INTRODUCTION. xvii 



seemingly, to great distances on comparatively small places, 

 and many charming effects and surprises in variation of 

 sky-line and mystery of far-reaching background may un- 

 doubtedly be contrived with success. 



Do not let me give the impression that I question the 

 possibility of creating, as it were, all these delightful feat- 

 ures of the lawn. Only, and here I will speak frankly and 

 from considerable experience, do not undertake too much of 

 this kind of thing yourself ; you may fail. Trees will die 

 when they have grown to considerable size at artistically 

 critical points, or they will fail to grow to just the height 

 and diameter required, and a weak realization of the desired 

 effect will be attained. 



But to return to the question of treating trees and 

 shrubs considered in mass and considered individually. 

 The tendency of those who think of the trees in mass 

 and in their mass relations, is to crowd them too much 

 with their companions, to fail to comprehend their ap- 

 pearance at maturity, and thus develop their proper effect 

 imperfectly. Such a tendency is apt to " crib and confine " 

 the trees, and to undertake to make them do duty after 

 a fashion that is not altogether adapted to their nature; 

 that is, if it is not altogether a case of round pegs for 

 square holes, to force them just a little. On the other hand, 

 the person who dwells specially on the development of the 

 individual character of a plant is liable to err in another 

 way, and to sacrifice the broad effects and harmoniously 

 combined relations of trees to the exhibition of characteris- 

 tic and highly perfected individual excellences. 



For most lawns a middle way of arrangement may 



