ON WOOD AND PLANTATIONS. 75 



of a city, a species of pleasure would result from the imita- 

 tion of scenery of a more spirited, natural character, 

 as the picturesque, in his grounds. His plantations are 

 made in irregular groups, composed chiefly of picturesque 

 trees, as the larch, &c. his walks would lead through 

 varied scenes, sometimes bordered with groups of rocks 

 overrun with flowering creepers and vines ; sometimes 

 \vith thickets or little copses of shrubs and flowering 

 plants ; sometimes through wild and comparatively ne- 

 glected portions ; the whole interspersed with open glades 

 of turf. 



In the majority of instances in the United States, the 

 modern style of Landscape Gardening, wherever it is ap- 

 preciated, will, in practice, consist in arranging a demesne 

 of from five to some hundred acres, or rather that portion 

 of it, say one half, one third, etc., devoted to lawn and 

 pleasure-ground, pasture, etc. so as to exhibit groups of 

 forest and ornamental trees and shrubs, surrounding the 

 dwelling of the proprietor, and extending for a greater or 

 less distance, especially towards the place of entrance from 

 the public highway. Near the house, good taste will dic- 

 tate the assemblage of groups and masses of the rarer or 

 more beautiful trees and shrubs ; commoner native forest 

 trees occupying the more distant portions of the grounds.* 



* Although we love planting, and avow that there are few greater pleasures 

 than to see a darling tree, of one's own placing, every year stretching wider its 

 feathery head of foliage, and covering wilh a darker shadow the soft turf beneath 

 it, still, we will not let the ardent and inexperienced hunter after a location for 

 a country residence, pass without a word of advice. This is, always to make 

 considerable sacrifice to get a place with sorns existing wood, or a few ready 

 grown trees upon it; especially near the site for the house. It is better to 

 yield a little in the extent of prospect, or in the direct proximity to a certain 



