LESSON 44 
County Farr GROUNDS 
N this lesson the pupil is asked to consider a 
somewhat complicated and difficult problem in 
landscape gardening, that is, the design of a mod- 
ern county fair grounds. A problem like this 
belongs naturally to the most thoroughly equipped 
professional landscape architect, not to the stu- 
dent in an elementary course. It is not expected 
that the average user of this book will be taught how to manage 
work of this magnitude, but he can at least reach an intelligent ap- 
preciation of the problems involved. If the student gains from this 
lesson some understanding of the kind of work undertaken by the 
professional landscape architect, the main purpose of the exercise 
will have been fulfilled. 
Illustration 
The example here cited is the plan for the Clay County, Iowa, 
Fair Grounds. The design is by Mr. Francis Asbury Robinson, of 
the firm of Pearse, Sprague & Robinson, Des Moines. The layout 
of this fair can be easily understood from the two drawings, Figures 
101 and 102. 
Principles of Design 
This fair grounds plan has been fully expounded by Mr. Robin- 
son and the following statement of ‘‘The Essentials of a Successful 
Layout” is taken from his article. 
“In considering the requirements for success, while too great 
emphasis cannot be put on the educational elements of a fair, it 
must be remembered, nevertheless, that if the treasury cannot show 
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