90 LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 



such names as "Cold Brook," and "Silver Creek," 

 which once were as beautiful as nature could 

 make. They were in the country near a growing 

 city. Gradually the native growth along their 

 borders was all destroyed. Then the areas of 

 bordering land became pastures and the streams 

 during high water began to wash away the land 

 on either side, so that they grew more and more 

 crooked and the bare earth exposed gave them 

 an unsightly appearance. Then streets were de- 

 veloped near them, and their banks were further 

 disfigured by the dumping of refuse of all kinds. 

 This was often done clandestinely in spite of 

 warning signs, the refuse including not only ashes 

 and tin cans mentioned above, but old bed springs, 

 broken dishes, furniture and dead animals. Finally 

 the streams were replaced with large sewers and so 

 the beauty of the original charming features of the 

 native landscape was lost, save in memory, to the 

 present generation, and lost completely to all fu- 

 ture inhabitants. 



Cities are willing to spend liberally, even medium- 

 sized cities spending hundreds of thousands of dollars 

 and larger cities not hesitating at millions, for the 

 purpose of developing great parks. Such expendi- 



