TREATMENT OF WATER. 
337 
as to appear fully to account for, or be the cause of, the 
water-fall. 
The axe of the original backwoodsman appears to have 
left such a mania for clearing behind it, even in those por- 
tions of the Atlantic states where such labor should be for- 
ever silenced, that some of our finest places in the country 
will be found much desecrated and mutilated by its careless 
and unpardonable use ; and not only are fine plantations 
often destroyed, but the banks of some of our finest streams 
and prettiest rivulets partially laid bare by the aid of this 
instrument, guided by some tasteless hand. Wherever fine 
brooks or water courses are thus mutilated, one of the most 
necessary and obvious improvements is to reclothe them 
with plantations of trees and underwood. In planting their 
banks anew, much beauty and variety can often be produced 
by employing different growths, and arranging them as we 
have directed for the margins of lakes and ponds. In some 
places where easy, beautiful slopes and undulations of ground 
border the streams, gravel, soft turf, and a few simple groups 
of trees, will be the most natural accompaniments ; in others 
where the borders of the stream are broken into rougher, 
more rocky and precipitous ridges, all the rich wildness and 
intricacy of low shrubs, ferns, creeping and climbing plants, 
may be brought in to advantage. Where the extent to be 
thus improved is considerable, the trouble may be lessened 
by planting the larger growth, and sowing the seeds of the 
smaller plants mingled together. Prepare the materials, and 
time and nature, with but little occasional assistance, will 
mature and soften, and blend together the whole, in their 
own matchless and inimitable manner. 
From all that we have suggested in these limited remarks, 
it will be seen that we would only attempt in our operations 
43 
