24<4' Preference for Scotch Gardeners. 



which fell athwart the road or path. To those who have been 

 in forests, or have seen accurate delineations of them from 

 nature, the alternations of light and shade in irregular masses 

 is, I think, well known to augment to the eye (for I think it after 

 all a deception) the actual distance of objects situated on the 

 horizon. This appears well known to artists, who certainly 

 employ a breadth of light or shade in their paintings which 

 imparts the appearance of extent to the view portrayed ; or at 

 least mainly contributes to the production of such an effect. At 

 the same time, detached shadows render the picture " spotty," 

 and less extensive. 



I shall, however, probably be told that a continuous line gives 

 a greater idea of length, than one which is broken by any object 

 or objects as shadows; and that a lady who wears a gown with a 

 striped pattern lengthwise will look taller than if the pattern 

 were made to go crosswise or round the person. But I believe 

 that the eye rests upon each shadow, lingers upon each in going 

 round it or tracing its outline, and consequently does not so 

 soon reach the horizon ; the idea of extent being created by 

 the time occupied by the eye in going over the whole. 



What I state is, I think, most applicable to length : so, in a 

 glen, for instance, dark masses of shade alternating with the rich 

 glow of a sunset give, I cannot help thinking, a greater extent 

 of scenery, as it were, to the eye. Remove the bounding 

 objects, the hills, and I think this effect will be materially di- 

 minished. I think also that this appearance of increase of surface 

 is somewhat more evident in positions where the eye has to be 

 elevated a little to gain the horizon. Need I allude to a similar 

 effect produced on scenery by the lengthening shades of 

 evening : — 



" Majoresque cadunt altis de montibus umbrae.'' 



Virgil. Eel. 1. vei*. 84. 



The lofty mountains throw a larger shade. 

 Watford, March, 1840. 



Art. IV. On the Preference for Scotch Gardeners. By J. Wighton, 

 Gardener to the Earl of Stafford, Cossey Hall. 



Scotch gardeners are often preferred in England, as if they 

 had a better knowledge of their profession than English gar- 

 deners. As gardening is certainly as well understood in Eng- 

 gland as it is in Scotland, it may be worth while to enquire into 

 the cause of this preference; and also the reason why so few 

 young men in England, after serving a regular apprenticeship 

 as gardeners, ever arrive at the head of their profession. They 

 remain only a step above a common labourer, and seldom re- 

 move from the place of their birth ; while most young men who 



