1884.] 
AMEEIOAIT AGEIOULTUEIST. 
201 
The Laying Out of Small Grounds. 
ELIAS A. LONG. 
If one lias grounds of several acres to embellish, 
a garden architect is likely to be employed, as it 
requires not only taste, but skill and experience, 
to manage so large an area to the best advantage, 
while the small areas are frequently undertaken 
by the owner himself. In the embellishment of 
small plats, sucli as the front yards in cities and 
villages, a considerable variety can be produced by 
the proper management of grass and shrubs, with 
climbers over the verandas or porches at the doors. 
In figure 1, two shrubs only are used with climbers 
at the house. These shrubs may be a Weigela and 
a Rose of Sharon, or any others that may be prefer¬ 
red. In figure 2 a larger number of shrubs is used, 
and these arranged in masses or groups. If the 
ground where they stand is somewhat undulating, 
a greater variety in the effect will be produced. 
Only few shrubs being used, the* selection should 
be choice, consisting of those that afford a good 
variety of tints, in foliage, and flowers^ and in their 
season of bloom. Some of the number might be 
dwarf evergreens, to give the eye something to 
rest on in winter. Small-sized shrubs proportioned 
to the size of the ground are to be chosen usually in 
such places; the geometrical or straight lines of the 
house, street and walks have such an overpower¬ 
ing influence, that there is little chance to work for 
the higher garden effects of breadth and freedom. 
And yet in these plans the principle upon which 
such effects depend is observed to the full degree 
allowable in so small an area, and with good results. 
The Parisians have a pleasing mode worth notic¬ 
ing of using flowers in decorating their lawns. 
It consists in running a narrow border several feet 
The following excellent suggestions apply only 
to places of considerable area. Where a beautiful 
garden fronts on a public highway, it is as com¬ 
mendable in the owner to allow passers on the 
street to get glimpses of the interior, as it is to 
have thought of the effect of a fine house upon a 
neighborhood. But then a garden is designed 
chiefly for the pleasure of the owner’s family and 
friends, and he likes to enjoy it in seclusion. It is 
a luxury to sit at ease or swing in a hammock on a 
summer’s day, and drink in the sights, sounds and 
perfumes peculiar to a garden, without fear of in¬ 
terruption. and this seclusion should be provided 
for. Figure 4 shows how masses may be set so as 
to give the public some benefit of a garden, and 
yet render portions of it secluded. It will be seen 
that an extensive view of the grounds may be had 
from the street, w'hile by proper arrangement of 
trees and clumps the house is little if at all exposed. 
Fig. 1.— AKKANGEMENT OF TWO SHBUBS. Fig. 2 .— SHEUBS IN MASSES. 
in from the edge of grass plats, on four sides, with 
some openings to the center, as shown in figure 3. 
These borders are usually from three to six feet 
wide, with the plants arranged in the mixed ir¬ 
regular style and quite uncrowded, with u.sually an 
edging of some bright low plants. It is a charm¬ 
ing style, and the effect is largely due to preserving 
an ample central plat of grass. A pleasing feature 
is the introduction of some handsome shrubs along 
the center of the borders, at equal distances apart. 
Altogether the arrangement is very satisfactory to 
the eye, and worthy of adoption in our gardens 
when they are of sufficient area to admit of it. 
The Law of the Road. 
The “Law of the Road ’’ regulates the conduct 
of persons travelling on the highway. Farmers 
make so much use of the highways 
leading to and from their farms, 
that this subject is to them one 
of much importance. A highway 
is any road which every citizen has 
a right to use. The law applies to 
every highway which the public 
uses, whether it is a legal road or 
not. If the public uses the road 
even wrongfully, this law ap¬ 
plies to all persons, while there. 
Turn to the Right.— The most 
important law of the road is, that when two per¬ 
sons in vehicles coming from opposite directions 
are about to meet, each shall reasonably bear to the 
right of the middle or travelled portion of the road, 
so that they can pass each other without inter¬ 
ference. A traveller is not required to keep on 
the right side of the road all the time ; he can drive 
where he pleases or where the going is best, so long 
as he turns to the right when he meets another 
vehicle. If the middle and usually travelled por¬ 
tion of the road is very muddy, and for this or any 
other reason persons are travelling along the side 
of the road, then the one who is on the left side of 
the road is in duty bound to turn out. In Massa¬ 
chusetts it was held that when the part of the 
road which is wrought for travelling is hidden by 
snow, and a path is beaten and travelled on the side 
of the wrought path, persons meeting on such 
side path are each required to drive their vehicles 
to the right of the middle of it. It should, how¬ 
ever, be remembered that this law of the road is 
not an absolute and inflexible one. Circumstances 
may arise which would justify a deviation from it, 
and when they do arise, a traveller cannot stick 
blindly to the law, and then claim damages if he is 
injured. In the crowded streets of a metropolis 
drivers are required to exercise very great care, 
and when this high degree of care dictates a depar¬ 
ture from this law of the road, then it is not only 
justifiable, but a failure to observe it might cut oil 
one’s right to recover damages if he is injured. 
This turning to the right is just the opposite of 
that in England, which requires all drivers to turn 
to the left. The rule of turning in England is based 
on long-honored custom; our rale is establish¬ 
ed by statute in the several States of the Union. 
As TO Passing.— When travellers are driving in 
the same direction on the highway, and one wishes- 
to pass ahead of the other, the rule in England re¬ 
quires the foremost traveller to bear to the left 
and allow the other to pass on the off side. In this 
country there is no rule on this point. The fore¬ 
most traveller is not obliged to turn out at all, but 
may continue to travel the middle or either side of 
the road at his pleasure, if there is room for the 
other to get by on one side or the 
other. K there is not sufficient room 
for this, it is a duty to afford it if 
possible, by yielding up an equal 
share of the road, on being requested 
to do so. If one refuses to do this, 
he is answerable for the damage 
caused the other by delay; though 
such refusal would not justify the 
other in forcing his jiassage, and so 
causing a collision, as he has redress 
by d ue course of law. Ncither of the 
foregoing rales of the road apply to 
horse-cars. The owners of horse- 
car lines have the right to the unrestricted use of 
their tracks, though it is not unlawful for others to 
drive on the tracks if they do not unnecessarily ob¬ 
struct them. 
Crossing Roads. —Where roads cross each other,, 
the rule is that travellers on each road must use 
due care and prudence to avoid accident and de¬ 
lay. They must act as reasonable and right-minded 
men would under the circumstances. Some early 
eases hold that travellers approaching from the 
side street must see to it that they do not interfere 
with the rights of travellers on the main road. As 
there may be dispute as to which is the main road, 
the rule above stated that the travellers in each 
road must take care to avoid injury, is the safe one 
to follow. 
Horseback Riders.— In England equestrians are 
subject to the same rules respecting conduct in the 
road as are persons driving in vehicles; but in this 
country there is no law of the road respecting them. 
A man on horseback meeting a horse or vehicle is 
not with us required to turn to any particular side, 
as to the right or left, but he “ must govern him¬ 
self in this respect according to his notions of pru¬ 
dence at the time and under the circumstances.” 
There is an honored custom with us, sanctioned by 
common consent and immemorial usage, giving it 
the force of positive law, that a person on horse¬ 
back should yield the travelled path to one who is 
travelling in a wagon or other vehicle. Common 
sense and propriety indicate such to be a fair rale. 
An equestrian or a foot passenger has just the 
same right of way that the driver of a vehicle has, 
but the enjoyment of the right is to be regulated 
by reason, and it is not such that either can com¬ 
pel a teamster, especially with a heavy load, to 
leave the beaten track of the highway, if there is 
sufficient room for them to pass on either side. 
It has been held that where two travellers in the 
highway strive to get into the same place at the 
same time, the one is at fault who first uses force. 
Foot Passengers. —All persons have the same 
i-ight to walk in the highway that they have to 
drive there, and they have the same right to walk 
in the middle of the street that they have to walk 
on the foot-paths at the side. When one is walk¬ 
ing in the w'agon track, he must observe greater 
care to avoid collision with vehicles, but the fact 
of his being there is not of itself negligence. It is 
his duty to turn out for teams, especiallj^ if heavily 
laden, but teamsters have no right to run over him 
simply because he happens to be in the way. They 
would be liable for the injury if they did. Foot 
passengers have the undoubted right to cross the 
street at any time and place, and persons driving 
along it must use due care not to ran into them, 
and must hold up to let them get by. The foot 
passenger must also exercise due care to avoid 
injury, for if he does not, he can recover no dam¬ 
ages if injured. If he sees a team coming at a rapid 
rate he is not justified in attempting to cross ahead 
of it, or should he attempt crossing a crowded thor¬ 
oughfare without first looking carefully both ivays. 
Rate of Speed. —The rule that persons using- 
