342 



LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 



Among the numerous entrance lodges which we remember 

 to have seen in the United States, we scarcely recall a single 

 example where the means, or rather the facility of opening 

 and shutting the gate itself, has been sufficiently considered. 

 Most generally the lodge is at too great a distance from the 

 gate, consuming loo much time in attendance, and exposing 

 the persons attendincr, generally women or children, to the 

 inclemencies of the weather. Besides this, service of this 

 kind is less cheerfully performed in this country than in Eu- 

 rope, from the very simple reason of the greater equality of 

 conditions here, and therefore every thing which tends to 

 lessen labour, or the appearance of entire dependency, is 

 worthy of beingr taken into account. 



For these reeisons we would place the gate very near the 

 lodge ; it would be preferable if it were part of the same ar- 

 chitectural composition : and if possible adopt the contri- 

 vance now in use at some places abroad, by which the gate, 

 being hung nearest the building, may be opened by the 

 occupant without the latter being seen, or being scarcely obli- 

 ged to leave his or her employment,* This is certainly 

 the ultimatum of improvements in gate lodges ; and where it 

 cannot be attained, something may still be done towards 

 amelioration, by placing the gate within a convenient dis- 

 tance, instead of half a dozen rods apart from the lodge, as 

 is frequently done. 



* In fig. 39, 13 shown the section of a gate arranged upon this plan. At the 

 bottom of the hanging post of the gate, is a bevelled iron pinion, that works into 

 another pinion, b, at the end of the horizontal shaft, a, — which shaft is fixed in 

 a square box or tunnel under the road. The part to the right of the partition 

 line, /, is the interior of the gate-keepers' house ; and by turning the winch, e, 

 the upright shaft, c, is put in motion, which moves, by means of the bevelled 

 pinions, g, d, the shaft, a, and therefore, through d, the back post of the gate, 

 which is opened and shut by the motion of the winch, without obliging the in- 

 mates to leave the house. 



