48 LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 



for growing many species and varieties of our most beau- 

 tiful plants. The possibilities which are open to the 

 landscape gardener in the treatment of water surfaces 

 are so magnificent and manifold that neither description 

 nor enumeration is practicable here. We can only 

 declare with all emphasis that when water surfaces are 

 brought into a landscape composition an immeasurable 

 field of harmonious variety is oj)ened for cultivation by 

 the resourceful gardener. 



A curved line changes direction at every point. 

 This is the old definition, which, in itself, is a plain 

 statement that an infinite variety of direction is con- 

 tained in a curved line. A straight line has only one 

 direction. 



The partial concealment of principal points of inter- 

 est is a common and profitable exj)edient in most cases, — 

 less so perhaps in the architectural style than in others. 

 In the natural style it is always admissible to group the 

 trees so as to hide, partially or totally, the buildings 

 from most situations, and to give a realjy complete view 

 from only a few specially favorable points. If a group 

 is £0 placed as to aiford a partial view of the buildings 

 from one standpoint, a totally different view is seen 

 from a second standpoint. In this way the buildings 

 are seen in an endless variety of forms. If a drive or 

 walk leads up to some object of speciah interest, it may 

 be always considered a good plan, where possible, to 

 give successive glimpses of the object along the way, 

 reserving a full view for a final triumi)h at a point from 

 which the whole may be best admired. 



It is not an uncommon thing at public institutions, 

 where several buildings are needed, to find them all of 

 the same general design and placed in a row, all fronting 

 the same way. 1 have in mind, as bavin i^- come within 

 my own observation, two instances of this. One is a 

 large reform school ; the other a great state university. 



