Chapter IV 



Planting — Immediate and Future Effect — Clumps 

 — Groups — Masses — The Browsing-Line de- 

 scribed — Combination of Masses to produce Great 

 Woods — Character and Shape of Ground to be 

 studied — Outline of New Plantations 



THE following observations on planting are not 

 intended to pursue the minute detail so copiously 

 and scientifically described in Evelyn's " Sylva," and 

 so frequently quoted, or rather repeated from him, 

 in modern publications; I shall merely consider it as 

 a relative subject : and being one of the chief ornaments 

 in landscape gardening when skilfully appropriated, I 

 shall divide it into two distinct heads : the first includ- 

 ing those single trees or groups which may be planted 

 of a larger size to produce present effect ; the second 

 comprehending those masses of plantations destined to 

 become woods or groves for future generations. 



Since few of the practical followers of Mr. Brown 

 possessed that force of genius which rendered him, 

 according to Mason, 



" the living leader of thy powers. 

 Great Nature," 



it is no wonder that they should have occasionally copied 

 the means he used, without considering the eff^ect which 

 he intended to produce. Thus Brown has been treated 

 with ridicule by the contemptuous observation that all 

 his improvements consisted in belting, clumping, and 



