GENERAL PRrNCirLES. 



29 



each kind is kept in a group or mass by itself, there will be a risk of M-ant of 

 connexion, and, consequently, of unity in the general result. In what way 

 are all these difficulties to be overcome ? Chiefly, we should say, by keeping 

 each sort by itself, and placing all those sorts nearest each other which are 

 most alike ; avoiding all formality in the outlines of the spaces allotted to 

 each sort; and allowing these spaces to indent or ramify into one another. 

 For this purpose, a knowledge of the natural system of botany is of the greatest 

 use to the landscape-gardener ; since it teaches him that all those trees and 

 shrubs that belong to the same natural family, order, or tribe, admit of being 

 brought together in the same group. The chief difficulty, therefore, M-ill be in 

 joining and connecting tlie groups together ; and here a general rule may be 

 given. This is, that, when the groups have a near general resemblance to 

 each other, such as those of the oaks with the elms, or Cratosgus with Pyrus, 

 then the union may be comparatively abrupt ; that is, with a slight intermix- 

 ture of the trees of both groups at the points where they join. But when the 

 groups are very dissimilar, such as when the pine and fir tribe adjoin deci- 

 duous trees, the union must be very gradual, by means of numerous indenta- 

 tions and ramifications of the one group into the other. For example, suppose 

 it were desirable to join a large mass of different species of otik {fig. IG. a) 

 with a large mass of different species of pine (b) ; then, adjoining some of tlie 



evergreen oaks in the one group (a), place one or two pines, which grow in 

 large and compact forms ; and against some of the half-evergreen oaks, such 

 as the Fulham or old Lucombe oak, place one or two pines of comparatively 

 slender growth. In like manner, in the opposite group, evergreen and half- 

 evergreen oaks may be planted among the pines, as at c, so as to form the 

 extreme points of the oak group in that direction ; and, as the one group 

 approaches the other, not only evergreens and half-evergreens, but deciduous 

 species, in equal numbers, may be introduced. In all this, care must be taken 

 to avoid a regular progression, and everything like formality. By such means 

 a degree of imion is at first indicated, and afterwards gradually increased, till, 

 at a point equidistant between both groups, the number of plants belonging to 

 each group will be equal. In this way, trees of the most opposite kinds may 

 be introduced in the same plantation, even adjoining each other ; but, where 

 the plantation is of any extent, and many kinds are to be introduced, the 

 introduction of opposite kinds adjoining each other can never be required. It 

 can never, for example, in such a plantation, be requisite to unite the weeping 

 willow with the Scotch pine; nor the poplars with the larch or the Aveeping 

 birch ; nor very large-growing trees, such as the elms, with trees of small 

 size, such as the pyrus or the cvatsegus ; nor trees with pinnated leaves, such 



