H ouse and Garden 
TYPICAL SCENERY OF THE UPPER FELL 
Rocky land treated as forest with numerous openings 
unity of the whole. His position with regard to such 
matters is given unmistakably in the following 
quotation from his report: “Never for one moment 
forget that the artificial features of a design are not 
objects to be desired in themselves, that they are 
rather the impedimenta of the undertaking. Bear 
in mind that it is in the earth, the rocks, the sod and 
what the soil, by the skillful adaptation of means to 
well-chosen ends, shall he made to produce and sup¬ 
port, that the essential value of this property is to 
consist. These are the meat and drink of the enter¬ 
tainment, to which the roads and walks and buildings 
are as knives and forks.” 
But the art of the man is shown to a greater degree 
in the treatment of roads and walks. In the design 
of these he draws heavily upon all the practical skill, 
upon all the artistic taste and knowledge that he 
possesses. His own point of view, with regard to 
roads, is faithfully illustrated in the two quotations 
from his correspondence that follow: “It is not the 
business of the landscape architect to furnish plans 
for roads simply as roads, but for roads as works of 
landscape improvement.” In another letter to 
the Royal Commissioners he writes: “Refinement 
in such matters—roads and their grade, for example 
—is the main part of landscape architecture.” Mr. 
Olmsted recommended a single main approach road, 
and that on the east side, and but one main drive up 
the mountain. This drive was to serve a three-fold 
purpose: (i) To put all parts of the property very 
closely under contribution to the driver’s pleasure. 
(2) It was to carry the visitor to such a succession of 
points that each characteristic variety of scenery 
could be enjoyed and distant views obtained in 
every direction. (3) It was to offer all practicable 
directness between different parts of the mountain, 
and especially between lower and higher parts. In 
realizing this three-fold purpose the central parts of 
the park were to be left unbroken, proximity to 
boundaries avoided and good curves and good grades 
secured. An examination of the plan, and more 
especially, a visit to Mount Royal itself will show that 
all these purposes were well realized. As to grade, 
Mr. Olmsted lays down the requirement in these 
words: “A pleasure road in passing over broken and 
undulating ground should avoid a perfect monotony 
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