ness and richness of our sylva, the numerous internal lakes, with their bordering detritus of lacustrine plants, the bold cliffs of our eastern states, harboring in their clefts, from long gone centuries, marine exuviæ to nourish the fir and the mountain brush-wood, the wide bending savannas of the west, rich in all that makes the land-owner prosperous-these are the features which will perpetuate a correct rural taste.

66

Landscape gardening in its present acceptation, we understand to be a thing of comparatively recent date. True, the umbrosa vallis, the frigida Tempe, have been figures of luxury in every age; and the first blessed beauty of Eden, was remembered with a regret that made it the image of lost happiness. Vine-clad Canaan was the object of long cherished hopes, not unmingled with fears, to a nation; and there were doubtless those in days of old, who digged a ditch and planted a hedge," as well to beautify as protect. Still in general the unimpaired richness of the country, superseded the necessity of creating anew. Mount Olivet lay nigh unto Jerusalem, and was a garden alike to its savans and slaves. Like all other arts, too, it has had its changes, and the present "natural style" has its origin assigned by our author to quite a recent date. The rectangularities of the old English garden, now most discarded by them, are still retained by the Dutch, as suited (and they are right) to their flats, and water-roads, and national habits, which would never choose a circuitous path, could there be one direct. Mr. Downing, our present expositor, says that true taste now-adays is not to imitate nature exactly in our grounds, but to associate nature's extremes; therein will be the "recognition of art." Paths must be run in every possible direction; all angles discarded; trees are to be set in groups of largest outline; the

deciduous mingled with the evergreen, the glossy with the furred leaf; terrace and parapet must lead away by insensible gradations from the architectural beauty of the dwelling to the artistical* beauty of the grounds; turf must be shaven, walks swept, and hedges clipped, to show that art is busy with her broom and shears; for it would be highly unfashionable that a walk should seem to be formed by the mere foot pas sengers, or, in the neighborhood of the mansion, that a tree should seem to grow because it belonged to the soil and climate.

To all this we see no objection; tasteful art is most lovable, but taste. less art is proportionately hateful; and we anticipate, under present views of the matter, the operation of much more of the latter to of fend, than of the former to please. We by no means impugn Mr. D.'s taste; but we do apprehend that the very minutiae of his details will lead to great stiffness of execution, with those who take their first and last lessons of taste from his writings. We do fear, perhaps needlessly, that this scientific grouping, this Newto nian analysis of the lights and shades upon a landscape, this making a se rious matter of what we conceive to be a simple one, bodes no success to the efforts of our landholders in general. Not that taste of the highest kind is not requisite for effective arrangement of grounds; but taste is simple, and is guided by most simple laws. It is as if an expert angler should seek out some theory, by which to regulate every motion of the rod and reel and gut for a successful 66 cast," when in fact, though it is the most delicate manual operation in the world, no. thing would so surely destroy its efficiency. In the one case as in the

*We are not sure that we have the

right apprehension of this term. It is a new word to us, though used so freely in the volumes before us.

the land. He will become content to live in his own home, to gather up his desires within that little circle of enjoyment, to lavish his increasing stores in new efforts for making that home a paradise; more than all, he will be content that his dwelling should be the expositor of his wealth and taste, content to be poor, if beauty adorns his poverty. But our sympathy with those little, neglected, charming spots, along our New England highways, which break on the eye at every turn, is carrying us, we scarce know where. To be a little more definitive, we propose to occupy our few remaining pages with practical suggestions -mostly our own, partly from the books before us-for making the country home what it ought to be, both as regards its architecture and grounds. And we shall endeavor to seize upon those essentials of the art, which are as familiar and accessible to the man of humble means, as to the most affluent.

As much taste is requisite in the selection of a proper site for a dwelling, as in any one consideration about it. It must be a site convenient of access, particularly to the bustling farmer. It is desirable to secure good views of the dwelling from prominent points of observation; and as far as compatible with other objects, to open rich landscape views from the house itself. The man of limited means should rather look for a position of convenience, central to his farm, yet near the highway, and a situation of agreeable shelter, than one calculated alone to arrest attention. It is the discovery oftentimes of a cottage in some hidden nook, that breaks on the mind with a happier force, than a long kept view of the most commanding site. In however humble a spot a cottage may be placed, there may be opened in time, from the little lattice, enchanting scenes, though no more than the rude paling of a garden overrun

with wild vines, a rural gate, and foot-worn path leading under the green hemlock, and branching to the spring in the meadow. Additional resources may set the diamond pane in the oriel window, and wreath the porch with woodbine and flowering creeper. The eastern and northeastern winds, are in this climate subjects of importance to landsmen as well as seamen; and however well entrances may be guarded by double and trebled doors, there is something exceed ingly like comfort in a situation sheltered by nature. The side of a gentle hill, that throws up its column of defense toward the offensive quarter, sloping southward, is a very agreeable companion in the months of November and March; and if tufted with rich foliage, is highly picturesque. The farmer in particular, will wish a spot for the sun to beam warmly in by his door, and it will rejoice his heart in the spring, to welcome the green grass at his step, while the fields are hoarwhite. The hillside that shelters his homestead, will be a convenient pasture-ground, and the group that shades his herd, may be so placed, as to throw the white of his cottage into elegant relief. The agricul turist, as we have remarked, finds it a matter of convenience to be near the public road; still every position affords opportunity for a constantly developing taste. The twined columbine of the porch is thus brought more nearly into view, and the undershadowed bed of roses 'waste not their sweetness.' Economy has, in our view, more to do with choice of materials than taste. Of styles, there must of necessity be many, to offer a pleasing variety; but none strikes us so favorably for general adoption, as that termed the English cottage style. The Swiss may appear well in many situations; but the Grecian is too precise, too classical, perhaps, for an ordinary country homestead, and a fortiori

the Roman; the Moorish mode is much too fantastic for a sober minded man, and the Italian, beautiful as it is, seems to us adapted more to a life of luxury and ease, than to the active, bustling habits of our landholders. None of these objections obtain, when we consider the peaked roof, the crow-foot gable, the mullioned windows, and stacked chimneys of the cottage style. Yet are all these objects of very considerable beauty in themselves, as well as of no questionable economy. The style is adapted to every variety of country, glen, river bank, plain, or cliff. Its character is highly suited to agricultural pursuits. The slope of the roof disposes rapidly of falling moisture; the projecting eaves guard the sides; rural repairs are little noticed upon its varied exterior; the addition of a wing or an ell, far from destroying its unity, will the more confirm its character; the carriage of the chimneys separately to the top, while it favors their picturesque union above the ridge, ensures a constant draft. And none who have seen such a specicimen of architecture, will deny its general beauty. The outlines we have given may be varied in a hundred ways, with equal effect. Dormar windows, with topping finial and crockets; bay windows, with side tracery, and diamond pane, with almost every variety of porch, may vary the outline. Much might be said of interior arrangements, but we have space only for a word. The ceiling of lime and sand has come to be so generally used, and is upon the whole so well adapted to its purposes, it were perhaps better to suggest no change. Still, an oaken ceiling laid directly upon the floor above, exposing the octagonated forms of the beams, is exceed. ingly durable, accords well with the exterior of a rural cottage, and better than all, offers no shelter for vermin. The fireplace, (for it has not yet gone by in the country,)

with the finishing of doors, and cupboards, and windows, gives opportunity for a most varied display of taste.

The study of cottages, both in style and disposition in finished landscape paintings, will greatly facilitate the formation of a correct taste on this subject. True, the styles may lack definitiveness, and may possibly be a little outré; but we have, we must confess, less regard for all the directions of the 'Academy of Design,' than has Mr. Downing. And if this new discovery of electrotype* shall succeed in placing copies of the best masters in every family, and if our system of education shall nourish a little more a regard for beauty, we shall have little fear for our cottage residences.'

6

We come now to speak of the chief charm and object of the artthe proper disposition of trees upon a landscape. Herein is a means for developing a correct taste, which is at the hands of the humblest tiller of the ground. None so poor, or so circumscribed in their limits, that they can not plant a tree. And a group of half a dozen of our native forest trees, may embrace all the delightful shades of coloring, as fully as the park of a thousand acres. For the neglect of this sylvan beauty there is no apology, but a wrong education. Points are always accessible, where the shade will not in the least injure the crops of the farm, and the timber ultimately obtained by judicious thinning, to say nothing of increased beauty, will surely repay the inconsiderable labor of transplanting. We will suppose a small cottage, such as we have recommended, situa

ted near a slight elevation, upon a small farm of gently undulating surface. Immediately around, perhaps a space of the area of an acre, is a yard devoted to domestic purposes. This is serviceable for no agricultural object, and may be decorated at a very slight expense, with the richest gems of the forest. Shrubs, either exotic or indigenous, may be set around the dwelling, or if desirable, form the entire hedge of the yard. Trees of widely different character may be grouped upon this surface with very little art, to afford a most pleasing effect. The foliage will serve as a most delightful awning through the summer months, and such of it as is evergreen, may be so disposed, as to ward off the fiercest blasts of winter. Such groups can rarely affect injuriously the adjoining land, or detract from the richness of the soil; since they would be fully nourished by the fertilizing materials always abundant in a farm-yard. They can be set far enough from the roof, to secure it from harmful damp. The kind of tree for this home group, the style of building, the soil, the climate, the situation will direct. Only let there be variety, and thrift, and irregularity, and there will be beauty. The wild vines are not to be forgotten, but should mantle here and there a tree, and stretch their tendrils over window and lintel, climbing high upon the roof. The grape may shade the porch, and bind with its clasps the unhewn column; the sweet briar bloom around, and the lilac bush serve for the habitation of robin and sparrow.

The next available point of decoration will be along the approach road, if the cottage be at any distance from the highway. If this traverse mowing or cultivated land, a low hedge skirting its margin irregularly, will be all that economy will allow; but if pasture land, the hedge may be dispensed with, and the trees be multiplied into an irreg

ular picturesque avenue, broken here and there by the intervention of shrubs, and again left wholly open. The whole border of the farm may be more or less wooded; care being taken to throw the morning shade upon the less available soil. In the instance we have supposed of an undulating surface, the pas ture, which will be best disposed upon the more elevated portions, must have its perquisite of shade for cattle. A thousand circumstances will direct the proper arrangement of this. The wood-lot for the supply of fires, is a subject of much concern to landholders; but as in most instances there are vestiges of the original growth, sufficient for the purpose, it will be needless to remark upon it. One thing we will observe-wood is fast becoming more valuable for timber material, than for fuel, and by far the best timber is grown in open situations; the inference is obviously favorable to the views of the tasteful agriculturist. We have spoken of an undulating surface, because most difficult to supply with wooded graces,' in connection with strict economy. The farm of rocks and cliffs on the other hand, may be rendered as beautiful as the wealth of Croesus could make it, by the extremest frugality, if guided by taste. There is much land on every such domain, which nothing but the hand of industry, directed by cor rect observation, can reach. The shelving bank, the green tuft of the ledge, the rich deposit on the jut ting edge of the precipice-these points, which are generally left to the rank grass and stinted shrub, may bloom with beauty, under the hands of an intelligent proprietor. The fir, the pine, the cedar, will find a foothold, and sufficient nourishment upon many a spot unfit for pasturage; and the rich green shrub may tuft every cleft, while the wild violet and anemone spring up be neath them. The steep slopes wher