668 Arboricultural Notices. 



His book contains a number of designs, some of which are 

 not badly composed, and we have selected that before us, and 

 two or three others to be given in our next volume, as spe- 

 cimens of the style of flower-gardens prevalent both in France 

 and England about the middle of the seventeenth century. There 

 were, at the same time, flower-gardens of embroidery, as appears 

 by the work of Boyceau, Superintendant of the Gardens of 

 Louis XIII., published in 1638. 



The figure before us may either be cut out of turf, or the 

 beds edged with box, and the paths, which are supposed to be 

 3 ft. wide, graveled. The central circle ought to be a basin of 

 water, with a white water-lily in its centre, spreading out its 

 broad leaves to give shade to an abundant supply of gold-fish. 

 The herbaceous plants must be a miscellaneous assemblage ; and 

 there may be, in addition, low plants of variegated box or varie- 

 gated yew, clipped into the form of cones, in the roundish pro- 

 jections at the angles. In the centre of the two rosettes there 

 may be a pyramid of juniper, 1 ft. on the side at the base, and 

 not above 4 ft. high ; and very small plants of variegated 

 Cupressus diyoides may be planted in the centre of the two side 

 roundish projections, and clipped into the form of small globes. 



This was the ancient style of planting such gardens. For the 

 modern manner we refer to Mr. Ayres. 



(To he continued.^ 



Art. VI. Arboricultural Notices. 



The Hatfield Oak (Arb. Brit., vol. iii. p. 1759. fig. 1593.) is universally 

 called theDool Oak [and hence it is supposed that in former times it was used 

 as the baronial gallows], and from its great age it has no doubt a right to the 

 name. — George Chapman. 3. Arundel Street, Strand, Feb. 21. 1843. 



Uses of the Larch. — " We chose a healthy young larch tree, peeled off the 

 outer bark, and then cut the soft inner bark into small pieces, which we 

 boiled, until the surface of the water in the kettle became covered with a 

 resinous scum, which was carefully removed. The broth was then seasoned 

 with salt and pepper, and, in spite of the remaining particles of turpentine, it 

 tasted well and filled the stomach. We took it in moderation, and felt no 

 ill effects from it, &c. 



" It is a great comfort to know, that, though the corn laws may remain, 

 we can defy the monopoly of the huidlords, by having larch soup, and 

 our peck loaves made, as Humboldt advises us, of good fresh sawdust. 

 When the earth is a little more densely inhabited, as in the space of another 

 century or two, men will use trees, not only for shade in summer, and fuel 

 in winter, but for food all the year round. It is some comfort to know that as 

 long as trees exist man cannot perish by famine ; and, when he has eaten 

 what is on his platter, he may finish safely and pleasantly by eating the 

 platter itself, ' patulis nee parcere quadris.' " (Von Wrangell's Expedition to 

 the Polar Sea, as reviewed in Ge7it. Mag. vol. xviii. p. 500.) 



Groiuth of Trees. — A plantation made in 1765, partly on swampy meadow 



