of Kensington Gardens. 153 



them to the Horticultural Society's Garden, in which they will find 

 many species of trees that have advanced in growth in rates pro- 

 portionate to those mentioned. Of course, we do not mean to 

 state that low trees, such as hollies, thorns, laburnums, &c., which 

 naturally do not grow above 25 ft. or 30 ft. high, will exceed 

 that height in consequence of the treatment we recommend ; 

 which would be by no means desirable, since it would change 

 the character of the trees ; but, simply, that large trees will grow 

 with the rapidity we have mentioned. 



19. The greatest care must be taken not to mix the new species 

 of trees indiscriminately ; because, as Sir William Chambers 

 and Sir Uvedale Price have long since shown, the effect of that 

 mode of mixing, let the number of species be ever so great, is 

 to produce monotony, instead of variety. One genus of deci- 

 duous tall trees, one genus of deciduous low trees, and one of 

 evergreen trees, whether large or small, ought always to prevail 

 in one place ; in order that the impression made on the mind of 

 the spectator, by the view of that place, may be different from 

 the impression of any other place or part of the scene. 



20. It appears to us much to be regretted that no evergreen 

 trees have been introduced among the scattered trees planted, of 

 late years, either in Hyde Park or in the Regent's Park. We can 

 conceive no reason for this, except the extra expense of en- 

 closing, which, of course, a nurseryman who undertakes to plant 

 by contract will not do, unless by specific agreement. We 

 would have cedars, pines, and firs interspersed, throughout 

 these parks, together with the ilex, the new Lucombe, and other 

 evergreen oaks. The ilex is one of the most rapid-growing and 

 hardiest of oaks when properly treated; and, in Cornwall and 

 on the sea coast, it is planted to shelter and draw up the common 

 oak, as the Scotch pine is, with so much success, in the govern- 

 ment plantations in the New Forest. 



21. All the yew trees and hollies, in Kensington Gardens, 

 which had branched down to the ground, and assumed the cha- 

 racter of shrub-like trees, and all the ancient yew hedges, which 

 had been allowed, for many years, to grow without being clipped, 

 together with many of the deciduous shrubs, have been removed; 

 so that now the eye ranges every where among the stems of the 

 trees : nothing is concealed, and the whole extent of the gardens 

 is seen to the boundary fence from almost all the principal 

 walks. This, it is reported, has been done in order to prevent 

 offences against decency from being committed in the concealed 

 places. It seems singular that these gardens should have existed 

 with all the evergreens which produced these concealed places, 

 for upwards of a century, and that now (when the people are 

 allowed by all parties to be much more civilised and refined 

 than heretofore) it becomes necessary to remove them. In our 



