIMENS, ETC.
Mr.. j. L. Smith cut up and laid upon
the table for the members to try well
preserved Doyenne de Alencon pear. He
stated that with attention they could easily
be kept, and the sample shown had lost
but slightly in flavor and soldity.
Friend Gllingham handed in some
sound and perfect apples of varieties
known as the Newton pippin or Albemarle
and Abram. Friend Gillingham, in an
experience of twenty-five years, has done
much in the progress of fixing the best
kinds of apples for this section and Sc
curing the best methods for their preserva-
ton.
Major King, upon being called up, gave
some very entertaining remarks relative to
a recent visit among the fruit growers of
the South and latter demonstrating the
various conditions of cotton seed in its
passage to oil, from samples he took great
pains to collect in bis trip, among which
was a remarkably handsome and heavy
boil of cotton raised in the open air in
this vicinity, received from Mrs. f. ].
King, of Georgetown, as specimen of
what can be done with care and know
pdpe