LAYING-OUT OF PUBLIC PARKS. 



223 



Paxton, may be cited as artificial pieces of water with 

 an inartificial look. It is most needful that the de- 

 signer, before he attempts this sort of work, should 

 make himself familiar with the outlines and the slopes 

 in the banks of natural lakes, and that he should keep 

 distinctly in view the ideas which he has thus acquired. 

 Instead of giving any further directions in detail, we 

 beg to refer to our chapter on Water. 



The walks and drives in the public park should be 

 broad, well-made at first, and kept permanently smooth 

 and dry ; otherwise their edgings will be much trodden 

 down, and their whole appearance will be mean and 

 slovenl} 7 . 



With respect to the grouping and massing of trees 

 and shrubs in the public park, we may refer to a pre- 

 vious part of the volume, where we have treated of the 

 park generally, as it is evident that the same principles 

 must come into operation in both cases. We would 

 strongly recommend, however, that in planting the 

 public park, part of its trees and shrubs should be so 

 arranged as to combine instruction with beauty of 

 effect. This object might be easily attained by the 

 formation of arboretums of more or less extent, as also 

 by making collections of such hardy plants as are used 

 for manufacturing and agricultural purposes. Of 

 course, such arrangements of plants and trees should 

 be furnished with labels exhibiting the scientific and 

 popular names of the species, and any other informa- 

 tion relative to their uses and native habitats that 

 could be condensed into a small space. It is almost 

 incredible what ignorance on these points exists among 

 the inhabitants of large cities, who probably would 

 know an oak to be a tree as they would know a crow 



