WATER 107 



effect desired may sometimes be obtained even when 

 the water's edge is nearly straight by variation in a 

 marginal growth. A tree or a group of trees may 

 send branches out over the water to a distance of 

 twenty to thirty feet, and next to such a group the 

 ground may be covered merely with small bushes 

 and vines. Thus the bank of a lake which fills 

 an abandoned river-bed and is somewhat canal- 

 like in outline, may become by suitable planting 

 extremely interesting. 



Natural lakes have usually been in existence a 

 long time. Their shores have, therefore, become 

 fixed and the slopes of these shores indicate the shape 

 best adapted to resisting wave action. Rocky 

 banks show the best form for an artificial barrier 

 of this kind. The distribution of bowlders along 

 natural shores should be studied to learn how to 

 make the best use of such material in artificial 

 lakes. 



A border growth of trees and bushes often occurs 

 where banks are steep, showing how to protect 

 hillsides or abrupt banks from being washed away 

 or undermined by water. Cat-tails, pickerel-w r eed, 

 sedges and other growth along water margins indi- 

 cate the conditions favorable to such growth. One 



