Landscape Gardening 



have perceptible tops on them, and the 

 little shrubs to occupy a substantial space 

 of the earth's surface, we began to be con- 

 scious of defects of arrangement, of a lack 

 of meaning and purpose in the picture, 

 and to feel the necessity of a more artistic 

 disposition of our forces. The needs of 

 the place, too, became apparent. The 

 trees that had been planted for shade 

 either showed that they would throw no 

 shadows at all within the next ten years, 

 at the proper hours, or else would throw 

 them where they were not particularly 

 needed. The shrubs in groups looked 

 crowded, the single ones gave a spotty 

 appearance to the lawn that was not to be 

 borne, the driveways were too wide and 

 their curves unsatisfactory, while the ex- 

 panses of turf were too brief for beauty. 



Each effort at improvement seemed but 

 to make us the more conscious of our 

 lacks, and while our neighbors were com- 

 plimenting us upon the improved appear- 

 ance of the farm, which no longer looked 

 like an abandoned sand-hill, we ourselves 

 were taking counsel together, and coming 

 to the conclusion that the place was a 

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