LAYING-OUT OF PUBLIC PARKS. 



163 



and tliat lie sliould keep distinctly in view the ideas 

 which he has thus acqnired. Instead of giving any 

 further directions in detail^ we beg to refer to onr chaxoter 

 on Water. 



The walks and drives in the pnblic 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 

 slovenly. 



With respect to the grouping and massing of trees 

 and shrubs in the pubHc park, we may refer to a previous 

 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 j)ark 

 part of its trees and shrubs should be so arranged as to 

 combine instruction with beauty of efiect. Tliis 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 

 agricultm^al purposes. Of course, such arrangements of 

 plants and trees should be furnished with labels exhibit- 

 ing the scientific and popular names of the species, and 

 any other information 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 to be a bird, while they could tell little or nothing 

 more about either. It is to be regretted that, with the 

 exception of St. James's Park and Kensington Gardens, 

 all the public parks around London and Manchester 

 are totally deficient in this simple and obvious means of 



