CHAPTER XL 



WATER, AND ITS TREATMENT. 



The water surfaces of a park need more study and care 

 to make them appear natural in outline tlian does the gen- 

 eral ground surface of tlie park. John C. Olmsted, 



Spaces of clear surface among water plants, with undis- 

 turbed reflections, are particularly necessary to secure the 

 best effects. Samuel Parsons, Jr. 



The artistic possibilities of any place are almost 

 doubled with the iutrodnction of a fair amount of water 

 surface. Water gardening gives room for almost as 

 rich a variety of plants and plant combinations as does 

 the open ground. There are still ponds, broad reaches 

 of river, trickling brooks, playing fountains, and many 

 other general forms of expression which water may 

 assume ; and in each case new opportunities are offered 

 to the plant lover. 



The water itself is one of the most effective elements 

 of any picture. A painted landsca2:>e is hardly complete 

 without a touch of water somewhere. And a public 

 park would probably be considered seriously deficient 

 without some kind of a lake. The restful and quieting 

 influences of rural scenery are peculiarly enhanced by 

 stietchcs of still water. The very best effect is gained 

 when the grounds are so fortunately situated as to give 

 a good view of a long reach of river, or a broad lake, or 

 of the ocean. This consideration is so cogent as to 

 determine the location of a very large proportion of 

 summer residences. They seem to be gregarious along 

 the seaside and on all the lake shores. This effective- 

 ness of water pictures rests upon a primitive human 

 instinct which has been strengthened rather than 

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