PLAN AND PURPOSE OF THIS BOOK 
Methods 
The plan of this book is to teach the necessary lessons through 
the active work of the student upon concrete problems. It is essen- 
tial that the student should come into direct contact with these 
problems and should do the work with his own hands and mind. 
He is then likely to secure such information as he can use and re- 
member such as he uses. 
Open discussions amongst the members of the class are spe- 
cifically suggested in several lessons and may profitably be under- 
taken on many others. It is hoped that an intelligent and sym- 
pathetic teacher will usually be at hand to direct the discussions 
but not to monopolize them. It is: vitally important in a subject 
of this sort that the student should express himself rather than to 
accept dictation from anyone. Authority, which has a high place 
in morals and religion, is of doubtful value in science, and of no value 
whatever in art. 
The Field 
The subject of landscape gardening, even in its non-professional 
aspects, involves a wide range of material. A word should be said 
about the resources upon which it is necessary to draw. 
1. Surveying and engineering: The student must know some- 
thing of simple surveying and engineering. It is quite possible that 
a college student will get this information in some other course, 
perhaps in farm engineering and surveying. When such instruction 
is elsewhere provided it may naturally be omitted from the present 
course. 
2. Drawing is the regular language of the landscape gardener. 
Every student must do some sort of mapping, plan making and 
designing. Quite possibly this will be available in other courses. 
If it is not some attention must be paid to it here. 
3. Plant materials: Some acquaintance with trees, shrubs, 
vines and hardy herbaceous materials will be necessary for any 
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