( 74 ) 



branches, which are more adapted to what 

 the fhip-builders call knees and elbows^, are 

 commonly twilled into tlie moft pidurefque 

 forms. In general, I believe, the poorer the 

 foil, the more pidurefque the tree — that is, 

 it forms a more beautiful ramification. 



Befides, the New-foreft oak is not fo much 

 loaded with foliage, as the trees of richer 

 foils. An over-loaded foliage deftroys all 

 form. On the other hand, when the leaf 

 is too thinly fcattered, the tree looks blighted, 

 (hrivelled, and meagre. The point of pic- 

 turefque perfed:ion is when the tree has foliage 

 enouorh to form a mafs ; and yet not fo 

 much as to hide the branches. One of the 

 o-reat ornaments of a tree, is it's ramification, 

 which ought to appear, here and there, un- 

 der the foliage, even when it is in full leaf. 

 It is the want of this fpecies of ramifi- 

 cation, which gives a heavinefs to the 

 beech-f*. 



The great avenue from Brokenhurft leads 

 through the fpace of five or fix miles. After 



* See vol. I. page 27. f See vol. I. page 48. 



we 



