78 



recommended by the latter ; from wliose treatise, however, 

 he seems to have taken the whole of that process. 



For the removal of saplings of twenty feet high and from 

 nine to twelve inches in girth, his plan is of considerable 

 use. In forming side-skreens near the mansion-house, in 

 which grove and underwood are frequently united, it will 

 not disappoint the planter. In new designs he will find it 

 extremely serviceable, for raising the former, if in low and 

 sheltered situations, where a propitious climate is created ; 

 and for producing a speedier effect, than can be expected by 

 the ordinary methods. 



Although Marshall had too much taste to wish to pollard, 

 or utterly decapitate his trees, still, like most of his prede- 

 cessors, he lopped and lightened the tops, in order to " pro- 

 portion them (as he states) to the ability of the roots."* Had 

 he advanced the roots to the ability of the tops, and pre- 

 served entire the fine forms of the latter, it would have been 

 a more scientific system. But his method of giving grace- 

 fulness, and a sort of natural elegance to this operation, is 

 so extraordinary, that it is worth while to quote it, for the 

 amusement of the reader. " To head down a tree (he says) 

 in the pollard manner, is very unsightly ; and to prune it up 

 to a mere maypole, so as to leave only a small broom-like 

 head at the top, is equally destructive of its beauty. The 

 most rational, the most natural, and, at the same time, the 

 most elegant manner of doing this, is to prune the boughs 

 in such a way, as to form the head of the plant into a co- 

 noid, in resemblance of the natural head of the Lombardy 

 poplar, and of a size proportioned to the ability of the root. 

 Whoever was the inventor of this method of pruning the 

 heads of trees, deserves infinite credit. It only wants to be 

 known, in order to be approved ; and we are happy to see 

 It gro\ving into universal practice."! 



* Rur. Ornam. Vol. I. p. 43. f Ibid. 



