952 



PRACTICE OF GARDENING. 



Part III. 



retain their social feelings, must ever be the most interesting to mankind in general, and will therefore 

 finally prevail. 



6855. The outline of plantations, made with a view to the composition of a country- 

 residence, is guided by the same general principles ; whether the trees are to be dis- 

 posed in regular forms, avowedly artificial ; or in irregular forms, in imitation of 

 nature. (Jig. 639.) The first thing is, in both modes, to compose a principal mass, from 

 which the rest may appear to proceed ; or be, or seem to be, connected. In common 

 cases it answers best to include or connect with this mass the house, kitchen and flower- 

 gardens (e) ; from these other masses and groups should proceed, either connected, 

 or better, only seemingly so when viewed horizontally. Their forms should be such 



639 



and so disposed, relatively to the ground and other objects, and to each other, as to 

 throw the pasture surface into broad masses (a, b, c, d), which become wholes in their 

 turn, and their connection and variation is heightened by the variety in the glades between 

 the masses and groups of plantation. Such would be the mode of procedure on a flat to 

 be formed into a modern park ; regard being had to exclude or admit the view of certain 

 parts of the distant scenery ; never to shut in, or leave without a third distance (as is the 

 term in landscape-painting), any of the scenes within the boundary of the park ; and to 

 other laws of perspective, optics, and composition, which will be more fully entered on in 

 treating of landscape-gardening. 



6856. In the pleasure-ground, which, as far as respects the form or ground outline of 

 plantations, is to be considered as a part of the park, the same principles are applicable. 

 In neither the artificial or natural style, should their width be great ; but their form may 

 be varied at pleasure, subject to general principles. Where the ground is irregular 

 {fig. 640.), only the modern style can be adopted with good effect ; and there, by con- 



640 



ducting the walks, or forming the water chiefly in the hollows (a), and planting the emi- 

 nences (6), varying the manner in which the outlines of these masses embrace the decli- 

 vities, the happiest effects may be produced. Deviations from these general principles 

 can only be justified by extraordinary circumstances. 



