THE MINNESOTA 



HORTICULTURIST. 



VOL. 24. SEPTEMBER, 1896. NO. 9. 



THE LANDSCAPE GARDENER IN THE COUNTRY. 



1". H. NLTTEK, LANDSCAl'H AKCHITECT, MINNEAPOLIS. 



I ouce had the pleasure of attending a lecture by that eminent 

 philosopher, "Josh Billing-s," the advertised subject of which was 

 "Milk;" on being introduced he solemnly poured out a glass of 

 milk from a pitcher on the stand and drank it. Those who remember 

 the peculiarly connected manner in which this gentleman wrote 

 and spoke will not be surprised to learn that that was the only re- 

 ference made to the subject during the evening. 



If any of you have preconceived ideas as to my line of thought i 

 this paper, you maj' perhaps experience a similar shock, for both 

 our secretary and mjself found it difficult to express briefly what 1 

 purposed to treat upon, so the topic as given in the program was 

 placed there fullj'^ as much to fill the space as to convey informa- 

 tion. The expression may also be unfortunate from the fact that to 

 many minds the landscape gardener let loose in the country is a 

 most dangerous personage, from whom nature slirinks aghast; and 

 if so be that his ideal is to decorate the landscape with flashy color 

 beds, groups of shrubbery' rich in purple barberry and golden spirea, 

 and puerile architectural adornments, there is much reason for 

 such a sentiment. 



But it may be said with truth, on the other hand, that factors un- 

 seen by the general observer may enter into the question, and work 

 be rendered necessary for the protection of the public or of the 

 landscape itself, which otherwise all concerned would much prefer 

 to avoid, and which when new and until nature has time to do its 

 gracious work of concealing and draping with shrubs, vines and 

 humbler plants, must be painfully obtrusive. 



Be this as it may, my intention this evening is to present a con- 

 tinuation or supplement to the paper I read at last winter's meeting 

 in which I referred particularly to the treatment of grounds im- 

 mediately surrounding the dwelling house; in this ()aper I wish to 

 make a broader application of the same principles. 



Our French friends have aii exjiression which rendered into Kng- 

 lish would be"Theornamented farm.'Veferrifig to those estates which 

 have been developed along artistic lines, while at the same time the 

 owners have not neglected the scientific and business side of their 

 calling. So little attention has been paid to such matters in this 



