If in the distant landscape a view of water can be brought in, nothing adds more, and few things so much, to the general effect. In the introduction of the distant scenery, care should be taken to avoid opening to view those parts of it which may not offer agreeable features; and unless the scene of operations be on an elevated situation, it is generally expedient to avoid the exposure of a great breadth of flat country, unless bounded by distant hills. Then, again, the question of what parts of the outer sceenery are to be open-en upon, must, in many instances, be regulated by that within the grounds. If, for instance, there happens to be within the grounds a considerable plantation of dense foliage, which it is desirable to retain for the purpose of shelter, or for any particular reason, a fine effect will usually result from cutting through it a small opening, by which a pleasing glance is caught of the distent view. By such means the sombreness of the mass in its effect upon home scenery, is much relieved.

Another effect of striking elegance is produced, if, in exposing the distant landscape to the grounds, it can be so done that any fine, noble tree, (or group of two or three trees,) upon them, can be left standing, mid-way, as it were, between the observer and the outer landscape; whether the tree or group is so placed as to be presented to the eye at the side or center of the general view, is of little moment. Few who recall to mind the magnificent effects produced by many of the great landscape painters, by placing a tree in the foreground of their paintings, will fail to appreciate readily the value of such an addition to the landscape. And although it may be expedient to get one pretty extensive view of distant objects, assuming them, in character, to present pleasing associations, it should always be borne in mind that more ornament and variety are given to the general effect, (and particularly to the home scenery,) by opening the distant prospect at several distinct points of view from the grounds, than by exposing from one point a great extent of distant objects, by the sweeping destruction of intervening foliage.

The distance having been called into requisition to the limit of its capability, the home scenery must next be attended to - by which is meant the laying out those parts of the ground not intended for garden culture, or required for domestic purposes. And it is here that a small expenditure judiciously laid out by the landscape gardener, admits of the production of great results; whilst unfortunately the practiced eye too often sees that it is here, more than in any other particular, that large sums of money are expended frequently in taking from, instead of adding to, the rural beauty of the grounds.

If it is wished to retain, (as it is generally expedient to do,) a part of the grounds immediately in front and adjacent to the house, as lawn, turf, or pleasure ground, that portion, (be it greater or less, according to the wish of the proprietor,) should be marked off, and should be surrounded either by a fence or ditch. If the former, it is best that it should be of light iron, or wire, so that it may be as invisible as may be, but if of wood, as light, rustic, and elegant as possible; and it should be painted dark green, or some dark, . in preference to any light color. If a ditch, it should not be less than four feet wide, and the earth dug out in making it should be thrown up and made to form an embankment on the homestead side. In case it is intended to plant the part so enclosed, with ornamental trees and shrubs, it must be cleared from all brush and under-wood, and also from the greater portion of the larger trees, leaving, however, here and there, one of them, to form a contrast to the effects of art culture.

The treatment of the grounds outside this home fence, requires a more extended notice. In the first place, supposing the ground to be hilly and uneven, above all things avoid the prevailing error of setting to work to level it. It may be necessary in particular places, and in some parts of many places, to expend some time and money in this use of the spade and wheelbarrow; but, three times out of four, this is done to the positive injury of the place, as it undoubtedly is usually to the pecuniary loss of the proprietor, and this to an amount frequently far greater than the whole of his other out door expenditure. Time out of time have we seen more money expended in moving earth upon a place, than would have served to cover the cost of altering the grounds from a rough state, into first rate order, if it had been laid out by a skilful landscape gardener, whose fee would but have amounted to something like a merchant's commission upon the sum that would have been saved.

Instead of looking round, therefore, to see how the ground can be levelled, look at the positions occupied by the principal eminences of it, and then see whether they obstruct the view of any desirable object - or if by their proximity to the residence, or otherwise, they interfere with the general arrangement; in the latter case it may be necessary to remove them, or to reduce their size, but if not they will usually add to the beauties of the place. If at a considerable distance from the house, a group of trees upon the top or sides of such eminences, will form a pleasing object, but on elevated spots nearer to the villa, a single tree or two will usually be more effective. Wherever water is present in the grounds, unless it be an artificial basin surrounded by a lawn of well kept turf, it is desirable that a greater or less quantity of trees and shrubs should ornament its banks. A broken foliage of diversified bright clear water, will be found more efficient than a belt of even hedge row; and when a pond or small lake, it is seldom expedient that it should extend around the whole area of it.

Throughout the grounds, some large trees which have attained, or which are approaching to, maturity of growth, so as to have become single objects of beauty, should be led standing, to give boldness to the whole, and as a principal means of insuring variety to the landscape, as the spectator views it from the different points. In the selection of these, attention should be given to retain a diversity of foliage. Around the sides of the ground groups of trees of greater or less extent, should be left, not only for shelter, tut to afford a degree of outline to the premises - and before these should be left or planted shrubs and foliage of moderate growth, to act both as a fence, and to form a foreground to them.

In this mode of adapting the refinement of landscape gardening to the requirement of places of moderate extent, the beauties brought into observation by it in no way interfere with the employment of the land for the more profitable purposes of farming, or as productive of the usual domestic enjoyments associated with country life. The features of the rural landscape having been secured by the general treatment above indicated; and the private pleasure grounds, gardens, and poultry yard, having been protected by fences, in the mode pointed out, the whole of the land may be adapted to such branches of husbandry and farming, as the proprietor may desire. The cows and the sheep may range over the pasture, and he may cultivate any crops he pleases. All that it has been sought to do, is in the first start to secure on the one hand, a large share of rural beauty to the grounds., (and which, in three or four years will, by-the-bye, add in no small degree to the value of the property,) and on the other, to save the owner from throwing away a large sum of money in what he erroneously considers to be a necessary expense " to make the place decent," whilst in reality, he expends it only in destroying beauties which one-third of the sum would draw forth and portray in all the sublimity of effect for which nature has already fitted them.

In such an arrangement of ground as we have thus hastily sketched, if the parts of it brought into culture for corn, or other tilled crops, be confined to the rear of the residence, and the other parts are devoted to pasturage for sheep or cattle, an air of park-like appearance will be presented by the whole place, whilst, as we have before remarked, its profitable and productive character will not be interfered with. A few evergreens, both trees and shrubs, distributed here and there, will materially add to the general effect, and these may often be found already growing. The road'of approach to the front of the house, as well as the paths through the pleasure grounds, should be formed in greater or less curved lines, and never, (except in very extensive grounds,) in straight lines. The plantations of small shrubberies on either side of the house, (unless on one side it opens upon the garden,) will also much influence the beauty of the whole. But our object has been rather to direct attention to the material features of the general plan, than to particularise the detail of minor points.

B. M.

New-York, September, 1852.