HOW TO ARRANGE COUNTRY PLACES. I7l 



tinuous reaches or vistas between, produce the best effect in such 

 situations. In other and more remote parts of the place, greater 

 density of foliage may serve as a contrast. 



In residences where there is little or no distant view, the con- 

 trary plan must be pursued. Intricacy and variety must be created 

 by planting. Walks must be led in various directions, and con- 

 cealed from each other by thickets, and masses of shrubs and trees, 

 and occasionally rich masses of foliage ; not forgetting to heighten 

 all, however, by an occasional contrast of broad, unbroken surface 

 of lawn. 



In all country places, and especially in small ones, a ^ great object 

 to be kept in view in planting, is to produce as perfect seclusion 

 and privacy within the grounds as possible. We do not entirely 

 feel that to be our own, which is indiscriminately enjoyed by each 

 passer-by, and every man's individuality and home-feeling is invaded 

 by the presence of unbidden guests. Therefore, while you preserve 

 the beauty of the view, shut out, by boundary belts and thickets, all 

 eyes but those that are fairly within your own grounds. This will 

 enable you to feel at homo all over your place, and to indulge your 

 individual taste in walking, riding, reciting your next speech or 

 sermon, or wearing any peculiarly rustic costume, without being 

 suspected of being a " queer fellow " by any of your neighbors ; while 

 it will add to the general beauty and interest of the country at 

 large, — since, in passing a fine place, we always imagine it finer 

 than it is, if a boundary plantation, by concealing it, forces us to 

 depend wholly on the imagination. 



