THE SUMMER MEETING-. 53 



sons walking abreast, without coming in contact with the borders on either 

 side. And if, as is common, the gateway has been established directly in front 

 of the main entrance to the dwelling, then draw a straight line from the center 

 of the doorway to the corresponding center of the gate, and arrange your bor- 

 ders on either side of the line, so as to give a walk five or six feet wide. When 

 the walk is completed to the front door, then let it gradually curve around the 

 house to the rear entrance, to the well, the barn-yard, and the out-buildings. 

 Lay the margins of the walks with good, solid turf, forming a green border at 

 least three feet wide and about three inches above the level of the walks, and 

 never plant shrub or flower within the limits of this margin. However, if the 

 gateway can be arranged so as to enter a few rods to the right or left of the 

 center, or both, the walks can then be arranged in a winding or serpentine 

 form, which is in better taste, and admits of more artistic ornamentation. 



Now that our walks have been provided for, let us see how we shall arrange 

 our natural ornaments, Avhich are trees, shrubs, and flowers. We will first 

 plant the trees. These should be thrown to the two extreme boundaries of the 

 right and left, but none directly in front of the dwelling, and should be allowed 

 to extend around on either side past the dwelling to the vicinity of the barn- 

 yard, which should invariably be in the rear of the house, and a reasonable dis- 

 tance therefrom. Never plant a tree so near the dwelling as to in after years 

 prevent tlie free access of the sun's rays to every apartment occupied by the 

 family. 



The taller growing trees should be planted further from the center, and the 

 -smaller and sloAver growing varieties a little nearer. A few evergreens might 

 be interspersed with good effect, but profuseness should be carefully avoided. 

 To the right and left of the center, and near the tree line, neat little rustic 

 bowers or arbors might be erected, aud when thoroughly covered with Virginia 

 creeper, wistaria, or clematis, become a desirable retreat from the scorching 

 rays of the summer sun. 



The more central portion of these grounds should be dotted over here and 

 there with roses and such of the finer flowering shrubs as will bear careful and 

 artistic pruning, and Avill not become unsightly by a superfluous growth of suck- 

 ers. And at convenient distances from the walks a few neat and well arranged 

 flower beds should be made a leading feature. It is from these that your daugh- 

 ters will take their early lessons in the refining study of natural beauties. In 

 addition to these the porches might be adorned with climbing roses, ivy, and 

 wistaria, and out-buildings and other unsightly objects transformed into things 

 of beauty. This will impart to your dwelling both the spirit and the soul of 

 refinement, and will not only be a source of pleasure to the family, but will 

 attract the attention of the cultivated and refined as they pass. And when the 

 spring comes the forest songsters will be attracted there, and gladden your 

 homes with their sweet melodies. 



Having taken you thus far in my course of embellishment, I will now intro- 

 duce to you the home of Thomas Orderly, and see if we can there be instructed 

 in the manner of taking care of our external surroundings. But here comes 

 the farmer and his good wife on their way to the village. "Good afternoon, 

 Mr. and Mrs. Orderly," say we. "A very good afternoon to you, young gen- 

 tlemen," replies Mr. 0., and a cordial shaking of hands follow, with ''We are 

 very glad to see you," and many more kind words from the great-hearted 

 farmer and his wife, and an invitation to walk in and visit with the chickens 

 who, he says, are just about to begin their Saturday afternoon scratching in the 

 door-yard (the farmer frequently calls his boys and girls chickens, from their 



