RENOVATING AND IMPROVING OLD HOMES. 103 



planting a row or border of shrubs or small evergreen trees 

 in front of the wall. 



Deep ditches and basins that cannot be easily graded over 

 with material at hand often serve as a place for dumping 

 rocks and other materials that may be gathered about the 

 place or along the roadside, thus working great improve- 

 ment in two directions. The small stones also will serve as 

 the best kind of foundation for the walks and drives, while 

 the good soil removed from the walk or road-bed will serve 

 for grading or dressing over the uneven surfaces in other 

 parts of the grounds or by the roadside. 



Removal of Fences. 



All fences are objectionable in view of their unnatural- 

 ness, lack of beauty, the expense of building and keeping 

 in repair, and wherever they can be dispensed with it is 

 economy to remove them. 



Except in the village lot, where footpaths are likely to 

 be formed by constant crossing, there is no good reason why 



vs. 



FIG. 60. TUKFING AGAINST BANK WALL. 



fences may not be wholly dispensed with. It is sometimes 

 the case in the country that cattle must be driven along 

 the roadway every day to and from pasture, when a fence 

 may be needed, but where there is only small chance of 

 injury it is better to suffer the lesser of two evils. A stone 



