The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1886-02-10
TsEE-pLANrIsa At THE CAPITOL.
The New Terrae..-rr.s. and shrubDery
In tie Gronnd.

In tie Grounds,
During the long recess tie capitol has
been nicely secured and polished all
over, and the new congress finds II ms
white AID smooth and shining as q
freshly planted gnlyestone. The marble
surface had begun to weather into a
texture to hold the mellowed light in.
stead Of rejecting II hack from the Kilt.
tering points and dreaks and patches o.
from FURNISHED metal. and tic staring
white had begun to cloud into soft
grays, whehtlie usual resolution to scrub
the buildings exterior was passed. Tie
reas0niOr whitening up the walls to
make the masses Of shadow appear less
profound and all the recesses more shal.
low has not been revealed. Meanwhile
the architectural terrace on Il north Of
tile capitol has been completed, ~ has
that on the south side, with the excep.
tion Of some surface detnils, and II Is
evident now how the dignity and no.
bllity Of the entire structure are sus.
tainel and augmented by tile buatl.sct
solidiS Of tie base. It Is plain, too, that
the grading Of the grounds, when It Is
completed, Strengthens the architectural
purpose and effect Of the work.
In tile planting there is little Of what
Is known us Landscape gardening, al.
though the AT with which breadth Of
open grepNwari with surrounding
masses Of foliage has been secured on
the west front Of the capitols north
wing Il noteworthy. But the prevailing
purpose has been to reveal and set forth
the commanding proportions Of q mon.
umcntll building. From every line Of
approach 1t ran he seen, with nothing
to obstrtlct the sight or distract attcn.
ton, and from many points II Is pre.
scented in fitting framework Of foliage
to dctach It from surrounding objects,
while n dmpery or background Of trees
has been arranged to bring ont its lines
with distinrtness. Provision for crowds
of people on grand occasions like the in.
nuguratinn Of president requires large
paved areas, and many natlls arc needed
But belts Of slIrulblery, without being
high enough to elstrtIct the view, have
beCn disposed so us To mask the walks
and overcome the hard, stony effect they
would otherwise produce.
The street trees, Of which pcople here
are Justly proud, naturally come into
mind whenever nnv public planting Mt
the capital is thought Of. In no Other
city of the country have trees been so
generally used, and nowhere else have
lhey succeeded ~ well. It Inns been oh.
jectel to them that they are too close
together, but there are two sides to this
question. 1t Il an undninLle Inisfor.
tune, however, that NO large n unpor.
ton Of brittle, soft wo,hed sps1,irs ike
poplar anil silver maple were selected
It hns been prcpIlpsie,l, too. that they
are now at their best, because the soil i
sterile. A little Of this was removed
where each tree was set, and its place
wis filled with rich loam.
The trees must have already taken up
most Of the nutrinent contained In this.
and tho fear Is that the roots will find
Sant focding hereafter. BUTT will be
time enough to take M this lampntn.
ton when Deterioration leyins. Trees
planted here years ago are aonrishing,
as car l,t seen in the fine growth on the
Smithsonian grounds. The grouping OF