TREATMENT OF GROUND. FORMATION OF WALKS, 33'J 



In a scene expressive of swiple or graceful beauty 

 where the surface is more or less undulating, the first 

 proceeding of the improver will be to remove any 

 accidental or natuial deformity which may interfere with 

 that expression. Such are unsightly ridges of earth, small 

 lumpish hills, the ragged elevations where old fences have 

 been removed, or deep furrows created by the former 

 action of the plough. If there are any uncouth pits or 

 ugly hollows, such must be either filled up, or concealed 

 by plantations, and all excrescences that interfere with the 

 prevailing expression of the whole should be removed. 



In the next place, the improver will examine the 

 formation of the ground, as it appears naturally. If too 

 rugged, — the sweeps and undulations sometimes easy and 

 beautiful, but at others hard and disconnected, — he will 

 endeavor to soften and remove this inequality. This will 

 be easily executed if some of the eminences are broken 

 into too high, sudden, and abrupt hills, by carefully lower- 

 ing them into more graceful elevations, and placing the 

 superfluous earth in the adjacent hollows : proper regard 

 being paid to portions of the scene already pleasing, by pro- 

 ducing such a surface as will connect itself naturally with the 

 same, when the improvements shall be entirely completed. 



Should the surface, on the contrary, be somewhat 

 broken or undulating, but not distinctly so, appearing 

 rather heavy and undecided between a level and finely 

 varied ground, the operations must be directed in such a 

 manner as to increase the boldness of the whole. The 

 ground of a country residence is often brought into such 

 a state by the continued action of the plough at some 

 former period, which has gradually levelled down the 

 gentle eminences and filled up the hollows, till in some 



