656 



EFFECTS IN LANDSCAPE OF VARIOUS COMMON TREES. 



of our forest, — so dark that no underwoods 

 o-row beneath them. The greatest beauty 

 of the young Hemlock may be seen where 

 they spring up by thousands in our open 

 pastures, always arranging themselves in 

 o-roups that no art could mend. 1 think 

 the finest large Hemlocks I have noticed 

 were on a mountain top, where a small 

 number had been left by the wood-cutters. 

 These trees, dwarfed by the bleak moun- 

 tain air, had stems of great thickness, sur- 

 mounted by an unusual breadth of the 

 thickest dark green foliage. They pro- 

 duced that effect of breadth and massive- 

 ness usually wanting in our forest trees. 



The Fir Baha/n, when of large size 

 and in open ground, is sometimes of re- 

 markable beauty. The lower branches, if 

 they remain thrifty, droop beautifulh'. 



The Larch also requires room and age 

 to develop its beauties. I think it is our 

 usual fault in planting, that we plant too 

 mu3h in groups, for immediate effect, and 

 to rarely see the greatest beauty our trees 

 mio-ht attain. Also, we do not take pains 

 enough to have our trees branch low, which 

 is essential to produce massive trees, and 

 massive effects. A trunk that branches at 

 six or eight feet from the ground, can bear 

 a vastly greater weight than one of the 

 same size that is twice that height ; and 

 nature always follows the hint. When 

 the trunk is short, the main limbs become 

 subordinate trunks, and acquire a greater 

 size than they could maintain on a tall 

 trunk. 



T J return to individual sorts. The Eln?, 

 even when thrifty, often grows lanky and 

 slender, and not LufHciently furnished with 

 branches. If the principal part of the top 

 be cut out low down, in healthy trees, 

 even of large size, it seems to produce a 

 thicker habit and vigorous growth. In one 

 instance, a neighbor informs me that he 



cut two cords of Avood from the centre of 

 an Elm, some forty years ago. This tree 

 is the largest and finest in the neighbor- 

 hood ; and though the work was roughly 

 done, shows no signs of decay. Another 

 tree, about forty years of age, has so thick, 

 beautiful, and regular a head, that it is 

 universally remarked. This, I have been 

 told, was produced in the same manner. 



The Birch, Yellow and White, single 

 trees on the edge of an evergreen wood, 

 produce a charming effect of contrast. 



The Maple, Its form is too regular 

 usually to produce single standard trees, 

 comparing with the Oaks, Chestnuts, and 

 many others ; but it forms the most beau- 

 tiful groups. The White Ash changes iu 

 autumn to a deep slaty purple, — so re- 

 markable among the gaudy colours of the 

 Maple, that the eye at once detects a sin- 

 gle tree on a mountain side. I would al- 

 es 



ways plant a single tree in the groups of 

 Maple. 



To produce the most beautiful effects of 

 autumn tints in a plantation, the pure 

 lemon yellow of the Yellow Birch, and the 

 dark green of the Hemlock, must no more 

 be omitted than the scarlet and russet of 

 Maple and Oak. The Beech, also, its green 

 leaves unwillingly turning to brown on 

 the outermost edges, is an exquisite tree 

 in autumn, as at what season is it not? 

 Why is it that the Beech is so little culti- 

 vated, and that we so rarely see this most 

 beautiful of deciduous trees in perfection 

 in this country ? 



The Mountain Ash is a charming tree, 

 with its formal shape and scarlet berries, 

 but it must be backed by tall evergreens 

 to be seen to advantage. Formal upright 

 trees usually require a background of ver- 

 dure, though occasionally a single one may 

 stand out against the sky with great ef- 

 fect, in contrast with other forms. Ave- 



