PARKS 239 



persons wish to travel, and there should be as few of 

 them as possible while meeting these requirements. 

 Advantage will, of course, be taken of all existing 

 growth, and in selecting plants for such additional 

 growth as may be required, those varieties which 

 harmonize with existing vegetation and are suit- 

 able for the soil will be chosen. The designing 

 of the park will consist mostly in picturing to one's 

 mind attractive compositions that will fit the situa- 

 tion and take advantage of existing features. 



Since parks may have a wide range of sizes, 

 shapes, and locations, there will be many kinds of 

 problems involved and at least as many solutions. 

 In general, a park should partake of the character 

 of the country in which it is located. The de- 

 signer should, therefore, study not only the site 

 of the park itself, but also any native woods that 

 may be in its vicinity, as well as the different soils 

 and the hills, valleys, rocks, and other topograph- 

 ical features of the surrounding region. Such a 

 survey will often disclose valuable planting material 

 that may be available for the park, and also give 

 useful hints as to what the character of the plant- 

 ing should be. Frequently a study of existing 

 woods will call attention to pleasing combinations of 



