OR IN MIXED PLANTATIONS. 275 



of the wind-resisting powers of the different kinds of trees is specially 

 needful, in order to arrange them so that the stronger may shelter 

 the weaker, and prevent that one-sided appearance that, although 

 prized by artists in depicting wind-beaten scenery, is looked upon by 

 tree admirers with feelings of unpleasantness. 



2. Forms and Sizes of Groups. — Premising that in group planting 

 the operator should have a clear perception of the appearances that 

 all the kinds of plants operated with will present at the successive 

 stages of their after growth, the forms of groups should be irregular, 

 and without hard or harsh outlines, as exemplified on a large scale 

 by the few native forests that are still left in our country, where, 

 from masses of the Scotch fir on the lower flats and hill sides, flakey- 

 like portions run up irregularly into the more or less sheltered 

 hollows and ravines, skirted and interspersed, where the soil, is 

 wettish, with groups of birch, alder, and willows; occasionally under- 

 wooded on drier and rocky parts by patches of the hazel, moun- 

 tain-ash, bird-cherry, holly, and juniper. It is in planting large 

 extents of hill and mountain slopes that grouping or massing can be 

 carried out to the fullest and most effective extent. And although 

 this mav be done successfully with the kinds of trees in ordinary 

 cultivation, it can be far better accomplished by employing a much 

 greater diversity of sorts ; commencing near the sea-level with 

 chestnuts, the true planes, walnuts, and other natives of southern 

 Europe, or of like climates, associated with poplars and willows by 

 the water-courses, and succeeded in ascending progression by limes, 

 oaks, cedars, elms, maples, ash, beeches, silver firs, spruces, many 

 of the true pines, and others, the hardier of which fringing extensive 

 masses of the more remunerative larch and Scotch fir, till succeeded 

 in turn by the Cembran and mountain pines, birch, upland willows, 

 and other representatives of the higher regions of tree life. Group- 

 ing on a large scale may also be done with good effect in low country 

 fiattish-lying plantations that are much overlooked from elevated 

 places, as residences, public roads, railways, &c. But with such 

 plantations it is generally more expedient to restrict the grouping to 

 near and at their outer margins. In plantations on such an extensive 

 scale as here indicated, the most remunerative kinds of trees should 

 of course form the larger masses ; but no group should be so small 

 as to be ineffective, or indistinctly noticeable in the general landscape, 

 when viewed from important although somewhat distant points of 

 observation. These remarks, with reasonable modifications, are also 

 applicable to plantations of diminishing extent, down to the villa 



