PRACTICAL BOOK OF GARDEN ARCHITECTURE 



of old-world pottery states that " Italy's artistic 

 creative force, in most of its manifestations long 

 since spent, keeps, in one of its humbler phases at 

 least a remnant of its old-time power. As the source 

 and inspiration of pottery used in landscape garden- 

 ing, no other country can approach her. Though the 

 best days of the craft are past, the Italian influence 

 which helped to determine, three centuries ago, the 

 shapes and colors and surfaces of French terra cotta, 

 and also of English, is now at work molding the 

 plastic products of the United States." 



The manufacture of unique types of well heads is 

 of special interest in this connection, because of their 

 variety in form and decoration. The majority show 

 the cylindrical form, standing from three to five feet 

 in height, with figures in relief carved over the entire 

 exterior, from base to rim. Others that are genuinely 

 ancient importations, show quaint forms of mending 

 where the terra cotta or marble has been broken. 

 It is usually noticed that the break, and the unusual 

 form of mending with bands of iron, is placed on the 

 display side of the well head. Its great age, its evi- 

 dence of long usage in some old Italian garden, and 

 the old-world methods of repairing damage to the 

 pottery, are considered worthy of a prominent place 

 in the garden. The carved well heads, or curbs, that 

 are fitted with bucket and windlass, are more decora- 



308 



