Pleasing Effects in the Aspect of the Country. 393 



Vines are for the walls of a house, and trees for the lawn at 

 a little distance from it. 



One or two rods added to the width of most of our streets, 

 would be an unquestionable improvement. Let them be so 

 wide that ten feet of sidewalk might be made between the 

 fence and the shade trees. Ample space would then be left 

 for the proprietor of the house to plant other trees in his own 

 enclosures, without interfering with those in the street. The 

 houses ought, in all practicable instances, to be placed several 

 rods from the bounds, and this space should be open lawn 

 unincumbered with shrubbery. The people then, as they 

 are passing, have a good view of the house from beneath a 

 canopy of shade afforded by the trees, instead of seeing them 

 half covered, as they now are in many cases, by trees grow- 

 ing inconveniently against the windows, or unable to see the 

 house at all through the tangled mass of shrubbery that 

 crowds the front enclosures. The fact cannot be overlooked 

 that the proper construction of our highways, and the deco- 

 ration of our roadsides, are an important consideration in the 

 improvement of the face of the country. They ought at 

 least to be of sufficient width to permit a row of the largest 

 trees on each side to spread their branches without interfering 

 with those on the opposite side. 



Our country is still new. Thousands of streets will be 

 laid out annually for fifty years to come. The public ought, 

 therefore, to realize the necessity of building them in such a 

 manner as shall best contribute to the convenience of the in- 

 habitants, to the pleasantness of travel, and to the beautiful 

 display of scenery. The increase of expense consequent on 

 such improvements would be hardly appreciable ; and a sav- 

 ing might be made, in some instances, by omitting certain 

 alterations which are not improvements. The authorities of 

 a town, for example, often spend annually a great deal of 

 money for the purpose of straightening certain curves and 

 angles which contribute greatly to the beauty of the route. 

 A road winds gracefully around a rocky eminence, overgrown 

 with trees and shrubbery, and enamelled with flowers. To 

 shorten the distance between two points, the town aJDpro- 



VOL. XIX. NO. IX. 50 



