15 



they are intended, and be judiciously exposed to view without rendering 

 conspicuous the operations necessarily connected with the structure. 



The best location for these buildings will be governed to some extent 

 by local circumstances; but, where there are no grades, views, or other 

 exceptional features to interfere with the selection, a point in a north- 

 east direction from the house will combine the greatest number of ad- 

 vantages. , 



While the stables and other farm buildings should not be entirely 

 hidden from view at certain points, at the same time it will be obvious 

 that a due amount of privacy in and about the buildings themselves, as 

 well as in the line of view from the dwelling house, will be essential, 

 and can readily be effected by the int roduction of trees and shrubs at 

 the points indicated. 



LAYING OUT ROADS AND WALKS. 



The guiding principle in designing the position of roads and walks is 

 utility. Nature forms no roads. They are works of men and animals, 

 and would undoubtedly always proceed in straight lines from point to 

 point if obstructions of various kinds did not interfere and cause devia- 

 tions. Necessity will therefore suggest where and how they should be 

 introduced. So far as regards approaches and walks to and from build- 

 ings, the object of their introduction is sufficiently apparent; but, in 

 laying out pleasure grounds and lawn fronts, it is a common practice to 

 introduce walks for the mere purpose of variety. This is a very ques- 

 tionable reason at the best, and not always successfully accomplished ; 

 but even in cases of this kind they should appear to aim for some defi- 

 nite object, or lead to points of sufficient importance to suggest their 

 utility. 



Unnecessary roads and walks should be carefully avoided. They are 

 expensive in their construction, if properly made, and require constant 

 attention to keep them clean and in repair. Nothing looks so woebegone 

 and poverty-stricken as a weedy, neglected road to a house, or walks 

 through pleasure-grounds or garden. They detract much from the 

 beauty of the surroundings, no matter how elaborate or intrinsically 

 worthy they may be. An oversupply of roads and walks is always a 

 serious infliction. 



The beauty of curved lines sometimes prompts to a deviation from 

 the more available direct course ; and, where it can be done without 

 too great sacrifice of utility, it is not objectionable. ' But no walk should 

 be turned from its obvious direct course without an apparently suffi- 

 cient reason. A change of level in the grounds, a tree^ or a group of 

 plants or other similar obstruction will induce, and seemingly demand, 

 a change of line. 



There are many locations where the straight line should be preferred 

 as a matter of taste in design. As a connecting link between the 

 strictly horizontal and perpendicular lines of a building, and the irreg- 



