138 THE FLOKAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



flags are fixed at intervals to prevent accidents, as the wire is 

 scarcely visible. At the head of tins lawn is a raised bank, or ramp 

 running right across it, close under the ■window of the dining-room, 

 and access is obtained to the dining-room by means of a staircase 

 and gallery fixed outside the house. Prom this gallery we get a 

 good view of the games. Close by rise some tall trees, between two 

 of which hangs a good swing, and beneath the swing is a concrete 

 pavement, which can be improved by spreading on it cocoa-nut 

 matting; and a little further on, in the same direction, and facing 

 the swing is a rustic pavilion, entirely open on the north side, 

 affording room for a score of people to sit sheltered from sun and 

 rain, yet quite in the open air. At the other end of the lawn is a 

 small piece of water, obtained by damming a brook, and on this 

 floats a punt of very humble construction. On gala days the punt 

 is constantly occupied, and our young folks find great delight in 

 being taken by its means a few yards into the comparative darkness 

 of the overhanging trees, and most charming pictures we obtain by 

 its aid. These arrangements are all of the humblest description, but 

 they bring forth much joy, and tell us that the promotion of the 

 more active of garden recreations might advantageously obtain more 

 general attention. In a very small space we have room for croquet, 

 tea-drinking, boating, swinging, conversation, and other amusements. 

 The outside gallery and staircase are of immense value for the 

 necessary traffic to and from the house, and serve as the rendezvous 

 for the lookers-on and idlers of the party. 



As remarked above, the spacious lawn, with not a tree or inter- 

 ruption of any kind, is the very first necessity for the promotion of 

 garden games. My croquet lawn would accommodate one hundred 

 pyramid pear trees, and thus profitably occupied would make me 

 miserable. Its nice green carpet gives me a twofold pleasure — as 

 grass turf it is beautiful in all seasons, as a play-ground it is the 

 scene of joyous assemblages in the pleasant days of summer. 



Now there is a mode of extending the idea that I commend to the 

 consideration of all whom it may concern. It is to fashion a lawn 

 so that it will be a play^-ground munnter as well as in summer. The 

 young people delight in skating ; at all events, the boys do. ^N'ow, 

 we will leave those who know how to skate to take care of them- 

 selves ; though we cannot forget that sad accidents occur at times, 

 when thin ice on deep water is loaded beyond its weight. We might 

 even instance the lamentable death of Mr. Walter on the lake at 

 Bearwood, as an argument for the kind of skating rink we have in 

 mind at this moment. However, it is sufficient that a great point 

 would be gained by instituting in the garden a skating school, for it 

 would promote out-door exercise without danger in the most enjoy-' 

 able of winter weather, and the owner would be well repaid for the 

 trifling cost incurred in the formation cf a rink, in the picturesque 

 groups that would delight him when the young people assembled for 

 their skating. We want a suitable supply of water and a suitable 

 extent of turf. The ground must have a slight — very slight fall to the 

 outlet, amounting to not more than one or two inches. The amount 

 of the fall must in part be determined by the size of the rink, but 



