420 



JOTJBNAL OF HOBTICULTTJEE AND COTTAGE GABDENEK. 



[ November 16, 1876. 



flowers. I planted a few of each of them last winter and they 

 have proved very ornamental during the past autumn. 



Thus much for the decoration of the bank ; now a word as to 

 the arrangement of the plants. Take care, in the first place, 

 not to plant too many. Give each plant and shrub ample space 

 to develops its full proportions, for much more pleasure is 

 derivable from a few well-grown specimens than from a host 

 of wretched starvelings. Place some of the tall-growing sorts 

 near the top of the bank, and dot the others among the lower- 

 growing kinds as taste or fancy may suggest. If space can 

 be had for a few groups by all means let them be formed, for 

 they will impart character and importance to what may other- 

 wise appear somewhat trivial and insignificant. If the bank 

 comes down to the margin of a walk we may fringe it with 

 very many dwarf plants, such as Moneyworts, several of the 

 Gentians, especially G. acaulis, Cowslips, and all the other 

 hardy Primula tribe. A few Lilies of the Valley, too, may peer 

 out among the foremost shrubs, with tufts of the lovely deep 

 blue Omphalodes vema ; while at other and more open spots 

 Snowdrops, Crocuses, and other bulbous plants may all lend 

 brightness and beauty in their respective seasons. 



Let it be understood that here I have the adornment of 

 small gardens especially in view. In large places such a mixed 

 style of planting would not be followed, except for special 

 purposes ; we would rather clothe the bank with one class, or 

 even one sort only, of some plant or shrub that is striking or 

 agreeable in a large m2ss, such as we find in the Gaultherias, 

 Mahonia aquiio'ia, Cotoneaster microphylla, Osmunds regalia, 

 Vinca major, St. John's-wort, and the Escalloniae. 



If the mixed planting of the bank came down to the margin 

 of a little rill or stream we might impart a novel finish to it 

 by planting Mimulus, Marsh Gentian, Moneywort, and Myo- 

 sotis alongside and in the stream itself, relieving them by 

 such plants of bolder growth as Iris Pseud-acorns, the pink- 

 flowering Bush (Bat-emus umbellatus) , and some of the narrow- 

 leaved Ball Bush. — Edward Luckhubst. 



DECIDUOUS TREES AND SHRUBS.— No. 2. 



Aghictltube and horticulture have appropriated not only all 

 the best land, but nearly all the ground available forprofitable 

 cultivation, leaving only that for the arboriculturist which from 

 difficulty of access or other impediment is impracticable of 

 cultivation or not calculated to prove a profitable investment. 

 It is difficult to account for the antipathy of the agriculturist 

 to trees ; they are neither valued as shelter from cold, nor as 

 affording shade against heat. Nothing pleases him so much 

 as to see the felling of trees. He will not tolerate trees on his 

 farm if he can help it ; and as for having anything growing 

 near his dwelling taller than cereals, it is never thought of but 

 to be avoided. A plantation of trees to him means more " var- 

 mint," less grass, less grain, and smaller profit. Lines of trees 

 as hedgerow timber are certainly not picturesque, but a few 

 trees even in hedges are not undesirable. I know the difficulty 

 of cultivating arable land where trees prevail in the hedgerows, 

 and of the impoverishment of the soil eo far as the roots of the 

 tree3 eztend, and also of the injury to crops by the shade from 

 overhanging branches ; yet with increased size of fields, where 

 two and more have been thrown into one, a few trees might 

 safely be tolerated. Clearly an Oak or an Elm with a dear 

 stem of 10 to 12 feet would not present any serious obstruction 

 to tillage, and such if widely planted at irregular distances 

 would do much to improve the appearance of the district, for 

 even a locality of "high farming " appears sterile when desti- 

 tute of trees. Probably no part of the country is so barren of 

 trees as that through which the Great Northern Bailway runs 

 between Grantham and Hitchin, and yet I greatly doubt if 

 that district is more profitable than others where trees abound 

 in reasonable numbers. Great numbers of trees do not con- 

 tribute to the beauty of the landscape, but in the distance 

 resemble a "wood," — very different from scenery with open 

 gla<5e3 intervening between the masses of trees. 



The! nSux of foreign timber may have done much to dis- 

 courage the planting of trees, for with a depreciation in the 

 value of home-grown timber it is only likely that the estima- 

 tion of trees would be lessened by their proprietor. It costs 

 little to fell trees, and by removing some of the hedgerow 

 timber, especially that overhanging small trees, the land will 

 give an increased produce and bear a higher rent ; but that is 

 not a sufficient reason why all the trees should be cut down. 

 It is difficult to saddle the right horse with what in many 

 instances can only be looked upon as a wanton destruction of 



timber. There is no objection to the application of the axe after 

 a tree becomes of the best value as timber ; to leave it after 

 this is to leave it to decay, but there is no reason whatever in 

 clearing the country of trees and planting none. It is as bad 

 or worse than planting everything and felling nothing ; and 

 though, as a rule, timber should be turned into money when of 

 the most profitable size or age, yet there are trees which from 

 their associations and stateliness have marked for themselves 

 a distinction above their fellows. These have secured such a 

 hold in the estimation of the public as to be almost venerated. 

 In removing trees, therefore, that are at their best, is it not 

 worth while to spare a few of the better specimens for the 

 benefit of present and future generations ? Our historic and 

 ; ancient trees will not endure for ever, and is the present to 

 have all and the future nothing? Spare, then, Eome of the 

 grandest and noblest specimens oi Nature's ornaments. 



I shall not do more than allude to the alleged comparative 

 increased liability to drought from the absence of trees which 

 is found to have resulted in some countries. I do not wish to 

 compare this country with a vast forest, but I am sanguine 

 that the preservation of its natural beauty is not incompatable 

 with a high agricultural cultivation. If it be desirable to fell 

 timber it should be an injunction to plant, not perhaps in the 

 same order so as to impede tillage, but when hedgerow timber 

 is removed what is to hinder a like number of trees being 

 planted in a mass, taking off a portion of land where the fields 

 form angles, and form it into a plantation ? That might to 

 some extent encourage game, but as hare3 and rabbits are 

 being put aside by a majority of sportsmen, there is nothing to 

 apprehend on that head of a character injurious to the agri- 

 cultural interest ; but, on the contrary, an increase of winged 

 game would be valued by almost all landlords and not a few 

 tenants. There iB many a strip of land difficult to work which 

 might advantageously be the site of a plantation. 



I shall now proceed to offer some remarks upon what is often 

 considered a well-wooded country, because every hedgerow is 

 studded with trees, and woods are neither small nor distant. 

 In a majority of eases of an overwooded district the seats of 

 landed proprietors are located. 13 there any beauty in a park 

 studded with trees, which form a "wood" and disguise the 

 mansion ? Trees in such places are not unfrequently in lines 

 over the whole of the surface, and composed of the commonest 

 trees of the country. They have not been retained or planted 

 with a view to displaying them in their greatest beauty, nor 

 for enhancing particular views of the surrounding scenery. 

 Parks thus planted exhibit none of the principles of orna- 

 mental grouping, the effect of the trees being to curtail the ap- 

 pearance of extent from every point of view. 



To improve parks of this character the trees will for the 

 most part need to be removed from the interior, or so as to 

 form glades, having few or no closely-planted masses, retain- 

 ing those near the boundary so as to form backgrounds to the 

 interior. The trees retained should be so disposed as to give 

 the greatest depth of view, and at the same time not show the 

 boundary in the distancs. When the effect of a mass is 

 desired it may be produced on level ground by an open grove 

 of scattered trees. Flat surfaces can only be improved by vary- 

 ing the character of the glades in size and form. Forming 

 glades or vistas would necessitate planting young trees 

 amongst the old, which would add greatly to the variety and 

 beauty of the scenery, remembering to plant at such distances 

 that the trees will shov their natural forms. — G. Abbey. 



SEEDLING BRIARS. 



Is answer to " J. E. B.," I confess that I have not had 

 much to do with Boses worked on this stock except Teas, but 

 I believ9 that the mode of budding them is precisely similar 

 to that of working on the Manetti. The great point in both 

 cases is to work very low — almost on the roots. On the seed- 

 ling Briar I should imagine this is more necessary than on the 

 Manetti. I have just received a quantity of Teas on the seedling 

 Briar from Mr. George Paul, which quite electrify me. I never 

 saw suoh fine roots. I have never tried H.P.s on this stock, 

 but Mr. Beynolds Hole has pronounced it to be the finest of 

 all, and this after a most exhaustive trial. I think " J. E. B.," 

 who lives in the same neighbourhood, cannot do better than 

 consult Mr. Hole. 



My own opinion of the stock is, that it is the grandest of 

 all for Teas and such Boses as Marie Baumann, but judging 

 from experiments tried by my friend "Hercules," I do not 

 think it is so good as the Manetti for the ordinary run of Hybrid 



