36 
PARK AND CEMETERY, 
IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATIONS. 
Conducted by 
Frances Copley Seavey. 
Leavz the World a pleasanter trlace than you foumi it. 
IMPROVING THE HOME GROUNDS. 
“Who. sows a field or trains a flower 
Or plants a tree is more than alfi 
For he who blesses most is blessed; 
And God and man may own his worth 
Who toils to leave, as his bequest, ■ 
An added beaut v to the earth.” 
Whittier. 
If that is so — and who can doubt it — Improve- 
ment Club work and workers gain dignity from the 
thouo-ht and from the source of the idea, for surely 
Whittier was written down as one who “loved his 
fellow men,” and it is sometimes intimated that 
their names head the list. Consequently, all should 
feel good grounds for encouragement and even for 
enthusiasm. Indeed, my feeling is that earnest 
workers in this line are bound to develop enthusi- 
asm — let me counsel that it be not allowed to dom- 
inate good judgment. 
It has been justly said by Prof. L. H. Bailey, 
of the Cornell University Agricultural Experiment 
Station, that “the trouble with home grounds is 
not so much that there is too little planting of trees 
and shrubs, but that this planting is meaningless.” 
The truth is that every dwelling with its sur- 
rounding grounds, no matter whether large or small, 
should be a complete picture in itself, and this pic- 
ture should be of such character that its entire ef- 
fect and purpose will be evident at the first glance. 
The general effect must be such that the observer 
notices it — the sum total — rather than any of its de- 
xo. I — the “xuksery” style oe pl.^xtixg. 
tails. Therefore, the design is seen to be the most 
important step in improving home grounds. 
The dwelling is the most important feature, 
therefore it must do ninate the picture and every- 
thing else must be subordinated to it. 
To this end the proposed planting must first be 
considered as masses of foliage, and these must be 
NO. 2. — THE “PICTORI.VI.” STYLE OE PL.YNTING. 
designed to form a background and setting for the 
house and a frame for the grounds. 
It is quite possible to develop almost any de- 
sired special minor feature of planting within these 
masses without disturbing the effect of the picture 
as a whole. 
The principle involved will be better under- 
stood by referring to the cuts. Nos. i and 2, which 
admirably illustrate the difference between what 
Prof. Bailey aptly characterizes as the “nursery” and 
the “pictorial” types of planting. 
After fixing in mind the difference between 
these types it would be helpful to observe grounds 
and dooryards. Place each in its class, and men- 
tally (or on paper if you will ) remodel them, deci- 
ding what can be done merely by a rearrangement 
of the material already in use, as well as by adding 
fresh plants as the necessities seem to your mind 
to demand, or by replacing some of the plants on 
hand with others that better meet existing require- 
ments. This is good practice and will lead to a 
clear understanding of what your own grounds need 
as well as prepare you to intelligently adviie 
others. 
In making this picture ot home comfort, there 
must be an open centre so that the dwelling — ihe 
central idea and chief feature of the picture — shall 
be visible. On a small place, therefore, trees that 
are intended to furnish shade must be placed out- 
side as street trees or at the back where they will 
make a background of foliage. Small trees and the 
largest shrubs must be placed at the back of the 
beds that are to form the boundaries of the yard 
and the frame for the picture, and those of lower 
growth on the inner, irregular edge of the beds 
next to the lawn; and along this inner edge flower- 
ing perennials may be introduced at intervals. The 
shrubbery belts must be not only irregular in width 
but aWo in height, care being taken to place the 
