in Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park. 133 



a considerable portion of the air and light which are essential to their growth. 

 There never was a plantation less in want of shelter and protection than that 

 to which we allude, east of the Victoria Gate. Independently altogether of 

 the excellence of the soil and climate, it is sheltered on the west by the high 

 trees of Kensington Gardens, and on the north not only by a narrow strip of 

 trees, of from 20 to 30 years' growth, close to it, but by a lofty range of build- 

 ings (Hyde Park Gardens) at 200 ft. distance. Shelter, however, is no more 

 required for these trees than if they had been planted in St. Paul's Church- 

 yard ; and, as we shall hereafter show, it can only do them harm : indeed, it 

 may be safely asserted, that in no part of the vale of London can any hardy 

 forest tree require artificial shelter, at any period of its growth. 



The main object of all these plantations can only be to produce ultimately 

 a few single trees, with the exception of one mass at the Cumberland Gate, 

 which, we have been informed, is intended to direct pedestrians along the 

 newly formed gravel path there, leading across the park. This object, we 

 contend, might have been effected by single trees; or, supposing that this 

 could not have been done, then we contend that the remedy is much worse 

 than the disease. But why should not a few iron hurdles be sufficient for the 

 object in view here, as it is in every gentleman's park, and as it is in Ken- 

 sington Gardens ? Of all the deformities in the way of new plantations put 

 down in the Park, this, in our opinion, is decidedly the greatest. If it is 

 suffered to remain, it will, in three or four years, completely spoil the view on 

 entering the Park by the Cumberland Gate, by destroying all breadth -of effect, 

 by shutting out the whole of that fine expanse of turf which constitutes the 

 middle distance, and by completely excluding the Surrey hills and other 

 objects which now form the background. This is a subject that may be 

 readily judged of by any person accustomed to sketch landscape ; and those 

 who doubt the validity of our opinion on this point have only to ask that of 

 any landscape-painter. 



Supposing that the object of the other plantations is that of producing 

 ultimately a few scattered trees and small groups, we contend that these may 

 be produced much sooner, much more effectually, at much less expense, and 

 with much less deformity in the meantime, by planting them at once where 

 they are finally to remain, instead of surrounding them by other trees in 

 masses or belts. We shall now briefly state our reasons for entertaining this 

 opinion. 



Much sooner. Having fixed on the situations where the single trees and 

 small groups are to be placed, then, by properly preparing the soil as indicated 

 in Vol. XIII. p. 146. Nos. 3. and 4. ; by the choice of trees with stems from 

 3 in. to Gin. in diameter, and from 15 ft. to 20 It. in height, which have been 

 properly prepared before removal ; by planting them early in autumn ; and by 

 properly protecting them from cattle ; we contend that their growth would be 

 more rapid, than that of any tree in a mass with other trees, and they would 

 attain a greater magnitude. The reason is, because an isolated tree, so treated, 

 has access to a much greater supply of nourishment, of water, of light, of air, 

 and of space for the extension of the roots and top, than where it has to 

 share all these requisites for growth and strength with other trees. 



Much more effectually. A tree which has grown up alone, neither sheltered 

 nor crowded by other trees, adapts its head and its roots to its situation ; and, 

 from being in no respect curtailed of nourishment, &c, it acquires not only a 

 greater bulk of head to produce effect in the landscape, but greater strength 

 to resist storms of wind, or excessive cold, heat, or drought. A tree, on the 

 other hand, that is drawn up in a plantation among other trees, though, in 

 many cases, it may exceed in height a tree which has been grown singly, yet 

 it will invariably be found weaker, less bulky in the head, less strong in the 

 stem, less characteristic of its species, and consequently less handsome, and 

 far less able to resist either high winds, or extremes of cold, heat, or 

 drought. 



At much less expense. This must be sufficiently obvious, because not more 



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