The Canadian Horticulturist. 



17 



landscape gardening. I have often chalenged a teamster to drive in a perfectly 

 straight line across an open ten acre field, without taking sight upon a fixed point. 

 Not one has done it. 



But it is not every curved drive which is attractive ; in fact, I often think that 

 more drives are spoiled by curves than by straightness. A straight drive always 

 has the merit of directness and convenience, while the unusual curves and in. 

 directness of a poorly conceived curved dri-ve distract the attention and obscure 

 any merits it may possess. A few simple and general rules may prove useful. 



1. All curves should appear to be necessary or useful. This rule really deter- 

 mines the whole character of the drive. The rest are corollaries. 



2. Avoid balanced curves — a cork-screw or snake-like moonti. 



3. The curves should be direct ; their general trend in the direction of the 

 object to which they lead. The drive should go where it appears to go. 



4. The successive parts should be hidden from each other by tasteful plant- 

 ings along the borders. 



5. The branches of a drive should diverge strongly at their juncture, and they 

 should usually be wholly or partially concealed from each other by p'antings or 

 other objects. If drives diverge, they appear to lead in nearly opposite directions 

 and therefore have the appearance of usefulness. If the parts have the same 

 direction, one portion appears useless. A l^roader statement is the following ; 



6. No two drives or parts of drives, shou'd be parallel or appear to lead to 

 the same object. 



7. The nature of the curves should conform somewhat to the character of the 

 landscape. In rough or bold grounds drives may have much bolder and more 

 spirited curves than in tamer places. — American Garden. 



