308 ANNUAL, REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



dooryard, you will see that it carries out fully the three rules laid 

 down. 1. By removing the four central groups, we clear the whole cen- 

 tre of the lawn. 2. We make groups of four in each corner. 3. We 

 have a slight curve in the hypotheouse of each triangular group which, 

 if the trees sat upon the ground like fully furnished evergreens, 

 would show a curved edge to the lawn at each group. In short, in- 

 stead of a square orchard with equi-distant trees, we have an open 

 lawn of irregular octagon form, four of which sides are curved. 



Now, when we change these trees from the common type, or 

 trimmed-up form seen in all dooryards — which, as I have before 

 shown, are not adapted to grouping — when we change these to trees 

 that are, we have made a beginning that covers the whole art, and 

 we have but to modify or change the general arrangement to attain 

 any end which presents itself. 



Let me suggest some planting in these corner groups which will 

 give you some idea of what may be done, removing the trees which 

 may be supposed to have been set and using other forms. We will 

 take first one of the corners nearest the street, using common well 

 known shrubs. 



We will plant in the corner a syringa grandi flora. In front, or 

 toward the lawn we will plant two of the fragrant sorts, one bloom- 

 ing a week later than the other. In another row we will plant four 

 golden syringas, which bloom like the others but have golden leaves 

 all summer. Next we will plant some of the spirea Van Houtii, 

 and as we are planting the hypothenuse of a triangle, each row 

 lengthens and we will need about six plants. The two longest rows 

 should be slightly curved. This spirea has long, drooping branches 

 which trail to the ground in a fountain-like form, and it makes an 

 admirable plant to connect the lawn with taller shrubbery. Now 

 we have a triangular group of shrubs flowering in May, facing the 

 lawn, with the tallest at the back side so that each has a fair show. 

 They do not occupy ground necessary to the lawn because they cut 

 oft" a corner; neither do they interfere with the mower. When the 

 shrubs are small the ground should be forked up and kept clean, to 

 insure rapid growth, and this work can be done with less average 

 labor and with no marring of the lawn as if the plants stood singly 

 scattered in the grass. After two or three years the shrubs will 

 need no attention and the lawn mower can be run to the edge of the 

 shrubbery and there will be no clipping with grass hook or house 

 shears around each plant, as in single planting. The group would 

 take thirteen plants, the general nursery price of which is about $2.00 

 per dozen. 



We will take a corner next the house for our second planting — the 

 one on the side where the cold winds come from. We will plant 

 in the corner a Colorado Blue spruce, then three hemlocks, and in 



