THE MAGAZINE 



OF 



HORTICULTURE 



MAY, 1850. 



ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 



Art. I. Weeping Trees, as Ornaments of Lawns and 

 Pleasure Grounds. By the Editor. 



Few objects in garden scenery are more universally ad- 

 mired, than drooping trees. Indeed, so general has been this 

 love of pensive forms, that art, though in vain, has been re- 

 sorted to, to possess those of Aveeping habit. Neither are 

 any more in harmony with the smoothness and verdure of 

 the lawn, or the neatness and high keeping of the pleasure 

 ground. Viewed either as isolated objects, when their weep- 

 ing habit is displayed to the best advantage, or in combina- 

 tion with groups or masses of other trees, they are equally 

 picturesque and ornamental. We shall not soon forget the 

 peculiar gracefulness and beauty of a weeping beech, which 

 we saw at Dalkeith, during our visit to Edinburgh, and of 

 which we have given a full account, (Vol. XII., p. 207,) or 

 the picturesque form of the weeping ash, at Chatsworth, re- 

 moved many miles, at a great expense ; or even the weeping 

 elm, in the cemetery at Liverpool, where its drooping boughs, 

 and masses of large deep green foliage, made it one of 

 the most interesting and desirable trees. 



So great has been the desire to augment the number of 

 weeping trees, — but a few years since, consisting of only 

 the ash, beech, cherry, oak, and a few others, — that nursery- 

 men abroad have made unusual exertions, to select from the 

 millions of seedlings which are annually raised, any which 

 have shown a disposition to assume a drooping habit ; and 

 when it is recollected, that not more than twenty or thirty 



VOL. XVI. NO. V. 25 



