Home woods 35 



to confuse. Some of the noblest trees for beauty as well 

 as size are in the forests, and I would much rather have 

 Oaks from the forest of Marly or Bercy in the pleasure 

 garden than any merely bushy tree usually grown there- 

 in. The greater Pines of the Northern Forest should be 

 grown as they are found in natural forests generally, 

 that is to say, close enough together to get the true form 

 and stature of the central stem. 



Firs close planted. I have lately measured some Spruce 

 Fir in a German forest — stems of 70 to 80 feet high, and 

 not more than 3 to 4 feet apart. In some cases they 

 even stood closer. Every tree must have room to grow 

 if it is to attain a useful size, but our way of planting 

 conifers, in which each tree must stand apart, is silly. 

 In the mountains of Auvergne, I have seen fine trees of 

 the Silver Fir within a yard of each other. Doubtless 

 climate, tree, and soil suited each the other, as they 

 always should do if we seek good results from woodland 

 planting ; but these instances tell us that the true way is 

 in massing trees of this nature. 



D 2 



