134 



LANDSCAPE DESIGN 



ticularly with the smaller hills which are easily accessible to man, 

 much may be done by a skillful designer to unify and intensify their 

 desired effect upon the visitor by such means as the treatment of their 

 summits, and by proper laying out of paths upon their sides. Let us 

 suppose, for instance, that there is a subordinate hill near a New Eng- 

 land mountain hotel, and that it is desirable to make the hill itself as 

 important as possible, assuming as far as may be the effect of a moun- 

 tain to the mind of the visitor. It would probably be best so to ar- 

 range the path to the summit that it concentrates most of the climbing 

 in a steep ascent, preferably near the top, or perhaps, without making 

 the path itself very steep, to run it along the steepest slope available. 

 The viewpoint near the top might well be a craggy place, with a steep 

 declivity below the spectator, and if the trees are all spruce, and stunted 

 by poor soil, so much the better for the eflFect of height and wildness. 

 If there be a shelter at the viewpoint it might be built of heavy rough 

 stone or logs, and crouched against a bowlder as though to be shel- 

 tered from a great wind. If, on the other hand, it were desirable to 

 make the hill seem as restful as possible, the path might avoid steep 

 places, but seek incidents of openings and subordinate views, with 

 frequent seats and all possible excuses for pausing by the way, and 

 the summit might be gently rounding, perhaps with a sunny opening 

 protected by surrounding round-headed trees and with a light shelter 

 suggesting the comfort of the hotel. 

 Valleys: Unlike a mountain, a valley very generally forms of itself a com- 



Typical Forms pig-j-g composition, when seen, as it usually is seen, from within. The 

 observer's view is bounded by the sides which enframe the bottom, 

 where usually the greatest interest lies both on account of the con- 

 verging slopes of the sides and on account of the frequent presence of 

 a stream. Some valleys are placid, restful, with gently-sloping sides 

 meeting at the bottom in an easy curve, so that the interest follows 

 this sequential surface as readily up and out to where the edge of the 

 valley shows against the sky as downward to the lowest point. (See 

 again Plate 22.) Such valleys are commonly created by the slow ero- 

 sion of soft material, which, washing down from the upper parts of the 

 slopes, leaves these merging by gradual convexities into the surround- 

 ing uplands, and, being deposited at the bottom of the slopes, con- 



