LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE. 



CHAPTER I. 



INADEQUATE IDEAS OF THE SCOPE OF LANDSCAPE ARCHI- 

 TECTURE ITS TRUE DEFINITION. 



HE appearance of Downing's "Landscape Gar- 

 dening," about thirty-five years ago, conveyed 

 to a large portion of the American public the 

 first intimation of the existence of an art, having distinct 

 principles and laws of its own, and dealing solely with 

 the problems involved in the tasteful arrangement of 

 public or private grounds. 



Before the introduction of railroads, the luxury of a 

 country residence for men engaged in active business in 

 the city, was necessarily confined to so small a portion of 

 the population, that no general interest was felt in the 

 subject of the arrangement of grounds, and the demand 

 for the services of an educated landscape gardener was 

 too limited to warrant the adoption of the profession as a 

 means of support. With the facilities of locomotion 

 afforded by steam transport, came the demand for the 

 luxury of a rural home, and every city began sending 

 out suburban colonies along the lines thus rendered 

 accessible. 



