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ians of the ground to observe or control the conduct of visitors, or to 

 protect the borders of flowers. The place is therefore resorted to for 

 clandestine purposes, and by people of bad character. It becomes 

 untidy, loses reputation, and there is a complaint of the noise and bad 

 language heard at the windows of the neighboring houses. This 

 occurs the more because visitors are led to congregate near the out- 

 side, where there is the most shade, and where their voices readily 

 reach the adjoining houses. 



These evils are in a great degree avoided, and the square is made 

 cheerful, elegant, and refreshing to the eye, as seen from the adjoin- 

 ing streets and houses, by the adoption of the other motive, which 

 dispenses entirely with trees, and studies to produce beauty of detail, 

 and flowering shrubs and plants, and by sculptural decoration, as in 

 some of the smaller places in European cities. This, however, in- 

 volves larger expense at the outset, and gives much less of substan- 

 tial advantage to the citizens at large. 



If a compromise be attempted between the two, the result is, that 

 an expensive system of maintenance is necessary to preserve any 

 tolerable degree of neatness and order, while a high degree of beauty 

 or usefulness in any way is impossible to be attained. 



These objections to the usual methods suggest the inquiry, 

 whether it is not possible to design a public ground of moderate 

 extent, which, while presenting a bright and beautiful front upon 

 the adjoining streets, shall at the same time offer the public an at- 

 tractive recreation ground, with shady walks and seats, under condi- 

 tions favorable to free observation, good order, and economy of 

 maintenance. 



To solve this problem on a piece of ground not larger than Tomp- 

 kins square, it is obviously necessary to discard all attempts to form 

 effects of natural landscape. It is necessary that shade and beauty 

 of trees should be provided for only in the interior, and that flowers, 

 turf, shrubbery and decoration of the ground surface should be sought 

 for only in the exterior parts. 



Our plan herewith presented provides for a spacious central 

 quadrangle, planted only with large trees, which are arranged sym- 

 metrically, but not in avenues or straight rows. It will be observed 

 that a portion of the ground is shown in turf, and a portion in gravel, 

 but no restriction upon walking or playing upon the turf is intended 

 to be maintained, and whenever, owing to the increase of population 

 in the neighborhood and the growth of the trees, it is found imprac- 

 ticable to keep the interior spaces of turf in good order, the turf is 

 expected to be wholly obliterated and the entire area graveled. 



