226 , OLD-FASHIONED GARDENING 



ive" spirit which our old gardeners generally allowed 

 themselves; and these are obviously not subjects that 

 invite notably frisky treatment. The cumbersome 

 attempt at imaginative construction which conceived 

 and executed the "rustic" arbor shows a touch of it, 

 perhaps; but for some reason, the temperament de- 

 veloped here never has possessed the sprightliness nec- 

 essary to take true "anticke works" seriously, and work 

 them out thoughtfully. Americans are only just now 

 beginning to learn to play, so they tell us; some in- 

 deed deny that we have yet begun. 



So there was very little of this sort of thing that 

 found its way into gardens here, although grave modi- 

 fications of such outdoor frivols are to be seen in a 

 primly sheared tree, here and there. Indeed, such a 

 tree or pair of trees were probably to be found in al- 

 most every garden that was at all worthy of consid- 

 eration, long ago. Yet true topiary work, or "tree 

 sculpture" has never been in high favor here, and no 

 one ever undertook anything so elaborate as Lawson's 

 ^'lesser wood, framed to shape of men armed ready to 

 give battle, or swift running Greyhounds — or well 

 sented and true running Hounds to chase the Deere or 

 Hunt the Hare," notwithstanding his delightful rec- 

 ommendation that "this kinde of hunting shall not 

 waste your come nor much your coyne." Such pieces 

 require some years to bring them to perfection, of 

 course, and considerable care to keep, once perfection 



