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sufficient to hide the fence anil shut out the puhlic. The extremities of this 

 broad hedge, (if I may so call it), should be joined by the narrow parts of the 

 planting or belt. It may be composed of whins, thorns, blackthorns, and 

 wild roses, planted in groups, of kinds naturally blending together, shewing 

 various breadths of from one to three yards, with a natural varied outline next 

 the park (a). Whilst such a hedge would conceal the fence, and afford a 

 sufficient protection against the public gaze, it would permit the eye to range 

 beyond ; thereby, to all appearance, adding extent to the domain. These 

 breaks, or range outlets, should be of various extent, from ten to twenty, or 

 even one hundred yards. The wider spaces will require breaking by small 

 groups of trees, some near and others at a considerable distance, avoiding every- 

 thing like formality. In this way, freedom and extent of view will be seemed. 

 It is true that the eye may, in the distance, rest upon fields of different 

 shades, here and there catching a glimpse of the labourer with his team ; 

 and, though such objects may not be considered quite in harmony with the 

 scenery of a richly varied park, yet the mind, ever conscious of liberty, 

 prefers scenes like these, to being confined within a limited tract, however 

 beautiful. 



Beltings, employed in the boundaries between the home farm and the 

 park, should be similarly treated, exactly for the same causes. 



Where, however, the boundary of a park comprises the whole domain, 

 and disagreeable objects present themselves beyond, instead of the varied 

 hedge, the narrow parts of the planting may be continuous, and its screen- 

 like appearance broken by a mass, or groups, of trees and bushes, placed 

 considerably nearer to the point of view than the projecting or broader part 

 of the belt. The whole depth of bay will thus not be destroyed or filled up, 

 and the eye will have liberty to range over the pasture as much as possible, 

 between the mass or groups, and the projections of the belt. 



A domain composed of tame flat scenery requires the greatest judgment 

 and care in the formation of new plantations, and the grouping and 

 adjusting of existing woods or plantations, and hedgerow trees. I have 

 already shown that there must be plantations in a domain acting as 

 principals. In forming these, it is most important to group them in kinds, 

 as recommended in a previous chapter on planting in the vicinity of the 

 superstructure, (page 51) ; and if this style of planting be more appropriate 



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