412 THE HANDBOOK FOR PRACTICAL FARMERS 



grounds. It is especially important that these vistas be care- 

 fully preserved from the living rooms of the house, not always 

 from the parlor but from those rooms where the family spend 

 the major portion of their time. The plantings then serve a very 

 important function by concealing the defects in these places and 

 by enhancing those parts that are most pleasing. Thus it may 

 be seen how beautiful and attractive some of the ordinary look- 

 ing farms of to-day may become by the proper use of plantings. 

 How much more important this landscape use of plantings be- 

 comes on a conmion ordinary looking farm where there are gen- 

 erally so many unpleasant sights which detract from the looks 

 and very often from the value of the farm. 



Plantings, when improperly used, may detract from the value 

 and looks of the farm as well. The effect of a well-designed farm 

 house is very frequently ruined by poor plantings. Trees planted 

 too thickly or too closely in front of the house ; a lack of harmony 

 in the design of the grounds to that of the house ; plantings so 

 placed as to hide the house from its most pleasing point of 

 view — these are a few of the many causes which often spoil the 

 effect of a well designed house by improper plantings. Let it be 

 remembered then that plantings are to enhance rather than to 

 detract from the expression already given by the design of the 

 house and to harmonize it with its site. 



There are three general rules of guidance in arranging the 

 plantings : 



1. Avoid straight lines in planting. The general effect of all 

 lines in planting should be graceful and naturalistic rather than 

 stiff, formal or artificial. Plantings should seem to be a natural 

 outgrowth of the spot rather than a crude piece of man 's handi- 

 work. 



2. Arrange the plants in groups and masses, selecting few 

 kinds and many of each rather than many kinds and few of each. 



Avoid planting meaningless, isolated specimens over the lawn. 

 Naturalistic masses and groups of plants are necessary to give 

 structural character to the design and each group or mass should 

 consist of many specimens of but a few kinds rather than one or 

 two specimens of several kinds. The kinds of shrubs selected 

 should be repeated in the various groups and masses not pre- 

 cisely in the same combinations but sufficiently so that the effect 

 of one planting may be harmonious with the others. In this man- 

 ner unity of effect may be obtained. 



3. Plantings should be massed about the base of the buildings, 

 grouped about the junctions or curves in the walls, massed about 



