120 3IASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



is impossible to cover so broad a field in a brief paper ; my aim 

 has been simply to outline the scheme of work ; to suggest the 

 lines upon which natural, pleasing effects can be secured, Avithout 

 entering into an elaboration of detail and technicalities that would 

 expand this paper to unwonted limits, and possibly confuse my 

 hearers. 



A number of standard authorities have been drawn upon to 

 facilitate the preparation of this paper, but the subject matter is 

 largely the reflection of an extended experience in landscape gar- 

 dening and the maintenance of public parks. 



The use in America of the word " park " as a general designa- 

 tion for gardens, green courts, and all sorts of public places, is 

 an exaggeration of a French application of the Avord to the more 

 private or kept grounds of a chateau connected with a forest. 



Open spac^es for public use in a city may be termed " places ; " 

 grounds in turf and trees within places, " place parks ; " and 

 broad thoroughfares planted with trees and designed with special 

 reference to recreation as well as for common street traffic, 

 " parkways." A park, as defined by Mr. Frederick Law Olm- 

 sted, " Is a place for the enjoyment of rural scenery in a sense 

 that a garden, for instance, is not. A town park is a place 'of 

 escape to such scenery, from scenery of a town-like or artificial 

 character. The circumstance that distinguishes a park, there- 

 fore, is that of seclusion. All parks, properly so called, are 

 surrounded by screening plantations, and it is a leading motive 

 in their design to shut out of view, to tliose to be benefited by 

 them, whatever might be unfavorable to a continuous impression 

 of consistent sylvan scenery." In a word, to shut off from those 

 Avithin the park a view of such features of a town-like character, 

 as absolutely define the limits of a park and take away the 

 deceptive and pleasing effect of its uncertain area. 



The fundamental elements of any large park are not its roads, 

 walks, bridges, buildings, and other accessory features requisite 

 for the public accommodation in the use of the grounds. These 

 may rather be classed as necessary evils. The essential element 

 is the landscape, its surface undulations of hill and dale, or 

 lawn ; its trees, shrubs, single or in mass, in grove or copse ; its 

 deep woods or open glades, and its broad stretches of greensw^ard 

 or water. All of these elements in their endless combinations 

 are constantly modified by the varj'ing conditions of the point of 



