Vol. V. 



82.00 A. YEAR. 



24 Numbers. 



CHICAGO, MARCH 15, 1897. 



Single Copy 

 10 Cents. 



No. 109. 



Waterside planting and Bennei Bridge. 

 PROSPECT PARK. BROOKLYN. N. Y. 



Landscape Gardening. 



PROSPECT PARK, BROOKLYN, N. 1. 



This park is justly considered one of the 

 finest examples of the landscape archi- 

 tect's art. Every advantage has been 

 taken of its natural beauty, blending 

 in harmony therewith creations of the 

 designer's skill until the whole stands out 

 a perfect scheme, combining beauty and 

 utility. 



The park is charmingly situated. It 

 lies partly on the picturesque ridge known 

 as the back bone of Long Island; west of 

 the ridge the ground is undulating, while 

 the slope to the east is quite abrupt and 

 varied in contour. 



This ridge is historic ground; it was 

 here on August 27, 1776, that Gen'l Sul- 



livan, with his Maryland and Delaware 

 patriots, defended the pass against the 

 British troops one long morning, until 

 his command was cut to pieces. 



On the lower ground at the foot ot the 

 ridge, a series of lakes and water courses 

 meander, and finally debouch into a large 

 lake. The shores of this lake are beauti- 

 fully broken up into miniature bays and 

 lagoons, among which walks are cun- 

 ningly carried for the pedestrian who 

 seeks nature in its home. 



A high point of the ridge is called Look 

 Out Hill. The view from its top is very 

 fine; below lies the lake shimmering in the 

 sun light, its sinuous shore line seemingly 

 hiding at each projecting point something 

 of greater beauty still beyond. 



In the spring months, when violets 

 cover the ground, and magnolias, redbuds 

 and dogwoods mingle their colors with 

 the soft green of the budding leaves, and 



throughout the summer's season of dense 

 leafage, with glimpses of lawns and 

 meadows, until the foliage takes on its 

 gorgeous autumnal tints, the view is ever 

 changing and beautiful. 



Beyond the park boundaries lie the fer- 

 tile fields of Long Island, while in the 

 distance can be seen the outer bay and 

 the Atlantic ocean. 



" The park has an area of 526 acres, oi 

 which about 115 acres is natural wood- 

 land, comprising tulips, chestnuts, white 

 and red oaks, hard and soft maples, sas- 

 safras, etc. Where thinning has been done 

 in this timber, many of the trees, espe- 

 cially the oaks, have branched out from 

 their naked boles. The undergrowth in 

 this natural timber is of Florida dog- 

 wood, black haw, etc. The natural 

 character of the woodlands has been pre- 

 served as much as possible, the drives 

 through them being of a simple character, 



