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than a continuous mass of evergreen deeply indented 

 by bright green lawn, and forming a background for 

 fine specimens of oak, maple, and tulip-trees, dressed 

 in their autumnal hues. Yet how few elements are 

 needed to produce this magnificent chord of color ! 

 For most cases, the safe and general rule is to avoid 

 too many, kinds of large trees, to keep similar foliage 

 together in grand, quiet masses, to reserve strong 

 effects of contrast for the outskirts of plantations, and 

 to admit more and more variety and mixture of 

 species as we use smaller trees and shrubs. 



In conclusion, we would offer some suggestions as 

 to the proper office of a landscape gardener. Passing 

 over the clumsy name, which it is now difficult to 

 change and mend, let us consider how the person it 

 means to describe can make himself useful. First, it 

 is clear that he should act as a reformer of the 

 prevailing errors, some of which we noticed above. 

 This office, however, does not exclusively belong to 

 him. Any man of taste, leisure, and observation, is 

 perfectly capable of exposing such blunders. Next, 

 in preparing the soil and forming the nursery, the 

 landscape gardener can, as counsellor, be of great use. 

 It is by no means desirable, however, that he should 

 take the place of the surveyor, drainer, and agricultu- 

 rist. If he does so, the result often is inferior work 

 at greater expense, while his attention is diverted 

 from his proper business. This is to study the 

 grounds, and, from this study, to design and to carry 

 out well-considered plans. It is evident, for reasons 



