Wit'e Fences. 127 



Art. II. On the use of wire fences for the enclosure of lawns .^ 

 pleasure grotuids^ gardens, <^c. ; their ornamental charac- 

 ter, durability, strength, and economy. By Robert Ar- 

 thur, Esq., Edinburgh, Scotland. 



Dear Str : — I much regretted that, on account of my ab- 

 sence on ray commercial journey, I had not the pleasure of 

 seeing you when you were in this country. On my return, 

 however, 1 had the satisfaction to receive your letter of 17th 

 October. In it you have done me the honor to request my 

 occasional correspondence for the purposes of your valuable 

 and talented magazine. Were I alone to consult the fears 

 and apprehensions I entertain, in appearing before your coun- 

 trymen, as your correspondent from our Scottish capital, I 

 should at once decline the otherwise pleasing task ; but, as I 

 am satisfied that you will overlook all short-comings, make 

 large allowance for my want of personal knowledge of your 

 systems of agriculture and horticulture, and as I am quite 

 convinced that a mutual interchange of opinions and experi- 

 ence on all matters connected therewith, will greatly conduce 

 to the improvement of this most fascinating of professions, 

 I at once divest myself of diffidence, and will endeavor to 

 lay before j^our readers some of the results of my observa- 

 tion and practical experience in the profession. 



In the first of my letters, which 1 shall address to you, \ 

 shall confine myself to some important features in the sub- 

 ject of landscape gardening, and, in this, my tirst communi- 

 cation, I would draw your attention to what must always be 

 the primary object to be obtained, viz., the enclosure and 

 preservation of the grounds intended to bo laid ofi" or im- 

 proved. In this the utmost care must be taken that mere 

 use and effectiveness shall not interfere with taste or decora- 

 tion; and, on the other hand, we must never allow simple 

 ornament to come in the place of the proper protection of 

 what we intend to preserve 



In mansions, of a particular style and class, and where 

 the nature of the ground admits of it, there is nothing more 

 imposing than the commanding terrace and the richly worked 

 balustrade. In this we have protection and ornament to 



