The Canadian Horticulturist. 



rear, concealing them with groups of 

 ornamental trees, and then proceed 

 to lay out walks, and drives and to 

 plant trees according to some definite 

 plan. The winter is the best 

 time for drawing out such a plan on 

 paper, and therefore the following 

 remarks. 



To illustrate our subject we pre- 

 sent our readers with a series of 

 engravings, representing Ashton, the 

 country seat of H . Maunsell Shieffelin, 

 of Yonkers, N.Y. The plain Italian 

 style of the house sets off to the 

 better advantage the great import- 

 ance of well-planned surroundings 

 for producing elegance of effect. No 

 division fences are observable, unless 

 far back in the rear ; the groups of 

 trees are a beautiful set- 

 tingto the picture, while 

 the closely-shaven lawn 

 in front is an adornment 

 too little valued by those 

 who spade up a portion 



of the front grounds for the growing 

 of annual flowers. 



The pathway, which too often cuts 

 the front lawn in halves, is here 

 made to skirt along the border, under 

 a pleasant shade, and to approach 

 the front door by a graceful curve. 



The absence of shrubbery about 

 the verandah and sides of the house 

 is also observable, in contrast with 

 the vulgar custom of planting beds 

 of shrubs and perennial flowers to 

 grow along the sides of the house. 

 Instead of this, the closely-shaven 

 lawn up to the very walls is in much 

 better taste, the shrubs being 

 grouped in some more appropriate 

 places. 



The climbers about the posts of 

 the verandah are also 

 worthy of our attention, 

 for they lend a grace and 

 charm which no archi- 

 tectural ornament could 

 impart. There are 



Fig. 3. — AsHTcjN ; The Residence of H. Maunsell Shiekkelin, Yonkers, N.Y. 



