260 LA WN-PLA NTING 



A comparatively general principle is always to employ 

 rhododendrons, hardy azaleas, Japanese maples, and other 

 choice dwarf evergreen and deciduous shrubs directly about 

 the house or on the walks near by. About the outskirts of 

 the lawn, the entrance gates, and junction of paths, may 

 be massed the larger-growing shrubbery and trees, if your 

 door-yard is large enough to have any. They will serve to 

 frame in the landscape, or to shut out undesirable views. 

 We refer, of course, to medium-sized places of an acre 

 or less. Within the skirting plantations of such places, 

 few, if any, trees of large size should be used. Indeed, two 

 or three elms, oaks, or lindens will come in time to occupy 

 large sections of what should be entirely open space. Trees 

 in great number, moreover, tend to make the plot look small 

 and monotonous and the turf moss-grown and sparse. A 

 few second-class trees, here and there, if the place is large 

 enough, relieve and enrich the lawn without interfering Avith 

 the effect of larger shrubbery. Large trees may be allowed 

 at intervals on the extreme corners and outer boundaries, 

 should the place be say half an acre in extent, to frame in 

 the picture and diversify the contours and sky-line of ex- 

 terior shrub groups. Sanitary conditions likewise demand 

 a similar arrangement. 



The position of the house also requires study. If space 

 and full effect are desired, and no local peculiarities bar, 

 it should be placed on one side so as to mass in a single 

 lawn as much land as possible. This will broaden and 

 enlarge generally the effect of the place. All fences should 

 be screened more or less with shrubbery or hedges, although 

 the last, as generally used, are formal and therefore objec- 



