SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR 
305 
branches, kissing the emerald turf; vistas down sinuous 
paths, terminating beyond the reach of vision; sequester- 
ed patches of lawn, wandering like a bayou, into the in- 
i' tricacies of surrounding trees, forming mirrors upon 
which their huge shadows are reflected ; hillocks and 
I mounds reposing, perdu, and breaking with invigorating 
i freshness upon our ailmiration, at some sudJen change 
, in the scene. Such comprise but a tithe of the features 
I essential to the pi*oduction of picturesque Lindscape. 
' A home environed by such cheerful views — Nature in 
pristine lovliness — must exert a healthful and humanizing 
, influence upon the participants, refining and purifying 
! our crudities, rebuking our violent passions and suspend- 
i ing, for a time, the incubus of despondency, which past 
: misdoings inflict upon us To the youthful it engenders 
j virtue; to the aged a quiet solace to smooth the asperities 
i which beset declining years. 
It matters not what a man’s occupation or pleasures 
consist ni; all, I have discovered, long tor that dolec far 
derived from country homes; but few, however, 
have any adequate conception of the method by which 
their beautiful dreams may be realized. Their minds are 
haunted with images that float ssveetly and soothingly 
through leisure hours ; but, lacking practical oppreciation, 
no tangible consequences result. 
The conventionat manner ofimproving rural residences 
has become so firmly afiilidted upon the community, that 
the efforts of a fe w indiniduals are entirely ineffectual to 
extirpate prejudice, or substitute happier examples. Es- 
tablished precedents are so numerous, and professional 
artists so dogmatic in orthordox gardening, that nothing 
short of a revolution in the art of landscape making will 
denude the face of Nature of the excresences, which lat- 
terly have become so fruitful. The gi cat principle of art 
is to kid.e art. 
For the information ofthe uninitiated we give an instance 
of professional operating, which will apply in the majority 
of cases. 
“J. Fitgammon Snobs,” a three months fledgling from 
"chain dragging” and an architect’s bureau, becomes preg- 
nant with irrepressible greatness and aspiration for fame; 
impelled by inextinguishable ardor, he essays his genius 
in subduing and ameliorating the absurdities of nature in 
the surroundings of a gentleman’s mansion. The proprie- 
tor, innocent ofthe mysne art, meekly becomes a victim, 
lured by the illustrious patronymic of the aforementioned 
"Snobs,” together with a prodigal disbursement of techni- 
calities quite beyond his erudition. 
Now commences the subtleties of science in the elabor- 
ate use of drawing pencils. Faralellograrns, angles, octa- 
gonals, and circles, leap like magic from the skillful ma- 
ncevering of the recondite "J. Fitzgammon Snobs.” The 
eccentric man reduces a mound to the most abje<-t pros- 
trateness; next in turn a valley is, by some engineering 
process, cunningly deprived of its undulation. Nature 
thus tutored, is rendered deferential and assumes a placid 
deportment. The view of a railroad is obstructed by a 
group of trees— very beautitul trees— but a view of the 
railroad is of paramount impoitancc,andin vain we plead 
"woodman spare the t-ees;” "Snobs’' wields his tomahawk 
and wealthy proprietor pays. 1 Ire eye ro«m 3 over the 
monotonou.s expanse, cuiiou>ly interseett-d with the science 
taught in works on geometry, 'i'iie reader must not sup- 
pose there is no vegetation amid this py.*'ote<'hnic success. 
there is a long row of ihal cliarnnng trex— 
alt. the way from. Nepai~M five dollars the plant — Y’ciepr 
Pid.-k:i'$‘perriginatus, as the beauty of the tree is maiul) 
derived froin its interesting name Pickleid^ perrig hiatus 
is du|)licated on conspicuous labels and suspend id from 
every individual tree. A few more sclerotic sii'ijec'.s of a 
simil.tr character, bu.-hels of gras.s seed and loads of gravel 
completes the tout cnsevible. 
"J. Fitzgamon Snobs” renders his bill, the sum of which 
agregates S25t>0. 
"Belightful view,” says Snobs (prospect u juver.ile sa- 
harra). 
"Charming,” replies proprietor. 
"That circle,” continues Fitzgammon, "perfoims the 
graceful curve of the parabola.” 
No reply — apparently in dubiety about that paralxila. 
"From the eminence upon which we are perched the 
eye drinks in the surrounding country,” (including the 
railroad ) 
Proprietor rolls his optics in the direction indicated, 
seemingly enraptured with the gaze. 
"In the distance” continues Snobs, "the blue hi![.s are 
seen blending with bluer skies.” 
Proprietor sighs. 
"My dear sir, you are delighted. You can’t consistent- 
ly be otherwise. You are a true lover of nauire ; you are 
pleased ; you appreciate my efforts ; 1 read it in your ap- 
proving smiles. ! iiave assembled in your domain all the' 
beauties of my coquettish profession. The effect, -sir, is all 
that could be desired ; expression, sir — ornate exp'.-ession 
— harmonious design, indiviauality are skillfully and ar- 
(isticully consummated,; an elysiurn wrencaed from the 
grasp ot barbarous, incongruous Nature.” 
"J. Fitzgammon Snobs,” having delivered himself of 
his stereotyped exordium, extends his professiorrJ digits 
and therein clasps a check for $2500, 
Downing, conscious of the charlatanry in the shape of 
gardeners infesting our country, carved out for himself a 
path hitherto untrodden by any of his predecessors, or 
contemporaries. Hence, he was assailed by the malicious 
quacks, whose ignorance he exposed. His good taiste, 
consonant to the laws of nature; his wonderful creative 
powers, eventuallyfwon the favorable opinion of educated 
people, from which time his abilities rapidly expanded 
into practical results, and not a fev/ homes now luxuriate 
in the charming pictures of his exuberant fancy. Qn 
wdiom has his mantle been shedl A thousand mournfa! 
''Choes sadly respond ; On whom In vain we listen ; ce 
name is articulated. On whom 1 on whom t is the sor- 
rowing cadence to our inquiries. Vandalism is once more 
in the ascendant. "Heathen pagodas,” nlagrred like 
French brjonterie, engulphed by trees clipped to represent 
monsters, find numerous devotees to enshrine living monu- 
ments of uncultivated and mongrel proclivities Study- 
Nature, study Art, as developed by Titian, Cciregio, 
Raphael, Angelo, and more recently Landseer, Vernet, 
Johonnet and Foster Study Nature as it comes from the 
hands of the Creator, who now and then ditfuses a modi- 
cum of his own spirit into mortal tenements. Visit the 
Falls of Niagara ; tlie White Mountains; the Hudson, 
Lake George ; the Potomac, and a thousand other heaven- 
blest localities and learn landscape gardening from the 
great designer of Paradise. C. Rbaoles. 
Columbia, S. C , Ans , 18.57. 
Arr-ARATus for Sugar T-Ianufacture. — An EliigiisK 
inventor has brought forward a new sugar pan, the im- 
[irovement in which consists in introducing into the body 
of ihe vacuum pan a serie.s of vertical lubes, tlirougb. 
which steam is admitted to facilitate the evaporation and 
•rystalizaiion. Toe tubes are enclosed witlun a cylin- 
drical casing; and between the sides ofthe pan a vacant 
^pace is left. This arrangements causes an upward cur- 
.ent of the solution in the pan at the centie ot the series 
if tubes, whilst a gentle descending current hs produced 
letween the cylinder and the pan. by which compound 
