22 THE GARDEN BEAUTIFUL 



heaps, or hotbeds are necessary or advisable, screen 

 them off from the general view by means of shrubs 

 or vine-covered trellises, but do not give up making 

 the back yard interesting and attractive for the rea- 

 son that these things are present. Recognize utility, 

 but do not banish order, comfort and all display of 

 artistic effects. 



UTILITY SHOULD GOVERN. 



So far as regards approaches and walks to and 

 from buildings, the object of their introduction is 

 sufficiently apparent; but, in laying out pleasure 

 grounds, it is a too common practice to introduce 

 walks for the mere purpose of variety. This is a 

 very questionable reason at best, and not always 

 successfully accomplished ; but even in cases of this 

 kind, they should appear to aim for some definite 

 object, or lead to points of sufficient importance to 

 suggest their utility. The guiding principle in de- 

 signing the position of roads and walks should be 

 utility. Nature forms no roads. They are the 

 works of men and animals, and would undoubtedly 

 always proceed in nearly straight lines from point 

 to point, if obstructions of various kinds did not 

 interfere and cause deviations. Necessity will there- 

 fore suggest where and how they should be intro- 

 duced. 



