day," is a good thing to remember. An orderly succession of labor
will bring beauty and comfort in good time, especially if
essential or foundation labors are first well performed. Few
things will prove more satisfactory than dry, hard, smooth
carriage-roads and walks. These, with their curves, can be
carefully staked out, the surface-earth between the stakes to the
depth of four or five inches carted to the rear of the place near
the stable, or the place where the stable is to be. Of the value
of this surface-soil we shall speak presently, and will merely
remark in passing that it is amply worth the trouble of saving.
Its removal leaves the beds of the driveway and walks depressed
several inches below the surrounding surface. Fill these shallow
excavations with little stones, the larger in the bottom, the
smaller on top, and cover all with gravel. You now have roads and
walks that will be dry and hard even in oozy March, and you can
stroll about your place the moment the heaviest shower is over.
The greater first cost will be more than made good by the fact
that scarcely a weed can start or grow on pathways thus treated.
All they will need is an occasional rounding up and smoothing with
a rake.

While this labor is going on you can begin the planting of trees.
To this task I would earnestly ask careful attention. Your house
can be built in a summer; but it requires a good part of a century
to build the best trees into anything like perfection.

The usual tendency is to plant much too closely. Observe well-
developed trees, and see how wide a space they require. There is
naturally an eager wish for shade as soon as possible, and a
desire to banish from surroundings an aspect of bareness. These