22 



essential for a country residence. A white exterior, 

 which presents a pleasing contrast to the green vest- 

 ments, the prevailing coloring of nature in her rural 

 empire, is preferable to any other. The artificial 

 embellishments of the exterior of the house are of 

 secondary consideration. The honey-suckle, the big- 

 nonia, the eglantine and the woodbine, intermingling 

 and entwining their flexible branches, and attaching 

 themselves by their tendrils, or other means with 

 which nature has provided them, to any object that 

 v/ill afford them support, or artificially secured and 

 tastefully arranged, will present a far more pleasing 

 aspect than the ingenuity of man can devise, or the 

 application of art accomplish. But it is upon the 

 grounds that the taste of the proprietor should be ex- 

 hibited, and this can be effected at comparatively 

 little expense. Most of the native, and many of the 

 foreign varieties of ornamental trees and shrubs, may 

 be raised from seeds, and a nursery thus formed will 

 in a few years afford a sufficient supply to occupy the 

 borders or other places designed for their reception. 

 Collections of many desirable kinds may be procured 

 from the contiguous forests. The work of preparing 

 the borders or divisions of the enclosure to be appro- 

 priated to the location of the plants, may be done at 

 intervals when leisure will permit, or when it will not 

 interfere with more important duties. The gravel- 

 ling of garden avenues may be dispensed with. Tiie 

 ordinary soil levelled, and laid smooth with the roller, 

 will present an agreeable surface with less labor and 

 cost than the former. Grass edgings are preferable 



