64 Xan^scape Brcbitecture 



lines, although we, who as a rule fail to understand 

 their peculiar highly symbolized garden theories, and 

 know little of the scenery of Japan, may not at first 

 see it. Here is a proof of the truth of what has been 

 said, a proof that is based on fact. A Japanese artist 

 of high standing in his own country visits an artist in 

 America who has been his guest in Japan. Together 

 they go to Central Park, New York, and the Japanese 

 looks around and remarks, "How like this is to scenes 

 in Japan." This seems at first thought a little absurd, 

 as gardens in Japan are so different from those of 

 other countries. 



The idea, however, to be enforced is that landscape 

 gardening in any country will, if it is good art, be in- 

 spired by certain fundamental ideas, which whether 

 they have an American air, or a Japanese air, are 

 recognized by all nations as having a universal or 

 world-wide kinship. Curious is it not? But notice 

 how the Japanese butler who made the photograph of 

 Mr. Staples's little home in the woods has recognized 

 and caught this Japanese spirit, and limited his picture 

 to the exact scope that would make it Japanese, and 

 yet distinctively American. Note how American the 

 grove of trees is, and how happily, from the American 

 standpoint, the building is located, and yet very likely 

 the Japanese thought of home when he took the photo- 

 graph. The perspective of the picture is excellent 

 and you wonder what is beyond, which always adds 

 charm to a landscape. There is a universal quality 

 pertaining to such landscape work that any man, if 



