100 PRACTICAL GARDENING. 



out ; but it is so simple an operation to provide it, that it 

 would almost imply a deficiency of intellect to publisli one, 

 and we would rather have the young gardener try. 



But it may be said that everybody does not like a figure 

 formed within a given square or circle ; that the ground may 

 be more favourable for an oblong : granted, — then work 

 your figure with two circles, and it will be twice as long as it 

 is wide, or a circle and a half, which will make an oblong 

 not so divided ; but you must mark out the ground you 

 intend to lay out, and always keep your eye upon uniformity. 

 Draw circles without number from various points, only keep 

 up uniformity, — that is, if you place the point of your com- 

 passes on a spot nearer one side or end than the other, do 

 the same on the other side or end, that there may be corre- 

 sponding circles. The ruled paper, be it remembered, already 

 gives you the advantage of paths crossing in various directions, 

 and saves many speculative rulings during the process of 

 designing. 



In the transfer of any design from the paper to the ground, 

 you have only to remember that the stake placed firm on any 

 part of the bed or figure forms the equivalent to one point of 

 your compass, and the loop of any dimensions you please put 

 over it, and the pouit you mark with the other end of the 

 loop, is the workiig poiat of your compass ; the shortening 

 or lengthening of the loop opens or closes your compass, 

 while the squares on your paper enable you to do everything 

 by scale ; the eighth of an inch may be the representative of 

 one foot, two feet, or three feet j you cannot go wrong. 



With these remarks, and a few evenings' practice with the 

 rule and compasses, you will produce an endless variety of 

 plans, all tending to illustrate the beauties of geometrical 

 gardening. But they must be made in places which do not 

 interfere with the general features of the establishment. If 

 there be no natural recess or nook calculated for the place, you 

 must take the most eligible, and plant it out as if it did not 

 belong to the concern. It is not generally desirable to make 

 a place smaller, but better anything than introduce formality 

 in a landscape. It is not difficult to shut out a space. It is 

 true that the first year, and before the shrubs have a little 

 growth upon them, the design will be seen through, but as 

 soon as the planting fills up a little, the object is concealed. 

 The most desirable place perhaps is a corner, and that because 



