51 



I should in no case allow trees or shrubs, particularly those of the large 

 growing kinds, to stand so near the edifice as to touch the building, except in 

 limited grounds. Such trees ought to be planted, at the least, ten yards from 

 it ; but considerably further off in an extensive place. They not only show a 

 want of extent, by assuming the character of a suburban garden, but I am 

 of opinion that they produce an unhealthy state of atmosphere, by causing 

 dampness, and by excluding both light and air from the house. 



When masses have to be planted, I propose to place them in groups, or 

 masses of kinds as directed below ; and when they are already in existence, to 

 group them, at the time of thinning, as nearly so as possible. The most profit- 

 able kinds should form the most massive assembly, as the beech, wych and 

 other elms, and oaks, sycamore, and ash. For example, — ten, twenty, fifty, 

 or more ("according to the extent of ground to be planted,) of wych elms, may 

 be planted together at proper distances from each other ; twenty, thirty, or 

 fifty oaks ; twenty, thirty, or forty beeches ; and so with ash and sycamore, 

 with smaller groups occasionally thrown in of spruce firs, Lombardy poplars, 

 mossy-cupped oaks, limes, pines of sorts, larch, mountain ash, birch, two or 

 three purple beeches, three or four 

 weeping willows, &c. When these 

 varieties are once distributed, they 

 will have to be repeated till the 

 whole space is planted, taking care 

 that each kind of group varies in 

 size and form from its neighbours, 

 .and is not stiff and round, but that 

 all blend naturally and softly into 

 one another. For instance : by 

 letting two or three of the oaks 

 run well into the group of beech, 

 and a few of the beech blend into 

 the oaks, and so on with every 

 variety (figure 10 J. 



When thus arranged, a distinct variety and spirit of colouring, as well as 

 a broken and irregular sky surface, is obtained ; the groups outgrow one 

 another, and the most striking and imposing wooded scenery is in this 



h 2 



Figure 



a a a, oak ; b b, ash ; c c c, elm j d d d, beech ; 

 e e, sycamore ; f f\ pines; g, spruce fir ; h. Cedar of 

 Lebanon ; ;', Cedrus deodarus ; j, Spanish chesnut ; 

 k, mossy-cupped oak; /, birch; m, locust tree; n, 

 larch; o, silver fir; and so on. 



