Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1870 [PAGE 278]

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mole hill in it ten feet high. Statues are obtrusive. They may do at Sans Souci, but not in this country. Curved walks are easily made, and it is easy to make mistakes in them. Perhaps the curves shown us might have been made a little straighter, but the obstacles are brought in well. Grouping trees is very difficult. The best cherries by the way would make an incongruous group—the Early May and Black Tartarian, for instance. FLAGG—I find it necessary, in planting trees about the house, to guard against getting them too near for health. A small tree, as it grows becomes worse and worse, if planted near the house, and ultimately may result in a good deal of dampness, and possible disease. In our climate, I presume the sun should have free access to the dwelling. Dr. GREGORY—I have known cases of typhoid fever resulting from an excess of shade. WARDER—I assent to the doctrine of no trees in immediate proximity to the house generally, but occasionally we may require a single tree to hide a defect in the house, etc. I would plant rapid growing trees to hide the blank wall in Dr. Gregory's dwelling, such as silver poplar, or I would put on an Ampelopsis or Virginia Creeper. FRANOKS, of Champaign—I would give up the curve line on small lots. "WARDER—I think Mr Francks is about right as to straight walks in such cases. You can still have the gate at one corner of the lot. PARKS, of Tolono—I differ with the lecturer in thinking that white (with green blinds), is the most appropriate color for a house. I would paint a brick house red, with the stripes as white as possible. I can confirm what has been said of the bad effects of too much shade. I don't want big trees about a small house. I like the sugar maple the best as an ornamental tree. FLAGG—In a trip to the east, going rapidly through the country by rail, I had an opportunity of comparing a great variety of styles of painting houses. I found the most pleasing to my own taste, to be a light, (not white color), for the body of the house, and several shades darker of the same color for the cornices, window trimmings, blinds, porches, etc.. I acted on the hint, and paint-