LANDSCAPE GARDENING STUDIES 



the sides of the hills, crossed the drive and forced 

 the construction of small bridges. For a large 

 part of the way the presence of thick deciduous 

 woods — oak, birch, beech, dogwood, and other 

 native trees— mellows the sunlight which sifts 

 through their leaves. Along the sides of the hill 

 and slopes vines, such as Virginia creepers, bitter- 

 sweet, woodbine, and other native climbers, relieve 

 the torn surfaces. The great attraction, however, 

 of this road are the vistas cut through the woods 

 at various points, especially at the turns. From 

 these outlooks wide-reaching views are obtained 

 to the east and north over a broad stretch of the 

 Hudson River for ten or fifteen miles. Across 

 the river one sees to the southeast rugged moun- 

 tains repeating on a smaller scale the eflFect of 

 Storm King itself. 



The grade of this road is necessarily steep, ten 

 per cent in many places. As we climb around 

 its sharp curves we suddenly come out on an open, 

 comparatively level field with a lovely outlook 

 toward the west and north of hill and valley 

 dotted by human habitations at rare intervals. 

 Above in its nook stands the homestead of Mr. 

 Pagenstecher. 



From this rugged shelf on one side of the house 

 extends the opening into the forest, which has been 

 cut away. Here through a narrow vista in the 

 woodland the eye obtains another and wider view 

 of the Hudson. Above the house rises ledge on 

 ledge of rock clothed with trees, six hundred feet 

 to the top of Storm King. 



[44] 



