56 THE BOOK OF GARDEN FURNITURE 



garden and orchard ; but for the chief entrance, or where 

 garden and park join, something more elaborate would be 

 desirable and appropriate. For the latter position, ione 

 of the hooded gateways would look well, the hood being 

 either of wood or of iron, with a lamp in the centre, if 

 this were needed. In this case, the gate itself would 

 look best if shaped so that when closed it formed with 

 the hood a circular opening, through which a good 

 vista could be obtained. Some manufacturers are fond of 

 constructing designs with a raised top, but these are one 

 of the worst forms which can be adopted, unless, of 

 course, they are required to fit an arched doorway in a 

 wall. Such gates can never be really strong, as they are 

 opposed to all principles of balance, and the hinges are 

 continually jamming or getting out of order. Heavy 

 doorways, with ponderous hinges and studded with nails, 

 are more suited for the entrance to prisons than gardens, 

 and are costly to build. 



Generally speaking, a door should never be used when 

 a gate might take its place, for the simple reason that the 

 former cramps and confines, while the latter gives an idea 

 of space and freedom. Doors are permissible when they 

 communicate direct with a yard, or lead to a public road, 

 and are therefore necessary to secure privacy. Rustic 

 gates made of unpeeled larch are fairly suitable for 

 informal parts of the grounds, but as they are generally 

 left open, it is questionable whether they serve a very useful 

 purpose. Often their place might be taken by a small 

 stile, with the top bar made so that it can be removed 

 without trouble. Occasionally, where it is thought un- 

 desirable to make a gap in wall or fence, steps are made 

 to cross from one side to the other. These wooden 

 erections are rarely picturesque, and are a terrible nuisance 

 to climb ; but if the wall is of rough stone, a few pro- 

 jecting steps made in the actual fabric are unobtrusive, 

 though they require some skill to negotiate at all gracefully. 



