178 LANDS JAPE GARDENING. 



mass of the darker foliage of other trees. It is valuable foi 

 retaining its leaves in full beauty to the latest possible 

 neriod in the autumn, even when all the other deciduous 

 trees are either brown, or have entirely lost their leafy 

 honors. Its growth is extremely rapid, forming a fine 

 rounded head of thirty feet in height, in six or eight 

 years. 



The Lombardy poplar is a beautiful tree, and in certain 

 situations produces a very elegant effect ; but it has been 

 planted so indiscriminately, in some parts of this country, 

 in close monotonous lines before the very doors of our 

 houses, and in many places in straight rows along the high- 

 ways for miles together, to the neglect of our fine native 

 trees, that it has been tiresome and disgusting. This tree 

 may, however, be employed with singular advantage in 

 giving life, spirit, and variety to a scene composed entirely 

 of round-headed trees, as the oak, ash, etc., — when a tall 

 poplar, emerging here and there from the back or centre 

 of the group, often imparts an air of elegance and animation 

 to the whole. It may, also, from its marked and striking 

 contrast to other trees, be employed to fix or direct the 

 attention to some particular point in the landscape. When 

 large poplars of this kind are growing near a house of but 

 moderate dimensions, they have a very bad effect by com- 

 pletely overpowering the building, without imparting any 

 of that grandeur of character conferred by an old oak, or 

 other spreading tree. It should be introduced but sparingly 

 in landscape composition, as the moment it is made com- 

 mon in any scene, it gives an air of sameness and formality, 

 ana all the spirited effect is lost which its sparing introduc- 

 tion among other trees produces. The Lombardy poplar 



