118 AUTUMNAL COLOR ON THE LAWN 



wildwood scenery, but in a more cultured, dignified way, it 

 may be quite as beautiful. 



Any lawn can secure more or less of these autumnal 

 color effects, but large lawns where the attainment of dis- 

 tance is possible will compass better their employment. 

 The colors may be thus seen toned down to their loveliest 

 shade, and that wonderful Indian summer atmosphere 

 attained which, during some, not all seasons, produces such 

 magical effects. Doubtless smaller lawns can and should 

 supply charming color combinations peculiar to this season ; 

 I only allude to the superiority of large lawns for the pur- 

 pose. 



Let us see how we must go to work to build up these 

 effects. In the first place, we must see that we have dark- 

 green or brownish backgrounds and recesses against which 

 to construct our most brilliant features. In fact, some of 

 these tender grays and browns of autumn are truly wonder- 

 ful, and, moreover, a part of the picture we are apt to over- 

 look, althoiigh if they were left out we would at once miss 

 them. Of what then are these backgrounds composed? 

 First we must remember that the autumnal pictures on the 

 lawn and in the woods can never be exactly alike. One is 

 cultivated and the other wild nature. While therefore the 

 general composition is constructed on like principles, the 

 material and spirit of the two scenes, if I may use such an 

 expression, must be of necessity different. 



Thus in both we find a background, in the main of 

 heavy green, brown, or gray, varied in the widest and 

 subtlest manner within certain limits, but the material used 

 must and will be greatly different. Hickories and pep- 



