194 



PARKS AND PLEASURE-GROUNDS. 



better than contemptible. The dignity of fine grounds 

 should never be marred by a puddle. — Ed. 



Islands should be irregular both in their outline and 

 contour, and small rather than large. They are more 

 advantageously placed near the sides or ends than in 

 the center of the lake ; at the same time they should 

 not have the appearance of being separated from the 

 main land only by a narrow canal. Their position 

 should be determined by the outline of the lake and 

 surrounding scenery ; they ought never to be numer- 

 ous. Their purpose is to impart variety to the water, 

 and to obviate any apparent baldness in the banks, or 

 to lessen other defects which cannot be removed by 

 planting. Too many islands give an artificial sheet 

 of water the air of a map or model. 



Note. — The park builder can not too strictly heed 

 these instructions. We have seen islands put into ar- 

 tificial water which the owners conceived to be a great 

 achievement. But instead of things of beauty, as in- 

 tended, they more resembled tussocs of grass floating 

 in a wash-tub. — Ed. 



The Head, as it is usually called — that is, the em- 

 bankment at the lower end of the lake for retaining 

 the water — is generally one of the principal diffi< ul- 

 ties in the construction.* It is here that the artificial 

 character of the lake is most conspicuous, and, of 

 course, a greater effort is necessary to conceal it. 

 "When the head can be so formed as to unite with the 

 form of the ground, and to present the appearance of 



* In America we call this the "Dam." Our author commits a genuine "bull" in 

 calling the "lower end" of any thing its "head." At the foot of the lake should be 

 the dam, or embankment, to raise the water to its proper elevation ; and where per- 

 manency is required, the strength of the dam can not be too thoroughly secured, par 

 ticularly if the stream be liable to sudden floods Ed. 



