280 OUT-OF-TOWN PLACES. 



The enclosure -fi^ having a ledge and an old group 

 of forest trees in its northwestern angle (offering 

 admirable shelter), may have its picturesquely dis- 

 posed orcharding, or may be planted with ornamental 

 trees, as the proprietor may fancy. In either case, 

 with a few protective hurdles, it may be cropped by 

 a score of Southdowns ; but it must be fairly under- 

 stood that no orcharding will do its best or even its 

 second best, except it be kept under thorough culti- 

 vation, and no grass permitted within reach of its 

 most divergent rootlets. 



The walks and entrance drive explain themselves. 

 The dotted line H T, indicates a view of a distant 

 village spire, which upon the first diagram, as will be 

 seen, was entirely cut off by two or three intruding 

 trees ; and even when these were removed, the view 

 was sadly interfered with by the mossy wall already 

 spoken of. To obviate this difficulty I suggested a 

 gap in the wall thereabout, and the establishment 

 of a broad rustic gate under whose rude arch the 

 distant spire would come into sight as through a 

 frame-work. A rough sketch will give a hint of the 

 vista. 



No pencilling, however, will represent that soft 

 suffusion of smoky color which enwraps the little 

 epire and house-roofs, as they come to the eye through 

 the gap in the sharp dark green of the foreground. 



