54 COME INTO THE GARDEN 



dation, every rise of one foot in the waters shows 

 a water mark on hills and knolls that is at ex- 

 actly the same level everywhere, all the way 

 around. The wavy, irregular contour line on a 

 topographical map represents the plan of such 

 a water mark; and each one foot rise narrows 

 the remaining portions of dry land and widens 

 the spread of the (imaginary) waters, until at 

 last only little islands remain here and there, 

 whose topmost heights are something less than 

 a foot above the last rise. Obviously, where a 

 slope is very steep the contour lines fall very 

 close together when seen from above; where it 

 is gradual, they widen out. 



Working on such a plan of the ground itself, 

 the plans for the house and for the garden may 

 be adjusted perfectly; terrace levels may be 

 calculated and terrace outlines fixed to take ad- 

 vantage of every gradation and variation. And 

 though there is always of necessity a certain 

 measure of excavating and reestablishing of dis- 

 turbed earth coincident with building, and some 

 grading is imperative, these are reduced to the 

 minimum through the exact adjustment and 

 calculation possible. Moreover, the form and 

 size of garden divisions depend so greatly upon 

 varying levels, where these exist, that it is really 

 impossible to plan without them. 



