CIVIC IMPROVEMENT. 



525 



city, makes possible a beautiful scheme. Mr. 

 Todd has recently made plans and submit- 

 ted a report for the improvement of the 

 grounds of Trinity College, Toronto, which 

 embodies some interesting landscape prob- 

 lems. 



IMPROVEMENT OP SCHOOL aROTTNPF^. 



1^ HE Youth's Companion will present to 

 the 500 schools of the State of Illi- 

 nois doing the best work in school improve- 

 ment, a set of six historical pictures, and to 

 the ten of those doing the best work, a large 

 American flag. 



SHRUBBERY ABOUT THE HOUSE. 



'I ' O one who has been accustomed to 

 i. plenty of shrubbery about the house, 

 it is surprising how noticeable is the want 

 of it in the majority of lawns, and 

 what a bare and forsaken look such 

 places seem to present. Shrubs have 

 a double value, one in their intrinsic beauty, 

 another in their use. If the former be the 

 special consideration, then they should be 

 chosen with great care as to foliage, color, 

 bloom and such characteristics ; but if the 

 latter, their individuality is of little import- 

 ance so long as they accomplish the desired 

 objects. One of these is the hiding of fence 

 boundaries, of well curbs, of outhouses, of 

 gravel roadways, or anything which breaks 

 up the continuity of the lawn view. For 



such plantings it is not necessary to buy ex- 

 pensive plants from the nursery, ..for any 

 wild bush will furnish a variety collection 

 sufficient for liberal planting. Too often 

 the home maker leaves his house fully ex- 

 posed from the foundation up, quite uncon- 

 scious of the nakedness which the house 

 presents unless the foundations are at least 

 partly clothed with clumps of shrubs. This 

 is fairly shown in the accompanying en- 

 graving, where even a single shrub has 

 done wonders in breaking up the angularity 

 of the mason work. 



A 



STATION GROUNDS. 



TTENTION has often been called, in 

 these pages, to the possibilities of 



,^^rfeJ5XS^'S5?a_- 





Fig. 2705. Shrubbery to Hide Fou.ndation 



Fig. 2706. Plan for Station Grounds. 



making these attractive, as has been shown 

 in so many instances along the line of the 

 Boston and Albany Railway. On most 

 roads these places are so barren that waiting 

 is a weary season ; but it would be possible, 

 by a little treatment, to make these station 

 grounds so attractive that the waiting sea- 

 son would be delightful ; and not only so. 

 but they would afford a valuable object les- 

 son on the treatment of a lawn, which could 

 in many instances be copied in part at the 

 homes of the travelers. 



As an example of what may be done ir. 

 this direction, we give the plan of the sta- 

 tion grounds at Auburndale, Mass. 



