LANDSCAPE • GARDENING. Landscape gardening is one of the departments of Horti culture, by which the effect of a natural scenery art se hleAltartarl 11, art or hcr which a vr, nn_ 111,. auv.
otonous area is rendered beautiful, by means of walks, drives, lakes, bridges. rock-work, and the planting of trees, .shrubs, and flowers.. In fact, in its broad sense, it is high art, in which but few professionals ever arrive at high emi nence. So far as the present work is concerned, it will not be necessary to go into the minutia of details. To point out some means by which the farmer may beautify his home, and give illustrations of nature's, and of artificial work, will be sufficient Many farmers seem to be im bued with the idea, that time and money spent in beautifying the grounds about the home is time and money thrown away, and yet there is no means that may be employed that will give so much pres ent satisfaction, or that will more enhance the value of a property if it is to be sold. In this they are not altogether to blame. They have been taught to believe that it could only be accomplished at a large outlay of money, and through the labor of a professional gardener. Nothing, how ever, could be more fallacious. It is not merely artificial surroundings that they are to create, but to take advantage of the natural beauties of a home and heighten 1/11VO, j 1.1111.161.6 CI1, CLOD ,..JOG and smooth sward, to lay out and build walks and drives, and so arrange the planting of the whole that it may be partially shaded with handsome trees, and to shut out offensive objects by closer planting. In fact the whole farm is to be considered. If there is an unsightly knoll near crown it with deciduous and evergreen trees. If there is a depression, some parts of which are marshy, form a lake, and from it a small stream to carry away the outflow, taking advantage of any facility that may offer to drain the balance. Plant the edges of the pond with weeping or other willows, and thus three important objects are subserved, drainage, water, and shade. In nine cases out of ten the drained land will pay the cost of the whole. If there is a meandering water course running through a valley, clear the banks, leaving clumps of elms, maples, and lin dens at the bends here and there Cover the banks with a firm sward of grass, and here again three objects are attained: superior pasturage, available water, and shade. In time the groups of timber will grow into trees, when they may be thinned and the surplus sold. There should be woodland on every farm, and if one can take advantage of land otherwise of little value for the planting, two objects again are attained: a provision of timber for the future, and a land scape effect that will be pleasant to the eye. In all this do not seek the picturesque, it is only here and there a place that can be height ened by picturesque planting, and these situa tions, picturesque in themselves, as for instance where there is a waterfall or rugged scenery. Sylvan beauty is what is wanted on the farm, and in no country in the world is the ground work more carefully laid by nature than in the West, where we have undulating prairie. There are but few farms where a permanent thread of water may not be supplied by artificial drainage intelli gently conducted, and what is more beautiful than the soft haze lying about distant bits of woodland in the spring. The cool, inviting shade iu summer, and the gorgeous splendor of the autumn when the maples are blazing with their many tints, while the other trees tone down their beauty with their more sober hues. It is the home
grounds, however, that require the nicest atten tion. Here there should he plenty of room. A five acre lot is none too much for the farmer's home, for none can better afford it than he, and here it is grass and trees that beautify. Plenty of grass and only trees enough to shade it here and there. This may be partitioned off with light wire fences, to afford pasturage to sheep, calves and colts, or the grass may be mown so it need not be lost. If the ground be somewhat broken plant the knolls with-elumps of trees just so as to break the view but not to shut out the vista beyond. Do not have too many roads and walks, these cost money, for they should be well made, and at least have the appearance of being made for use. Above all, never make the mistake of setting a pretentious mansion down on the prairie, with nothing about it but rough fences and rank -herbage. The owner of a fine house without anything about it to tone down its glaring exte rior, has made one of the most comfortless mis takes possible. A cottage, however humble, shaded by trees and with its vine-clad porch, with a winding path, gladdened with a few flow ers, leading to it, is far more beautiful as it is far more homelike. Other things ,being equal, the farm with its pretty cottage and comfortable barns, protected by wind-breaks, and enlivened here and there with clumps of trees, will bring far more money, than the other with its barn like mansion and its bleak surroundinga. How this will look may he seen in the cut of a Southern Homestead on page 553. Mr. 1VIcWor ter, one of the most observing and practically scientific horticulturists in the West has given the following ideas on making a homestead. They will well repay perusal. He says : Not to dwell at length on the various mistakes most commonly made in homestead arrangements, it may be briefly stated people are generally too stingy of the little bit of ground around the house ; they allow no ground for shady lawns or homestead scenery ; they fence themselves up in a little narrow door-yard, and then to save steps in doing chores they get the barn and its numerous appendages closely and conspicuously located, if not exactly in front of the house, at least so as to break the view to the road in a side direction. In short, the arrangements for the comfort, convenience and pleasure of cattle, hogs, chickens and children, are too closely mixed and commingled together. Even people who are anxious to have everything very nice, conceive of no way only the old, stiff, rectangular square rule plans for every thing—every thing is brought to straight lines and square corners— fences all straight, gate exactly in front, a straight walk to the front door, shade trees ar ranged in exact military order. Such grounds present no pleasing variety—nothing but the tiresome sameness of straight lines and rectan gular forms. It is difficult to give any very def inite rules for homestead arrangements, because scarcely any two situations are exactly alike. But, to bring the matter to your minds, we will suppose you are about to prepare for yourself a country home. You are inspired with the heautiea of nature—you have listened to the music of the pines ; and nature's picturesque scenery and flowing outlines have nearly expelled the old rectangular, iron square plans all out of your mind. You first choose your building site.