IXTER.MINGLIXG OF FORMS AND COLOURS. 107 



Ought masses of trees to be planted wholly of one 

 species_, or with an admixtiu-e of many ? The question 

 has been answered differently both in theoiy and in 

 practice. " A forest of all manner of trees/ ■* savs Mr. 

 Ruskin, " is poor^ if not disagreeable^ in effect ; a mass 

 of one species of tree is sublime. ^^ We are not sure 

 that this aphorism is not put too unconditionally, even 

 in regard to a forest ; certainly we should be inclined to 

 dispute its validity as applied to pleasm-e-gi'ounds and 

 parks. Let the reader imagine a pleasm-e-ground exclu- 

 sively filled with hollies, or a park adorned with Scotch 

 firs alone. We are assured that the first feehng of the 

 spectator would as likely be that of wonder as of sub- 

 limity, that the second would be one of oppressive mono- 

 tony, and the third absolute weariness. Of course, this 

 remark does not apply to climips and subordinate masses, 

 which may occasionally be planted of one species of tree. 

 We make this admission, however, with some reserve ; 

 for, while in the park and pleasm-e-gi^ound om- aim 

 should be that unity which consists in a harmonv of 

 diversities, we must guard against that bald and unsug- 

 gestive unity which degenerates into uniformity. Homo- 

 geneous masses of trees, it is to be remembered, are 

 destitute of that pleasing variety of colour of which there 

 are traces even in spring and summer, and which, as 

 we have seen, comes out with such manifold beauty in 

 the autumnal tints. We hold that evergi-eens, even in 

 •svinter, are lightened and set off by the contrast of the 

 deciduous trees with which they are intermingled, and 

 in summer the harmonizing effects of the mixture are 

 even more striking. We are disposed to think that in 

 the park and pleasm^e-ground the fii' tribe should never 

 be planted alone and in separate clumps. We would 



