216 SLanfcscape Hrcbftecture 



some irregularity ; on many occasions more will not be 

 required. Every variety in the outline of a wood must 

 be a prominence or a recess. Breadth in either is not 

 so important as length to the one and depth to the 

 other. If the former ends in an angle, the latter di- 

 minishes to a point, they have more force than a shal- 

 low dent, or a dwarf excrescence, how wide so ever. 

 They are greater deviations from the continued line 

 which they are intended to break ; and their effect is 

 to enlarge the wood itself, which seems to stretch 

 from the most advanced point, back beyond the most 

 distant to which it retires. The extent of a large 

 wood on a flat, not commanded, can by no circum- 

 stance be so manifestly shown, as by a deep recess; 

 especially if that deep recess winds so as to conceal the 

 extremity and leave the imagination to pursue it." 1 



It is not sufficiently realized by most people, even 

 after hard experience, how difficult it is to grow plants 

 in the shade among the roots of a piece of woodland. 

 It would be easy to mention several trees and shrubs 

 that have the reputation of doing well when planted 

 in the woods, which in the final test generally fail. 

 The presence of freshly cultivated and enriched soil, 

 either on the ground or brought from elsewhere, will 

 greatly encourage the growth of such plants, but to 

 really succeed a great deal of light should be let in, 

 and even under such circumstances too much confidence 

 in the expected good results should not prevail. 



1 Observations on Modern Gardening. 



