156 LANDSCAPE GARDENING, 



has much grandeur and richness in its depth of hue and 

 massiness of outline ; and the regular, rounded, pyramidal 

 shape, is something so different from that of most of our 

 indigenous trees, as to strike the spectator with an air of 

 novelty and distinctness. The great beauty of the Horse- 

 chestnut is the splendor of its inflorescence, surpassing that 

 of almost all our native forest trees : the huge clusters of 

 gay blossoms, which every spring are distributed with such 

 luxuriance and profusion over the surface of the foliage, 

 and at the extremity of the branches, give the whole tree 

 the aspect rather of some monstrous flowering shrub, than 

 of an ordinary tree of the largest size. At that season there 

 can be no more beautiful object to stand singly upon the 

 lawn, particularly if its branches are permitted to grow low 

 down the trunk, and (as they naturally will as the tree ad- 

 vances) sweep the green sward with their drooping foliage. 

 Like the lime tree, however, care must be taken, in the 

 modern style, to introduce it rather sparingly in picturesque 

 plantations, and then only as a single tree, or upon the 

 margin of large groups, masses, or plantations ; but it may 

 be more freely used in grounds in the graceful style, for 

 which it is highly suitable. When handsome avenues or 

 straight lines are wanted, the Horse-chestnut is again ad- 

 mirably suited, from its symmetry and regularity. It is, 

 therefore, much and justly valued for these purposes in our 

 towns and cities, where its deep shade and beauty of blos- 

 som are peculiarly desirable, the only objection to it being 

 the early fall of its leaves. The Horse-chestnut is very 

 interesting in its mode of growth. The large buds are 

 thickly covered in winter with a resinous gum, to protect 

 them from the cold and moisture ; in the spring these burst 

 open, and the whole growth of the young shoots, leaves, 



