118 Grouping Trees in Parks and Pleasure-Grounds. 



think the contrary : to test the thing, I gave a squirrel a dead swallow, and he 

 soon devoured it. I repeated this with other birds, and the same thing always 

 happened. Mr. Waterton can hardly object to what I have just stated, as he 

 did to Mr. Coward, viz. " You cannot judge of the real habits of an animal 

 when it is in confinement;" for the squirrel in question was but a few days 

 before a free denizen of the wood, and was well supplied with his favourite 

 kind of food at the time he eat the birds. This squirrel soon got tame ; also 

 a female, which brought forth three young ones. This gave me an opportunity 

 of observing their habits when young. At first they were helpless ugly crea- 

 tures, blind four weeks and some days, and it was three weeks more before 

 they began to frisk about. The nest was of loose construction, but soft and 

 warm within, similar to those on trees, having an entrance in the side. 

 Perhaps the reader is not aware that, when a squirrel's nest is disturbed, the 

 mother will carry oiF the young to another one for safety : if once the hand 

 has been in the nest, it is quite enough ; it is of little use to leave the young 

 until they get more advanced in growth, for they are sure to be gone. I may 

 mention a very simple plan to catch squirrels, when they happen to be on 

 detached trees. Put a small wire noose on the end of a long pole like a 

 fishing-rod; ascend the tree leaving a few gaping folks below, to prevent the 

 descent of the squirrel ; with a deal of manoeuvring try and put the noose over 

 his head, and pull him gently down. Whoever is to get hold of him ought to 

 be well provided with good gloves, otherwise he may have to repent of acting 

 Jack Catch upon Mr. Squirrel. Perhaps Mr. Waterton may consider that I 

 " deserve a birch rod" for what I have said, as he thought the Wiltshire shep- 

 herds did who backed Mr. Coward in his belief of the carnivorous pro- 

 pensities of the squirrel ; if so, I can only say what I have stated is correct. 

 Cosset/ Gardens, Jan. 3. 1843. 



Art. VIIL On Grouping Trees in Parks and Pleasure- Groimds. 

 By R. Errington. 



Groups of trees, of considerable size, it is well known, are often planted in 

 park and other open scenery, yet seldom have I seen it performed in a satis- 

 factory way. I have noticed attempts of this kind, in which the trees being 

 all of a size, and planted in the most circumspect way, at measured distances, 

 would have led one to suspect they had been planned and planted by the 

 carpenter. 



No one, in my opinion, can plant a group of trees of considerable size, for 

 immediate effect, without in the first place having a variety of heights disposed 

 in a somewhat irregular way. Thick planting also must be had recourse to in 

 many instances, or how shall the pendulous inclination of stems or branches 

 be produced that gives graceful outline to the vista ? 



The operator in this case must set aside the idea of planting for profit, for 

 this is in some degree incompatible with the effect which is sought to be pro- 

 duced. I once saw a park in which grouping with large trees for immediate 

 effect had been attempted to a very great extent, and it was in its results a 

 most miserable failure ; the park was of immense extent, and presented in 

 many places rather agreeable folds of ground, which, although not possessing 

 expression enough for the picturesque, would, by judicious planting, have 

 produced considerable diversity. Groups here and there were attempted of 

 some twenty or thirty trees scattered at about equal distances and of equal 

 heights ; their distance asunder was so considerable, that they could not be 

 said to act in unison in producing effect. Added to this they had been planted 

 without the necessary preparation of making the holes, &c. ; for, the soil being 

 a stiff retentive clay, and withal what is termed technically " thin-skinned," 

 it could not be expected that trees of from 20 ft. to 30 ft. high could flourish 



