220 J^otes on Belts oj Trees 



feet in height may be kept at that height, producing every 

 season thousands of their beautiful flowers, and never giving any 

 annoyance from their over-luxuriant habits. Climbing roses 

 should be root-pruned every autumn, if cultivated as pillar 

 roses on small lawns, and no floral ornament can be more in- 

 teresting and beautiful; those who have had their pillars of 

 roses prostrated by a high wind in June, will, I flatter myself, 

 appreciate this hint, and be able, by root-pruning, to make 

 their climbing roses fit subjects even for a small rose garden." 



Art. III. JsTotes on Bel'a of Trees in Ornamental Planta- 

 tions. By A. J. Downing, Botanic Garden and Nurse- 

 ries, Nevvburgh, N. Y. 



During a hasty visit to the finest places in the suburbs of 

 Boston, last autumn, we were greatly pleased with the general 

 tasie, and especially the horticultural skill, evinced in their 

 gardens and grounds. In respect to general design, high 

 keeping, and good culture, the cottage and villa residences of 

 Brookline, Watertown, Roxbury, and the other "surround- 

 ings" of Boston, are undoubtedly superior to those of the 

 environs of any other city in the Union. The remarkably 

 picturesque character of a portion of Brookline, studded with 

 pretty gentlemen's seats, and threaded by intricate and grace- 

 fully winding lanes or roads, feathered with indigenous and 

 exotic shrubs and trees, in some cases quite to the carriage 

 track, renders it a neighborhood of rural beauty, such as is 

 rarely seen in this country. 



We were struck, however, with a defect in the arrange- 

 ments of the plantations intended for belts or screens, which, 

 indeed, is so common an error in the landscape gardening of 

 all parts of the country, that we desire to draw the attention 

 of such of your readers as may be engaged in plantations of 

 this kind, to the subject. 



In aln»ost every country residence of any extent, in order 

 to produce certain desired effects, or to conceal some unsight- 

 ly object, it is found necessary to plant a thick belt of trees, 

 or trees and shrubs intermingled, which, after a few years of 



