The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-19
NATURES FINEST EFFECTS
Development of Modern Country Estates Has Given I "a Rise to New American Profession. SS SG


 Boston. April 1s-During the past two decades the steady development Of country estates-a development pointed out by some observers as the eventual solution of the problem presented by our overcrowded cities, and by others as natural step of material prosperity and the beginning of new phase of Ameri- can civilization-has given birth to a new American profession, that of the land scape architect Planning country home is no longer a simple matter Of planning a house and building 1t In the country; it is becoming yearly more and more the work of two harmonious but independent minds-the architect, who has charge of the actual buildings and the landscape architect, who superintends all questions of environment, decides just where each building shall stand with re- ference to its neighbors, and plots out driveways, lawns, shrubbery and other exterior accompaniments
 Ten years ago the majority of prospec- tive country householders would have scoffed at the idea that expert assistance was necessary to decide just where to place one's house, and many architects would have considered such assistance almost an insult to their own skill. The new profession has become so important now, however. that many American schools and universities have established courses for the training of landscape architects and at the Massachusetts In- stitute of Technology in this city-to cite the first technical school in the country to add the study of landscape architec- ture to that of structural architecture many a charming imaginary country es- tate Is laid out with all the care that would naturally be devoted to real prob lems involving permanent homes and the expenditure of thousands of dollers.
 The landscape architect is newcomer only on this side of the water; abroad he apparently dates back as far as the civil ization of ancient Egypt. In this country the very beginning of the creation ot great country estates brought a demand for experts In beautifying them. and, with a few great exceptions, this demand was supplied, at first by civil engineers, whose knowledge of the laying out of roads, building of bridges, and grading of land made them landscape architects just so far as that knowledge went and no fur ther; or by horticulturalists, who mad the landscape architects knowledge of trees shrubs and plants, without his training in the broad principles of arranging them landscape architecture as profes- sion open to a large body of young men was only recognized when much wider interest in coun- try homes had discovered ac- tual need for men who should cooperate with the regular architects in so placing building that. the owner would never at- terward wish that it had been placed diff ferently.
 The landscape architects duties do not stop with mere forethought, however for having decided upon the best position for given house with regard to noun tain in the distance or lake in the fore ground he plans the immediate environ ments in such fashion as to enhance the pictorial effect of the more distant points of interest. Ugly things he covers out of sight with trees, vines and shrubbery and beautiful things he uncovers by cutting away intervening obstacles. Before he he can approach these problems in reality he must have solved many of them in theory; he must have learned the princI- ples of his art, even from the time of the landscape gardens that existed 4,000 years before the Christian era, and he must have applied these principles to the solu- ton of a number of typical problems 'programmes," as they are called at the lnstitute-in which a certain tract of land, with all It's natural environment in seen cry and neighboring estates. Is turned Into country home according to the wishes or an imaginary owner.
 The working out of such a problem is In itself an excellent illustration of the manner in which the country estates of the Twentieth century will most com monly come into existence The latter half of the Nineteenth century saw many of the great park systems that surround our many important cities planned in the same fashion-trees, shrubs, grass plots md buildings being first located on paper and then developed in the open air with final result that suggests natural trowth rather than an artificial arrange nent with an artistic purpose. In this making over, the landscape architect is aot attempting to improve upon nature; nature herself is much more pleasing in Iome places than in others, and the en- leavor Is to bring to a spot originally not altogether charming elements that will make a situation that shall be so- 10 take bare, leafless lot for example, md by a proper distribution of trees Ind shrubbery transform 1t into such beautiful spot as nature herself might have made in the beginning, then to place he various buildings of a country home In such fashion that they will best har- nonize with this newly created yet na- lural, environment.
 typical "programme" for a student of landscape gardening runs about as fol- pws. A gentleman is supposed to own a ract of land in the country and wishes b have it laid out for a country home. The tract is 800 feet wide and 1000 feet ong. extending from country road at he back down to large lake, and is practically level from the highway to a ,oint 300 feet from the lake, whence there n a descent of 90 feet to the waters edge. The best view over the lake is supposed be to the right and the Hay out" is to include a house and stables, with their approaches, garden and the treatment the lake front. Exactly this problem nay never occur in actual practice, but IS purpose is to train the student in solv-