182 



THE PLAN OF THE PLACE 



various heights and contours. It is not always 

 necessary, however, to make distinct banks along 

 water -courses, especially if the place is small and 



163. Gradual grade to a water-course. Before planting. 



the natural lay of the land is more or less plane or 

 flat. A very slight depression, as shown in Fig. 

 163, may answer all the purposes of a water 

 grade in such places. 



If it is desirable that the lawn be as large 

 and spacious as possible, then the boundary of it 

 should be removed. Take away the fences, curb- 

 ing and other right lines. In rural places, a 

 sunken fence may sometimes be placed athwart the 

 lawn at its farther edge for the purpose of keep- 

 ing cattle off the place, and thereby bring in the 

 adjacent landscape. Fig. 164 suggests how this 

 may be done. The depression near the foot of 

 the lawn, which is really a ditch and scarcely 

 visible from the upper part of the place because 

 of the slight elevation upon its inner rim, 

 answers all the purposes of a fence. 



Nearly all trees are injured if the dirt is filled 

 about the base to the depth of a foot or more. 



