Wood and Plantations 77 



and of the general effect of the natural style in particular 

 cases and situations. But the knowledge they afford is so 

 far below that obtained by an inspection of the effects in 

 reality, that the latter should in all cases be preferred 

 where it is practicable. In this style, unlike the ancient, 

 it is almost impossible that the same plan should exactly 

 suit any other situation than that for which it was intended, 

 for its great excellence lies in the endless variety produced 

 by its application to different sites, situations, and sur- 

 faces; developing the latent capacities of one place and 

 heightening the charms of another. 



But the leading principles as regards the formation of 

 plantations, which we have here endeavored briefly to 

 elucidate, are the same in all cases. After becoming famil- 

 iar with these, should the amateur landscape gardener be 

 at a loss how to proceed, he can hardly do better, as we 

 have before suggested, than to study and recur often to the 

 beautiful compositions and combinations of nature, dis- 

 played in her majestic groups, masses, and single trees, as 

 well as open glades and deep thickets; of which, fortu- 

 nately, in most parts of our country, checkered here and 

 there as it is with beautiful and picturesque scenery, there 

 is no dearth or scarcity. Keeping these few principles in 

 his mind, he will be able to detect new beauties and trans- 

 fer them to his own estate; for nature is truly inexhaustible 

 in her resources of the Beautiful. 



Classification of Trees as to Expression. The amateur 

 who wishes to dispose his plantations in the natural style 

 of Landscape Gardening so as to produce graceful or pic- 

 turesque landscape, will be greatly aided by a study of the 

 peculiar expression of trees individually and in composi- 

 tion. The effect of a certain tree singly is often exceedingly 

 different from that of a group of the same trees. To be 

 fully aware of the effect of groups and masses requires con- 

 siderable study, and the progress in this study may be 

 greatly facilitated by a recurrence from groups in nature 

 to groups in pictures. 



As a further aid to this most desirable species of informa- 



