H * u r -j i o n, % 
The Development of a Country Estate 
them unobtrusive. The cost of such a system 
amounts to a very small item compared to the general 
expenditures required on an estate of substantial 
character, and it obviates an objectionable feature 
which would otherwise be in distinct evidence. 
The location and building of the stable is probably 
the next object of interest. It is lound convenient 
to place this at a distance far enough from the house to 
do away with the undesirable features arising there¬ 
from, but not so far as to destroy the continuity of 
relation which should exist between these two build¬ 
ings. It may also be found necessary to remodel and 
improve the entire group of farm buildings and this 
is provided for at an early date. The lodge house 
and entrance gateway have been designed with their 
fitting relation in architectural features to the other 
important buildings although their location has been 
decided at the time of the planning of the main 
driveway. 
Having thus disposed of the principal features 
requiring attention from the actual standpoint of 
health and comfort, plans are now made to cover the 
requirements for amusement and recreation. The 
character of these accessories will depend upon the 
taste and pocketbook of the owner. He may be of a 
domestic nature and take particular interest in a 
superior dairy, chicken farm, cattle raising or in a 
flock of sheep. He may otherwise possess sporting 
proclivities and keep a stable of thoroughbreds and 
build a private race-course on his grounds. He can 
also establish kennels and rear prize-winning dogs, 
can enclose a portion of his estate and stock it with 
deer and game. He can build a fish-pond and use 
this to his heart’s content. A golf course, polo field, 
tennis courts and the like will appeal to the athletic 
side of his nature. The construction and develop¬ 
ment of these particular sources of recreation all play 
their part in the building of a substantial country 
estate. As they call for work of a very special charac¬ 
ter and as they are probably not in sufficient general 
use to command popular interest, they may be 
omitted from this discussion. The gardening and 
horticultural features of the estate, however, will 
always claim consideration second only to those of 
the actual needs, but these have been treated upon 
so frequently through other sources that there is 
probably little information concerning them which 
can be brought forth to suit the ends of this article. 
1 here are a few points, however, which are particu¬ 
larly important in connection with landscape effects, 
which should not be omitted. Probably the most 
important is the development of the grounds in the 
immediate neighborhood of the house. It is safe 
to say that this treatment should depend almost 
entirely upon the character or design of the house. 
Some houses are so executed architecturally that a 
formal garden is actually a part of the design rather 
than an accessory, at least in some cases it should be. 
Other houses are so planned that a garden with 
straight lines and clipped hedges in close connection 
with it, is entirely out of place, and a broad rolling 
lawn with well-judged plantings of trees and shrub¬ 
bery in commanding places, furnishes the most 
satisfactory solution. 
The successful architect or landscape architect 
is one who can merge the house into its natural 
surroundings in such a manner that one may practi¬ 
cally seem to “grow into” the other. Most estates 
are deemed incomplete however without this formal 
garden, and if the character of the house does not 
justify the building of one in connection with it, there 
are certainly other parts of the estate which may be 
suitably adapted for the purpose. 
In the case of driveways, there are numerous 
points to consider from the landscape point of view 
in the construction of these. The standard methods 
of highway construction should only be observed in 
connection with the durability of these roads. 
It is preferable that the general course of the road be 
curved and irregular and it is better to avoid geomet¬ 
ric lines. The lines of the most successful of these 
driveways have probably been laid out by means of 
the eye alone, although this is apt to cause some 
embarrassment if it is necessary that the work be 
executed by contract. Attention should also be 
given to the banks and side slopes of these roads. 
While it is an expensive method to grade these slopes 
so that they may appear to coincide as nearly as 
possible with the adjoining contours, the effect 
obtained by attending to this is well worth the extra 
cost. Sometimes this can be accomplished in too 
harsh a manner and the sides of the road will present 
too strong a contrast in regard to their smoothness 
and lack of forest vegetation as compared with the 
territory beyond. 
This can be overcome to some extent by means of 
judicious planting. There is another point to con¬ 
sider in developing the profiles of the roads. Standard 
highways are generally built with little attention 
given to abrupt changes of grade at any one point; 
as, for instance, the condition which may be en¬ 
countered when a grade of i% intersects a grade of 
6%. These grades may be merged and the abrupt 
angular deflection obviated by planning an easy 
connecting vertical curve at the proper points of 
tangency. The appearance of the road is improved 
greatly by careful attention to these features. 
It is frequently found necessary to build retaining 
walls along the course of roads where steep side hills 
are encountered. It is probably best to avoid the 
construction of these retaining walls where possible, 
and to cut and fill to an even slope, but this cannot 
always be regarded on account of cost of same. 
Masonry walls are apt to assume a harsh appearance 
against a generally”quiet landscape, but this appear¬ 
ance may be softened considerably by planting 
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