of Kensington Gardens. 147 



will at first form knolls, all of the same height, which will ulti- 

 mately all sink down to the same height, or about the fifth part 

 of the depth of the pit above the general surface. After the 

 earth, with its accession of good soil, is returned to the pit, it 

 should be formed into a flattened cone, with the sides towards 

 the base rather concave than convex, in order that they may join 

 easily into the general surface. The soil not returned to the pits 

 may be used for filling up inequalities in different parts of the 

 grounds ; or, where it is chiefly gravel, it may be screened for 

 supplying stones for mulching the trees to be planted. On the 

 centre of the flattened cone, in a shallow basin of 3 ft. in di- 

 ameter, the tree ought to be planted, watered, and mulched with 

 small stones, or chopped turf. The hill, or cone, should be 

 sloped down all round, and sown with grass seeds ; among 

 which, however, there ought to be no seeds of clover, or of any 

 taprooted plants. In a very few years, hills of this kind will 

 sink down so as to leave their apex, on which the tree is planted, 

 not more than 1 8 in. higher than the general surface ; and in 

 ten years, not above half that height ; in consequence of which 

 every tree will rise out of a gently elevated base, as trees are 

 found to do that have sprung up naturally on open commons, 

 from the rising and swelling of the collar ; and, indeed, as all 

 trees whatever do that look well; there being no such thing, 

 either in natui'e or in refined art, as the shaft of a tree rising 

 abruptly out of a flat surface, and appearing no thicker at its 

 base than it is higher up. Such trees are, however, very com- 

 mon in pleasure-grounds, from the neglect of keeping their roots 

 considerably higher than the general surface, at the time of 

 planting. Wherever a tree is planted in a pit that has been 

 dug 3 ft. or 4 ft. deep, or even half as much, and, after planting, 

 and even watering and treading the ground about it, has been 

 brought to a level ; in a few years afterwards, by the sinking of 

 the soil of the pit, the stem of the tree will stand in a hollow. 

 As this hollow, at least in all ornamental grounds, will be filled 

 up from time to time by the gardener, the result is, that, in a 

 few years, the collar of the tree, instead of being above the 

 surface rather than under it, is buried in firm soil to the depth 

 of 5 in. or 6 in., or perhaps a foot. This greatly retards the 

 growth of all trees whatever, and occasions the death of many 

 kinds ; for example, the pine and fir tribe. It has, also, the un- 

 natural revolting appearance above mentioned. It is always 

 better to plant a tree so high, that, after the ground on which it 

 is planted has become consolidated by time, the knoll should re- 

 quire lowering by scraping away some soil from the collar of the 

 tree, so as to leave a portion of the main roots bare, than that 

 it should require raising by adding soil there. This important 

 point ought never to be lost sight of by planters, and especially 



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