Book I. 



PRIVATE BRITISH GARDENS. 



1051 



wall, and place the sashes of your spare hot-beds over them 

 In the manner of slates. 

 To form temporary jets of mater. Procure one or any number 

 of cast-iron, or other strong vessels, which may hold from 

 six to thirty, or fifty gallons or upwards : let each vessel have 

 a tube reaching from what is to be its top within an inch of 

 its internal bottom ; this tube must have a nozzle to unscrew, 

 and also a stopcock. The vessel being half filled with water, 

 an air-condenser is to be screwed to the pipe, and the air 

 powerfully condensed, then turn the stopcock to prevent 

 the escape of the water ; unscrew the condenser, and screw 

 on the nozzle for the jet. All is now ready for operation, and 

 the vessel may be placed in the situation where the jet is 

 desired : here it may be either set in an excavation made to 

 fit ; or concealed by plants ; or the vessel may be a vase, or 

 made in any ornamental form. Being placed where it is to 

 operate, it may remain for any length ot time before using : 

 to set it at work, it is only necessary to turn the stopcock, 

 and according to the diameter of the orifice of the nozzle, it 

 will throw the water from ten to fifty feet or more in height, 

 gradually diminishing in height, as the water is expended, 

 and lasting in joint proportion to the quantity of water con- 

 tained in the vessel, the orifice of the jet, and the compres- 



sion given to the air. This principle admits of great variety, 

 extension, and modification, and might be made to produce 

 very splendid effects ; and though these effects would be but 

 temporary, they would not be objectionable on that account, 

 as in this climate, already cold and moist, the constant play 

 of jets of water is by no means desirable. 



To produce harmonious sounds in the flower- garden, in the hot- 

 houses, or near arbors, seats, 6\c. Place ^olian harps in proper 

 situations, as in Germany. 



To disperse an agreeable odor suddenly and powerfully. Charge 

 one of the jet-vessels with air, having previously introduced 

 some of the odor in the form of oil or essence, &c, then 

 produce the discharge at the proper time and place, or charge 

 with rose-water. 



To direct a stream of deleterious air against insects in hot-houses at 

 a distance from the path. Direct the stream through a long 

 tin tube, or charge a jet-vessel with the smoke or air. 



To syringe plains without a syringe or engine. Use a brush or 

 birch-broom dipped in water. 



To recover plants in hot-houses injured by frost. Shade two or 

 three days from the sun, and keep the temperature very little 

 above the freezing point. 



7448. Expedients and anomalous practices in landscape-gardening. 



To render a dull part of the park more interesting. Build a 

 hay-stack there ; or erect a shelter for cattle ; or on tem- 

 porary occasions pitch a tent ; or place a portable hay-rack 

 with food to attract deer or cattle ; or send some men to work 

 on the spot. 



To vary on an extraordinary occasion a dull, uninteresting part 

 oftlte horizon. Cause a fire to be lighted of green wood, or 

 such materials as by the ascending smoke will break the line 

 in the proper place. 



To vary for afetv seasons the front of a ?nass of wood. Disbark 

 one or two trees at proper places at the surface of the ground, 

 and when dead they will produce a break. For a few meek* : 

 cut a tree while in leaf, so as its leaves may wither and 

 remain on, or water with the engine and lime-water. 



To give an idea oftlte effect rvhich a piece of water in a particular 

 place, and of a particular shape, tvill have. Mark out the 

 shape, and water the surface with lime-water ; when dry the 

 effect will be obvious. 



To give a foreknowledge of the effect of a gravel-walk in any par- 

 ticular place. Mark it out, and water with lime and yellow 

 ochre. 



To slww the effect of trees- Use poles with crosses at top, or 

 better, use entire trees, the thinnings of plantations. 



To show the effect of buildings. Erect poles, and stretch canvass, 

 or na ; l boards on them, so as to form the sky outline of the 

 proposed edifice. 



To show tlw effect of raising ground. Stud it over with 

 stakes of the height intended to elevate theearth, and stretch 

 here and there strips of green canvass, bunting, bass mats, 

 or even green straw or hay-ropes, over these. Hay-ropes, 

 from well-got hay, are cheapest, and, if of sufficient number, 

 answer perfectly. 



To give a poetical and pastoral air to a scene for the moment. 

 Employ a person with a flute to play at particular times ; 

 drive cattle to drink at a stream; pass a flock of sheep that 

 way, &c. 



To give a forest character to particular parts of the park or woody 

 scenery. Introduce shagged horses, and asses ; show the re- 

 mains of a fire ; leave some branches or felled trees, &c. 



To direct the eye to a particular point, either to observe its beauties, 

 or to prevent it from observing some deformities in the same 

 scene. Place a white object there, as a hay-rick, man at 

 work with his coat off', white cow, or horse, &c. if the back- 



? round be ground or wood; and a dark object, if sky or water, 

 f the scene be a lake, then place a boat at the point to which 

 you would attract the eye. 



7449. Expedients and anomalous practices in arboriculture. 



A handsome tree has lost some branches on one side, or is disfigured 

 by the removal of another tree. Try and arrange the branches 

 by cords or strong wires, as is done in green-house plant* 

 with threads. 



To cover a tree rapidly with creepers. Place leathern bags of 

 earth, containing plants of the sort of creeper desired, here 

 and there on the trunk and principal branches ; tie them flat 

 to the tree, so as they may not appear conspicuous. 



A quantity of valuable trees arrive from a distance, very much 



injured aiui dried up, and too latej'or planting in the usual way. 



Immerse in water, or bury entirely in earth ; then puddle 



and plant ; or plant for one season in a shady part of the 



nursery ; or plant in pots, and place these on heat, when rare 



kinds, till they begin to grow. 

 A violent wind hits blown down a number of trees. Lop their tops, 



and prune and arrange their roots, replacing them upright ; 



they will produce effect much sooner than young trees. 



7450. To some of these expedients it may be objected, that they are deceits or temporary 

 tricks ; but if they are so, they are in the spirit of the scenery to which they belong, and 

 they are calculated only to produce pleasure, not pain to any one ; none of them are false- 

 hoods, or calculated to make a thing of one nature appear to be of another. We have not 

 directed the display of artificial fruits on wall-trees, of the fruiting of orange-plants from 

 the shops, of milliners' flowers in green houses, or living figures placed on pedestals as 

 statues, of fountains in mourning by making them run out ink, of altars and temples, 

 with persons in proper costume sacrificing on them, of mock huildings or animals, scoops 

 or painted perspectives; all which and other deceptions are recommended and practised 

 by the French and Dutch. 



7451. Gardens of royal palaces. The government-gardens of this country are those of 

 Windsor, Hampton Court, and Kensington ; that of Kew being a private royal garden. 

 None of them are in any respect worthy of their rank : the garden at Windsor is without 

 hot- houses ; that at Hampton Court consists chiefly of some pine-pits and a vinery; at 

 Kensington, great part of the kitchen-garden is cultivated by the plough, and the only 

 two things which render it worth notice are its pine-stoves, and the public gardens or 

 pleasure-ground. The garden-structures at Kew are in a state of decay, and the gardens 

 are never in first-rate order, often slovenly, and always confined as to arrangements. It 

 is said these things arise from want of funds ; and from the low rate at which the oper- 

 ators are paid in these gardens. This seems to be the case, and it is much to be regretted, 

 as it prevents the royal gardeners from displaying their skill and taste. Judging from 

 the pine-apples grown in the forcing-departments at Kensington and Hampton Court, 

 there is reason to believe this would be highly creditable to themselves, and exemplary to 

 the nation. 



7452. The royal gardeners were formerly much consulted by private gentlemen on the 

 subject of their profession : this is still the case, though in a much less degree, and more 

 now as to garden structures or culture, than as to matters of design and taste. With re- 

 ference to this circumstance, the professional skill of royal gardeners ought to be of the 

 first order, as their opinion will always be law to a certain number of the court ; but for 

 the culture and produce of the gardens (situated as these now are), less professional skill 

 is wanting in a royal gardener than in a private head gardener, as deficiencies in products 

 can always be made up from the commercial gardeners, or from Coven t-garden. 



