THE TREATMENT OF WATER — 57 
countering of some obstacle, either a rocky promontory, 
a small hill or some such obstruction. On reaching this 
obstacle we invariably find that the stream is thrown 
against the opposite bank with considerable force. Ifa 
rocky strata be encountered it will be many years before 
an impression is made, if the bank is soft it will be mined 
away ina short time. In any case, the final results are 
the same, namely the formation of a bay on the side 
Opposite a promontory; the more abrupt the obstruction, 
the greater the force of the water, and consequently the 
deeper recess of the bay. This is an elementary law 
which the designer must carry into practice in order to 
achieve some measures of reality in artificial lakes. 
Islands are rarely necessary except in the case of large 
lakes, as they lessen the extent of water, cramp the pro- 
portions, and are in themselves of no particular beauty. 
The saying ‘‘ Plant the hills and flood the hollows ” 
is as true to-day as when it was first uttered. Artificial 
sheets of water, constructed at great expense in elevated 
positions are almost invariably incongruous. True we 
have the lonely tarns perched far up on the mountain 
side, but these have no semblance to the garden lake, 
either in form or surroundings. Unless there is a 
natural inlet and outfall for our proposed lake, the 
probability is that it will ere long become foul and 
stagnant, and in the absence of a feeding stream, may 
run dry in the summer. 
On the character of the planting near the margins, 
will depend almost entirely the good or bad effect of 
the lake. The fringe of vegetation, the overhanging 
branches, and soft lawns which fall gently to the edge, 
are the true beauties of which water is but the foil. Too 
few trees will result in a bald, unfinished appearance, 
too many will cause the water to become foul, and at the 
same time destroy its power of reflection. The proper 
spots for plantations are the rising banks and promontories, 
