42 PARKS AND PLEASURE-GROUNDS. 



which face towards the south. A long, natural slope of 

 grass is often very beautiful; but, on examination, it 

 will be found that it is free from that dead, mechanical 

 uniformity common in artificial works. Perhaps, how- 

 ever, light has the greatest influence in this respect — a 

 fact very much overlooked in landscape gardening. The 

 surface of the slope is turned up towards the light ; and 

 so it wants that variety of shade which even a plain wall 

 exhibits at different periods of the day. Accordingly it 

 is found that, when facing the north, and in an inferior 

 degree when facing the east and west, these grass slopes 

 are always more eflPective than when turned to the south, 

 for in this last position they are seldom seen in shade, 

 and consequently have a bare and bald effect. Never- 

 theless a long deep grassy slope, closely shaven and neatly 

 kept, is always popular, however ineffective it may be in 

 the eye of refined taste. There are some means of 

 relieving its monotony, which we shall indicate in the 

 following paragraphs. 



Shrubs on Terrace Banks. — Long bare slopes, and par- 

 ticularly when there are irregularities of surface which 

 could be removed only with great labour and expense, 

 should be wholly or partially covered with shrubs. When 

 there is a considerable height of bank and breadth of 

 slope, several effective terraces may be formed along the 

 bank with walls, borders, and walks, and intermediate 

 slopes planted with laurels, constantly kept down by 

 pruning to the height of two or three feet. The inter- 

 est and variety of these terraces are increased by scat- 

 tering over them a few ornamental trees and shrubs, 

 which may be allowed to assume their natural form, but 

 should not be introduced in such numbers, or be per- 

 mitted to grow to such a magnitude, as to injure the low 



