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Then, with the cord taut, describe a circle.
Next comes the back-aching task of removing the first layer of earth. This should
be two feet deep and at the edge have an
inward slope of forty-five degrees ; this slope
will be the first part to be cemented. For
this shuttering will be required. It may seem
that making this shuttering takes up a lot of
time and that
perhaps if we
started straight
in by slapping
on the cement
the job would
be finished
sooner. On the
contrary, with
shuttering the
work is done
more quickly
and looks far
neater.
For this shuttering we shall need a number
of pieces of wood two feet long, an inch thick
and three inches wide-floor boarding will do
very well-these are the ' spacers.' They are
pressed vertically and edgewise into the sides,
so that they resemble ribs, at intervals of
eighteen inches. Boards are then roughly
nailed to the spacers ; plywood is the best
for a circular pond, as it gives to the shape.
(Figs. 5, 6 and 7.)
We now have a space between the earth
and the boards of three inches, i.e., the width
of the spacers. Into the space we place the
cement. In a very large pond it is advisable
to reinforce the cement with wire-netting, this
helps to bind the cement.
The cement should be mixed on some boarding, not on the lawn or a path, and the best
mixture for our purpose is in the proportion
of one bucketful of cement to three of builder's
sand. These ingredients should be well mixed
when dry by turning frequently with a spade.
The water is added slowly until the cement
has the consistency of thick cream. If it is
not well mixed and turned it will be porous
and air bubbles will form. After it has been
well turned, it is inserted in the space between
the earth and the shuttering : with a stick
poke the cement about and also tap the
shuttering occasionally to make sure it will
settle down well. As the work proceeds the
spacers must be removed and cement will
take their place.
If possible, each stage of the cementing
should be completed in the course of a day ;
if one part hardens before another, a crack
may form. At night, damp sacks placed over
the finished work will prevent cracking from
frost or from the cement drying too quickly.
By the next day the cement will be sufficiently hard for the next stage to be started
upon. This will be the shelf constituting the
shallow part of the pond ; to keep the soil
in, a raised ledge is necessary. The width
of the shelf will depend largely on the in-
dividual taste, but for a pond such as we
are constructing now three feet will be
admirable.
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