370 Distinguishing Characters of Trees, 



Art. VI. On the distinguishing Characters of Trees, considered 

 voith regard to Landscape-Gardening. By Mr. T. Rutger. 



Your correspondent, " A Landscape-Gardener," has well 

 said, in your Magazine (IV. 475.), that, in planting, " the dis- 

 tinguishing character of trees should be well studied." Indeed, 

 without this, whatever a man's pretensions may be to landscape- 

 gardening, his works will present a thousand defects to the eye 

 of the connoisseur, who expects in them harmony of design and 

 striking effects. 



In order to simplify and assist the young and inexperienced 

 in this department of the art of gardening, would not a kind of 

 classification of the foliage of trees and shrubs be of service, to 

 point out to him the proportionate value of each, according to 

 its situation, in ornamental scenery ? The same question may 

 also be asked with regard to the ramifications of trees ; some 

 of which, when in a state of maturity, and in their decline, are 

 far more picturesque than others. Among our deciduous trees, 

 of English growth, the " monarch of the wood," the oak, may, 

 I think, claim the precedence, both for its foliage and ramifi- 

 cations ; and, perhaps, the elm may be considered the next 

 in which both are combined, though in a less degree of 

 pictorial beauty. The Spanish or sweet chestnut claims high 

 regard with respect to its foliage ; whilst the lime, with its pen- 

 dulous branches, forms a beautiful cone of lively green from the 

 ground to its summit. The horsechestnut, scattered here and 

 there among other trees, produces a good effect, particularly 

 when in bloom : as a lawn plant, it is too stiff and lumpish 

 in its appearance, and should be but sparingly introduced ; 

 whilst the planes, both occidental and oriental, are valuable for 

 the lawn, and equally so in masses mixed with other trees. The 

 ash may, I think, be considered as possessing few claims for 

 introduction into ornamental scenery, and therefore should be the 

 less employed by the landscape-gardener ; whilst the beech, in 

 many instances, may be planted with advantage. The effects of 

 the Lombardy poplar are so judiciously shadowed forth in this 

 Magazine, by your correspondent Mr. J. Thompson (I. 16.), in 

 an article well worth the attention of those who may wish to 

 make use of this poplar advantageously, that I need not enlarge 

 upon it; and the weeping willow, which is made the almost 

 constant companion of the river, lake, and waterfall, will always 

 be admired in proportion to its adaptation for the place assigned 

 to it. 



Among the resinous tribe, the Scotch pine and the cedar of 

 Lebanon may be taken into primary account with regard to 

 their ramifications; and the latter in its foliage is seldom if ever 

 surpassed, particularly when it is planted in a soil congenial to 



