34 GARDEN MANAGEMENT. 



can neither be made to add to its charais nor hannonize with its beauty. 

 Milton is a master of the art of congruity ; crowded as his picture is, there is 

 no confusion ; everything seems placed in the best position for displaying its 

 own beauty without detracting from the beauty of others. I must not, how- 

 ever, be tempted into speaking of the internal arrangements of the garden, 

 which must form the subject of future elucidation ; suffice it here to remark, 

 that Milton's views were far in advance of those of many gi-eat gardenei-s even 

 now, who compel us to admire flowei-s in juxtaposition with cabbages, onions, 

 and potatoes, and set all the laws of congruity at defiance. 



91. Utility. — The usefulness of a garden will very much depend upon 

 the quaUty of its soil and the facilities it aflfords for easy access. At one 

 time, a good soil was the main, if not the only consideration in choosing a 

 garden ; and it is still considered of great, though not of primary importance ; 

 for it is obviously more immediately under control than any of the other 

 essential characteristics. Shallow soils can be deepened by trenching, wet soils 

 dried by draining ; poor soils enriched b}- mamu-ing ; stiff soils rendered work- 

 able by skilful admixtm-e or by bm-ning ; light sandy soils brought to the proper 

 texture by the apphcation of marl ; baiTcn soils, if such there be, rendered fniit- 

 ful by manuring ; and incorrigibly bad soils bodily removed, and good soil 

 substituted in theu- stead. Of course, any and all of these operations involve 

 a considerable outlay of money ; but they are less expensive and more prac- 

 ticable than improving the sanitaiy condition of a whole neighbourhood, 

 conveying pure water for miles, and converting a fiat uninteresting country 

 into a beautiful landscape. While elevation continues to be a most desirable 

 object in the site of a garden, it must not be on a hill so steep as to render it 

 difficult or dangerous to reach it at any hour of the day or night ; if it is so 

 circumstanced, both the pleasure and utility of such a garden will be much 

 impaii-ed. It should be within an easy distance of a good public road, as 

 road-making involves a large outlaj', and road-keeping is a heavy item of 

 expense. The length of a private or carriage-road to house or garden should 

 be regulated, to a great extent, by the size of the house and extent of the 

 gi'ounds ; a long winding road may be a very pretty object in itself, but it is 

 disappointing if it leads to nothing. For ducal parks, or large estates, where 

 expense is no object, so long as a road appears to be going in the direction of 

 the house, the longer it is, the stronger the impression of extent produced, 

 Ijrovided it teiminate at a splendid mansion. But not only the length, but 

 even the width of the camage-road should correspond with the extent of the 

 demesne ; it is wi-etched taste to have a bold road skirting the boundaries 

 of a small estate, and leading to something like a villa residence. On econo- 

 mical gi-ounds, to save the expense of making and keeping the roads, and as 

 a matter of convenience for the cai-ting oif manure, and all other utilitarian 

 purposes, it is desirable that a site be easily and quickly accessible from 

 a pubhc road. 



92. Vo/netif is also a characteristic of a good site. Milton crowds almost 

 every kind of natural beauty into his glowing picture ', and in this he reveals 



