THE DECORATIVE TREATMENT OF WATER. 



pond vegetation (111. No. 259) . Here the effect is obtained in the first instance by 

 the outline of the lake itself, but the lake in Battersea Park, although by no means ideal 

 in every way, shows very well how the same effect may be obtained by means of an 

 island. 



Tarn Hawes, near Coniston, is a good example of the beautiful effects which may 

 result from simply making a dam to raise the water level and leaving the rest to Nature. 

 By this means the late proprietor succeeded in making the present sheet of water, so 

 well known to all frequenters of the English Lake District, where before were a series 

 of smaller ponds and a tract of swampy ground. The effect is further heightened by 

 the many fine plantations so effectively placed in the vicinity of the lake. 



The lake in the East Park, Wolverhampton (111. No. 260), which is some thirteen 

 acres in extent, illustrates the same principle, though in this case there was more spade 



FIG. 260. 



work, as various small hollows were united by cutting through intervening banks. It 

 also shows how a beautiful result may be obtained under the most unpromising conditions, 

 for it was formed from a series of spoil banks or pit mounds. The fact that there were 

 several old pits shafts on the site, necessitated that the whole area to be covered with 

 water should be treated with a layer of puddled clay, which in this instance was dug 

 from the site and put through a brick makers' pugging machine, and the surface 

 pitched with the blocks of clay as delivered from it. 



The result of ignoring the natural contours and creating an artificial outline for the 

 lake was forcibly impressed upon the writer some time ago when consulted regarding 

 improvements to a lake upon which 3,000 had been expended with sad results. Instead 

 of flooding the whole of a valley, a long embankment was made to enclose about half 

 of it, with the result that the remaining half was rendered useless for anything but osier 

 growing and was rapidly becoming offensive, and this, at least, at five times the expense 



195 



