1'70 LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 



To mow a large surface of lawn — that is to say, many acres — 

 is a thing attempted in but few places in America, from the high 

 price of labor. But a happy expedient comes, in to om- aid, to save 

 labor and troublCj and produce all the good effect of a well-mown 

 lawn. We mean sheep and wire fences. Our neighbor and cor- 

 respondent, Mr. Sargent, of Wodenethe, on the Hudson, who passed 

 a couple of years abroad, curiously gleaning all clever foreign no- 

 tions that were really worth naturalizing at home, has already told 

 our readers how wire fences may be constructed round lawns or 

 portions of the pleasure-grounds, so that only a strip round the house 

 need be mown, while the extent of the lawn is kept short by sheep. 

 This fence, which costs less than any tolerable looking fence of 

 other materials, is abundantly strong to turn both sheep and cattle, 

 and is invisible at the distance of 40 or 50 rods. Mr. Sargent is not 

 a theorist, but has actually inclosed his own lawn of several acres 

 in this way ; and those who have examined the plan are struck, with 

 the usefulness and economy of the thing, in all ornamental country 

 places of considerable extent. 



We have said nothing, as yet, of the most important feature of 

 all country places — trees. A country place without trees, is Uke a 

 caliph without his beard ; in other words, it is not a country place. 

 We shall assume, therefore, ihat all proprietors who do not already 

 possess this indispensable feature, will set aboul; planting with more 

 ardor than Walter Scott ever did. It is the one thing needful for 

 them ; and deep trenching, plentiful manuring, and sufficient mulch- 

 ing, are the powerful auxiliaries to help them forward in the good 

 work. 



It is, of course, impossible for us to tell our readers how to 

 arrange trees tastefully and well, under all circumstances, in this 

 short chapter. We can offer them, however, two or three hints as 

 to arrangement, which they may perhaps profit by. 



The first principle in ornamental planting, is to study the charac- 

 ter of the place to be improved, and to plant in accordance with it. 

 If your place has breadth, and simplicity, and fine open views, plant 

 in groups, and rather sparingly, so as to heighten and adorn the 

 landscape, hot. shut out and obstruct the beauty of prospect which 

 nature has placed before your eyes. Scattered grmips, with con- 



