PLANTATIONS 81 



sideration of the exact kind of material to be used in 

 planting we shall find that, in spite of the desire for 

 variety, it is advisable to use a comparatively small 

 number of kinds of trees and shrubs ; not because it is 

 necessary to limit variety for the sake of beauty, for 

 then — in a certain sense beauty being infinite and limit- 

 less — there could be no limit to variety, but because, when 

 we come to seek shrubs and trees for building the groups 

 on the lawn, it will be found that comparatively few trees 

 or shrubs fulfil the broad and effective requirements of 

 the place. 



The shrubs that really perform this office of associat- 

 ing properly on the lawn with their companions of other 

 kinds, presenting both picturesqueness of leaf and flower, 

 and hardiness and vigor of grow^th, can be counted on the 

 fingers of both hands. The author does not wish to un- 

 fairly disparage the charms and useful qualities of many 

 excellent shrubs, but he wishes to point out and empha- 

 size the fact that not many shrubs or trees are actually 

 worthy, on account of general adaptability to all situa- 

 tions on home grounds, to occupy the distinguished posi- 

 tion of an all-around good plant for the lawn. 



It seems as if it ought to be evident to the reader that 

 if the lawn can be planted with such shrubs and trees as 

 will blend and harmonize and do well together, it would 

 be far better to employ them, even though they may be 

 small in number, than to create a bizarre and unrelated 

 mass of effects with many showy and obtrusive plants 

 that are not in the best sense beautiful in the places they 

 are intended to occupy. It is easy to recognize the 

 truth of this statement when we consider the common 

 lilac, the althea or rose of Sharon, the hydrangea pani- 

 culata grandiflora, and a number of somewhat weedy 

 6 



