8 Landscape Gardening 



HEALTHFULNESS OF LOCATION 



This is of the first and paramount importance, for with- 

 out health no one can enjoy Hfe or do his share toward 

 making his own Hfe or that of others of value. And first 

 of all low and swampy or malarial land should be avoided. 

 While much may be done by underdraining, and other 

 means be employed to make such locations healthful, with so 

 many thousands of acres about us free from these objections 

 there is no necessity for a single dwelling being located on 

 unhealthful ground. Rising land with good drainage, 

 where the surface-water shall quickly pass off, where there 

 shall be an abundance of moving air about the site, and an 

 abundance of sunlight, is the most desirable. 



CONVENIENCE 



The location should be convenient of access not only 

 for the occupants, but for all who may be in contact with 

 them. Many a family have shut themselves out from 

 society almost completely by building a home where friends 

 can meet them only by making a very unusual effort. 



The leading idea of modern times is centralization; 

 and the advantages of being near neighbors where social 

 intercourse can be frequent, where the w^hole family will be 

 brought into close contact with the surrounding world, are 

 many; but it becomes a question if the individuality, the 

 strong characters brought out by the self-reliance acquired 

 by living in more isolated sections, are not worth consider- 

 ing also. The electric railroad, penetrating far into the 

 country, connecting town with town and country with town, 

 the modern automobile now offered at a price not much 

 above that of a good horse and carriage, will in a measure 

 settle the question of the necessity for centraHzation and the 

 depopulation of our rural districts. 



