H ouse and Garden 
and the wind from that most desirable direction. Fur¬ 
thermore it is to be noted that there was no pond nor 
stream to add interest to the scene,—except the lit¬ 
tle rivulet that runs through the pasture lot. Nor 
was there any large lawn area to give breadth and 
unity to the compositions of which the house would 
be the natural centre. But there must have been, 
even twenty-five years ago when the improvements 
were begun, large and attractive trees, specimen oaks 
and elms as well as impressive woodland in desirable 
locations. 
Along with these topographical conditions for the 
landscape architect to reckon with, the house itself 
might he included, for although it was not actually 
built or even located, its size and character were defi¬ 
nitely decided upon and its plan and elevations 
drawn. It was to he a very large brick mansion 
with brown stone trimmings, combining features of 
English and French domestic architecture. This 
building was to he 200 feet in length, rather low in 
effect with a great square tower near its centre rising 
to a height of five storeys. A house of large dimen¬ 
sions was required by the owner, and because of this 
fact and of the comparatively limited area of the 
grounds around the house, and the peculiarly prom¬ 
inent position that the residence nearly always has 
in a private place, this great house became the domi¬ 
nant feature of the design, the one that controlled, 
or at least affected, almost everything else. 
1 hese were the most important of the pre-existing 
conditions for the landscape architect to keep in 
mind. The main or controlling purposes of Mr. 
Olmsted’s design may now be outlined. Although 
they are nowhere in the correspondence definitely 
set forth, one after another, they may here be conven¬ 
iently considered under six heads: (i) The orienta¬ 
tion of the house so as to receive the best possible 
aspect and prospect, (z) The establishment of 
suitable living grounds for the family in connection 
with the house. (3) I he proper location of an en¬ 
trance road upon good grades. (4) The disposition 
of the service, stables and greenhouses so that they 
would he separate, yet convenient. (5) The suitable 
location of other parts of the design, pasture, wood¬ 
land, and orchards. (6) 1 he execution of the de¬ 
sign in such a manner as to secure in the completed 
218 
