Many of the English country places abound with admirable specimens of rustic work in their parks and pleasure-grounds. White Knight's, in particular, a residence of the Duke of Marlborough, has a number of beautiful structures of this kind. Figure 86 is a view of a

[Fig. 26. Rustic Covered Seat.]

Three or

round seat with thatched roof, in that demesne. four rustic pillars support the architrave, and the whole of the exterior and interior (being first formed of framework) is covered with straight branches of the maple and larch. The seat on the interior looks upon a fine prospect; and the seat on the back of the exterior fronts the park.

There is no limit to the variety of forms and patterns in which these rustic seats, arbors, summer-houses, etc., can be constructed by an artist of some fancy and ingenuity. After the frame-work of the structure is formed of posts and rough boards, if small straight rods about an inch in diameter, of hazel, white birch, maple, etc., are selected in sufficient quantity, they may be nailed on in squares, diamonds, medallions, or other patterns, and have the effect of a mosaic of wood.

Among the curious results of this fancy for rustic work, we may mention the moss-house-erected in several places

abroad. The skeleton or frame-work of the arbor or house is formed as we have just stated; over this small rods half an inch in diameter are nailed, about an inch from centre to centre; after the whole surface is covered with this sort of rustic lathing, a quantity of the softer wood-moss of different colors is collected; and taking small parcels in the hand at a time, the tops being evenly arranged, the bottoms or roots are crowded closely between the rods with a small wooden wedge. When this is done with some little skill, the tufted ends spread out and cover the rods entirely, showing a smooth surface of mosses of different colors, which has an effect not unlike that of a thick Brussels carpet.

The mosses retain their color for a great length of time, and when properly rammed in with the wedge, they cannot be pulled out again without breaking their tops. The prettiest example which we have seen of a handsome moss-house in this country, is at the residence of Wm. H. Aspinwall, Esq., on Staten Island.

A prospect tower is a most desirable and pleasant structure in certain residences. Where the view is comparatively limited from the grounds, on account of their surface being level, or nearly so, it often happens that the spectator, by being raised some twenty-five or thirty feet above the surface, finds himself in a totally different position, whence a charming coup d'œil or bird's-eye view of the surrounding country is obtained.

Those of our readers who may have visited the delightful garden and grounds of M. Parmentier, near Brooklyn, some half a dozen years since, during the lifetime of that amiable and zealous amateur of horticulture, will readily remember the rustic prospect-arbor, or tower,

Fig. 87, which was situated at the extre mity of his place. It was one of the first pieces of rustic work of any size, and displaying any ingenuity, that we remember to have seen here; and from its summit, though the garden walks afforded no prospect, a beautiful reach of the neighborhood for many miles was enjoyed.

[Fig. 87.]

Figure 88 is a design for a rustic prospect tower of three

stories in height, with a double thatched roof. It is formed of rustic pillars or columns, which are well fixed in the ground, and which are filled in with a fanciful lattice of rustic branches. A spiral staircase winds round the interior of the platform of the second and upper stories, where there are seats under the open thatched roof.

[Fig. 88.]

On a ferme ornée, where the proprietor desires to give a picturesque appearance to the different appendages of the place, rustic work offers an easy and convenient method of attaining this end. The dairy is sometimes made a detached building, and in this country it may be built of logs in a tasteful manner with a thatched roof; the interior being studded, lathed, and plastered in the usual way. Or the ice-house, which generally shows but a rough gable and ridge roof rising out of the ground, might be covered with a neat structure in rustic work, overgrown with vines, which would give it a pleasing or picturesque air, instead of leaving it, as at present, an unsightly object which we are anxious to conceal.

A species of useful decoration, which is perhaps more naturally suggested than any other, is the bridge. Where

a constant stream, of greater or less size, runs through the grounds, and divides the banks on opposite sides, a bridge of some description, if it is only a narrow plank over a rivulet, is highly necessary. In pieces of artificial water that are irregular in outline, a narrow strait is often purposely made, with the view of introducing a bridge for effect.

When the stream is large and bold, a handsome architectural bridge of stone or timber is by far the most suitable ; especially if the stream is near the house, or if it is crossed on the Approach road to the mansion; because a character of permanence and solidity is requisite in such cases. when it is only a winding rivulet or crystal brook, which meanders along beneath the shadow of tufts of clustering foliage of the pleasure-ground or park, a rustic bridge may

But

be brought in with the happiest effect. Fig. 89 is a rustic bridge erected under our direction. The foundation is made [Fig. 89.] by laying down a few large square stones beneath the surface on both sides of the stream to be spanned; upon these are stretched two round posts or sleepers with the bark on, about eight or ten inches in diameter. The rustic hand-rail is framed into these two sleepers. The floor of the bridge is made by laying down small posts of equal size, about four or six inches in diameter, crosswise upon the sleepers, and nailing them down securely. The bark is allowed to remain on in every piece of wood employed in the construction of this little bridge; and when the wood is cut at the proper season (durable kinds being chosen), such a bridge, well made, will remain in excellent order for many years.

Rockwork is another kind of decoration sometimes intro

duced in particular portions of the scenery of a residence, Fig. 90. When well executed, that is, so as to have a natural and harmonious expression, the effect is highly pleasing. We have seen, however, in places where a high

[Fig. 90. Rockwork.]

'keeping and good taste otherwise prevailed, such a barbarous mélange, or confused pile of stones mingled with soil, and planted over with dwarfish plants dignified with the name of rockwork, that we have been led to believe that it is much better to attempt nothing of the kind, unless there is a suitable place for its display, and at the same time, the person attempting it is sufficiently an artist, imbued with the spirit of nature in her various compositions and combinations, to be able to produce something higher than a caricature of her works.

The object of rockwork is to produce in scenery or portions of a scene, naturally in a great measure destitute of groups of rocks and their accompanying drapery of plants and foliage, something of the picturesque effect which such natural assemblages confer. To succeed in this, it is evident that we must not heap up little hillocks of mould