THE SHRUBBERY. 115 



of native scenery to the culture and cherishing our native 

 American Flora. This method will at once create a taste 

 for cultivating native plants and flowers, and facilitate a prac- 

 tical knowledge of their habits and location, in a natural 

 state. The most pleasant associations that my early days 

 ever have and ever will hold in recollection, are in the stray- 

 ing in search of native plants for my little parterre ; each 

 succession of flowers, from the primrose to the fall flowers, 

 were eagerly collected, with sisters and brothers in infantile 

 unison ; and I am certain that when the youthful mind is 

 thus employed, it imbibes the most noble principles it is 

 capable of comprehending. 



I recommend that shrubbery be more frequently planted 

 on the margins of lawns, the outsides of the flower garden, 

 and for clumps on extensive grass plats, to give a variety ; 

 and indeed in all kinds of foregrounds and side entrances of 

 almost any denomination. To residences on the main road 

 and in the immediate vicinity of cities, shrubbery can with 

 every propriety be introduced on the side wings of the lawn 

 and carriage roads ; and in many cases, if a belt or border 

 of some six or eight feet wide of shrubbery were planted in 

 front next to the road that passes such places, it would add 

 much to the beauty and value of the property. In many 

 places of this description the front entrances are planted 

 altogether with forest trees, as the balsam fir, sugar maple, 

 horse chestnut, ailanthus, catalpa, and similar tall growing 

 kinds, which when grown to the full size, give a very 

 heavy and gloomy appearance, where a lively variation should 

 have the preference. There can be no objection, however, 

 to a few ornamental trees being planted in front of such 

 houses, or even mingled with the shrubbery, and particularly 

 if so managed as to form a screen or outline to protect the 

 building from the cold winds : trees so situated serve the 

 double purpose of shelter and ornament. In planting shrubs 

 of every denomination, the general rule should be, to place 

 the plants so that their habit and appearance will be really 



