12 Landscape Gardening 



off and riot drawn to a point, and the broader end having a 

 rather southerly aspect, will be a desirable shape for a small 

 piece of land. If there be space enough for the entrances on 

 the northern side, the increased and expanding breadth at the 

 southern part will be of great consequence from an ornamen- 

 tal point of view. At the same time nothing could be more 

 unfortunate than to have a plot gradually narrowing away 

 on the best side of the house; and a shape at all approaching 

 to a triangle, with the narrow part fronting the principal Avin- 

 dows of the house, would be one of the worst that could be 

 selected, unless the slope of the land be a very rapid one 

 towards the south, and the property immediately in front 

 be of a decidedly open and park-like character. 



On the whole, then, the spot that requires the least quan- 

 tity of fencing, which gives sufi&cient room for access on the 

 entrance front, and which widens out towards the extrerne 

 verge on the best side of the house, will, by admitting a 

 greater breadth and variety of prospect, and more light and 

 air, as well as by imparting an appearance of extent and 

 rendering the fences cheaper and easier to preserve, be in all 

 respects preferable. 



7. Climate. — Where a person is in some measure tied to a 

 particular district by business or other connections, of course 

 there ^annot be much latitude of choice in regard to climate. 

 But those who have habituated themselves to observe dif- 

 ferences of this kind will know that within the circuit of a 

 few miles around any town there will be found the most 

 striking variations of climate, according as certain winds pre- 

 vail or particular degrees of elevation or forest growth exist. 



In the neighborhood of towns a knowledge of the prevail- 

 ing winds is of very great moment, for at the opposite point 

 from which they come there will generally be a greater visi- 

 tation of smoke and other nuisances. But if the parts over 



