156 



are graLliially approaching to a state utterly hopeless and 

 irremediable. — I fear that my worthy friend is not a solitary 

 instance of want of skill, or rather want of resolution, in con- 

 ducting this important department. 



Having said so much about trees, it may be proper, in this 

 place, to add a few observations on the selection of subjects 

 for underwood. Copse or underwood for removal is of two 

 kinds: the one is that intended to mass up with grove- 

 wood, and to form close and mixed plantations: the other 

 is what is meant as subjects for bush-planting in the park. 

 Of the properties which the former sort should possess, little 

 need be said, as it is evident, that they may be all quite 

 properly of the non-protecting description, and that any other 

 sort of plants would be thrown away upon it. Of the latter 

 kind it is equally plain, that it must have properties suited to 

 exposures, although not in the same degree as trees ; be- 

 cause trees, on account of their height, and other circum- 

 stances, can less easily withstand the elements. 



As to bush-planting in the park or open field, it seems to 

 be something new, both in the conception, and the execu- 

 tion. Mr. Pontey speaks of the thing in his late useful 

 treatise on laying-out grounds, but he justly doubts the 

 possibility of protecting such underwood as he recommends 

 for the purpose, until it get to a proper size. It is extremely 

 difficulty and in a park where deer, black cattle, or horses 

 are kept, probably impossible, to succeed in bush-planting, 

 whatever may be thought, by those who have never made 

 the experiment, on the perusal of Mr. Pontey's late work.* 

 Even with sheep as the only stock, the mmierous small and 

 dotted clumps, of only a few yards square, and fenced with 

 wire, such as he proposes, must be ten times more offensive 

 to the fastidiousness of modern taste, than the unfortunate 

 clumps of brown, which were gigantic in comparison, if the 



* Rural Improver, pp. 149, 253, et. seq. 



