GARDEN HOUSES, BRIDGES, ETC. 261 



true economy, and though we cannot all readily get the hard green 

 stone gate posts stained with yellow Lichen of the farms about 

 Keswick, or the everlasting granite fence posts that one sees in Italy, 

 we should make a stand against work which has to be done over 

 and over again. Of woods, Oak free of sap-wood makes the best 

 supports ; Larch is good, but best of all, perhaps, is the common 

 Locust tree, which, however, is seldom plentiful in a mature state. 

 For all the other parts of covered ways nothing is better than old 

 Oak branches or the stems of stunted Oaks, or of old stub Oaks 

 that are often found about a country place, and are of very little value 

 as timber. Larch lasts well in the absence of Oak, but is not nearly 

 so good in effect. By using Oak with stone or brick supports, a 

 covered way may be made which will last for years without falling 

 into decay, as is the case with this kind of work when done with more 

 perishable woods and without lasting supports. It would be far 

 better to employ strong iron wire than wood of this sort. An 

 advantage which woodwork has over iron lies in its good effect. 

 Carefully done, a covered way made as above described may be 

 picturesque even before there is a plant on it. 



A pretty way of supporting plants and forming covered ways is 

 to use certain trees of a light and graceful character for supporting 



climbers, just as the Italians often support their 

 Living supports. Vines on living trees kept within bounds. Such 



trees as the Weeping Aspen, Weeping Birch, and 

 fruit trees of graceful, drooping forms, like some Apples, would do 

 well, and would be worth having for their own sakes, while through 

 the trees hardy climbers could freely run. 



Among the things which are least beautiful in many gardens 

 and pleasure grounds is the boathouse. Our builders are not simple 



in their ways, and are seldom satisfied with any one 

 Boathouses. good colour or material to make a house with, or 



even a boathouse, but every kind of ugly variega- 

 tion is tried, so that harshness in effect is the usual result, where all 

 should be simple and quiet in colour, as it is in boathouses on the 

 Norfolk Broads made of reeds and rough posts. The simpler the 

 better in all such work, using local material like Oak, which comes 

 in so well for the posts, and reeds for the roof; but the simplest 

 brickwork and brown tiles would be far better than the contrast of 

 ugly colours which the modern builder both in France and 

 England delights in. The place, too, should be carefully chosen 

 and the building not conspicuous. To avoid the cost of railway 

 carriage in the making of simple structures like boathouses, and also 

 carting, which is such a costly matter in many districts, it is best to 

 use materials of the estate or country. Ivy and living creepers may 



