2QO THE SHAKESPEARE GARDEN 



the balustrade is of the greatest importance. The 

 designs for balusters in the old architectural books 

 are legion, some of them of very complicated inter- 

 twining after the patterns of arabesques and cuirs 

 (strap-leather work), but good taste, even in that 

 day of complicated design, demanded that the balus- 

 ters should be very widely spaced. This is obvious, 

 because half of the effect, at least, of out-of-door 

 architecture depends upon the open spaces for light 

 to play its part and a great part, too in the 

 design. In balustrades the spacing is, therefore, 

 very important. The balusters should never be too 

 crowded. The most satisfactory ones are those in 

 which the distance from center to center almost 

 equals the height from plinth to coping. The piers 

 dividing the groups should not be too far apart ten 

 to fifteen feet is a good distance. Much, however, 

 depends on the proportion of the balusters them- 

 selves. Frequently the balustrade is adorned with 

 ornamental vases, or urns, set at regular intervals 

 on the rail and on the newel-posts of the steps. As 

 a rule, the steps lead from both ends of the terrace. 

 Sometimes there are also steps in the center; some- 

 times the terrace is double. A jar, vase, or tub of 

 growing plants, or containing one handsome plant, 

 looks well placed on the lawn on either side of the 



