July 12, 1864, ] 



JOURNAL OF HOETICULTTTBE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



31 



want so much regulating outside Cloth of Gold and Aurea 

 floribunda Calceolaria, that if you must use Perilla we would 

 put it in the middle — thus : 13, 16, Perilla, Cloth of Gold ; 

 17, 18, Cerise Unique Geranium (strong plants), Perilla, 

 Aurea floribunda. In 21 we would put Scarlet Geranium 

 instead of the Perilla ; 19 and 20 as stated. Then as you 

 cross 11, 14, and 12, 15, which will do well, and all the better 

 from the above proposed alteration, we would take that 

 crossing as the guide for the other planting ; and we would 

 thus make pairs of 1 and 4, 3 and 6, 7 and 9, 8 and 10 : the 

 last two might have Amaranthus melaneholicus instead of 

 Perilla. By your proposed mode all your edgings of the 

 corner beds would be Perilla, all the outside ones Lobelia. 

 By the proposed plan the inner would be yellow, the outer 

 blue. Even blue is tame against grass. Give rich top- 

 dressing to the Verbenas, and rotten leaf mould to the Cal- 

 ceolarias, firming the soil well.] 



THE WANT OF VARIETY AMONG- TEEES 

 AND SHRUBS IN PLEASURE GROUNDS 



AND ORNAMENTAL PLANTATIONS. 



When we consider the great taste for ornamental garden- 

 ing at the present time, the numerous fine hardy trees and 

 shrubs which are capable of enduring our climate, and the 

 moderate price at which they can be obtained, it is rather 

 strange that the shrubberies and ornamental plantations in 

 very many places of note are still mostly composed of the 

 oldest and commonest kinds of trees and shrubs ; which, 

 with few exceptions, have occupied similar places in our 

 gardens since the days of Philip Miller and Abercrombie. 

 The great lack, however, of variety at the present time in 

 most pleasure grounds and ornamental plantations is per- 

 haps more owing to the generality of planters not knowing 

 the different species and varieties of hardy trees and shrubs 

 that we now possess, and the kinds which are best suited 

 for the purpose. 



One of the principal reasons for planting different kinds 

 of trees and shrubs in a plantation or pleasure ground is to 

 create as much variety as possible in the scenery, by the 

 display of the natural character and outline of the heads of 

 the larger trees at a distance, and the smaller trees and 

 shrubs near at hand ; for the object of variety is not like that 

 of mixture, to puzzle and confound the spectator, but to 

 charm and delight by leading the eye a sort of wanton 

 chase, as Uvedale Price has expressed it, "from one beauty 

 to another; alike, but yet different; — presenting in the 

 detail novelty at every movement, and all parts conspiring 

 to form a beautiful and harmonious whole." Therefore, 

 when trees and shrubs are planted for ornamental purposes 

 in or around the pleasure ground, or near the mansion, 

 they should in all cases present as much variety as possible, 

 so as to make these spots attractive and interesting, more 

 especially as the trees and shrubs planted in such places are 

 for the most part permanent and confined to belts or clumps 

 placed in prominent parts, for the purpose of forming screens, 

 or planted singly for varying the general aspect of the place, 

 or separating one part of the grounds from another. 



Mr. Loudon says, "The first step towards a knowledge 

 and taste for variety is to be able to distinguish variety from 

 mixture," and " that a knowledge of what variety is would 

 lead to an effectual desire to possess it." Now, if, as Mr. 

 Loudon so justly observes, such a desire were applied to the 

 planting of the various hardy trees and shrubs which we 

 now possess, what an amazing increase it would produce in 

 the arborescent riches of country seats as compared with 

 what they now are ; besides, it would lead to the employ- 

 ment of ten times the number of species and varieties of 

 hardy trees and shrubs that is at present grown, and so 

 displace the present meagre, monotonous, thicket-like mix- 

 tures that ladies and gentlemen are now content with in 

 most parts of the country. Again, if all the species and 

 varieties of trees and shrubs which bear the open ah- in this 

 country, and which have any pretence to ornament or dis- 

 tinction, were planted at gentlemen's country seats, what 

 an interest would such places then excite as compared to 

 what they do at present; and all that seems wanting to 

 produce this interest, enjoyment, and commerce is a more 



general knowledge of all the hardy trees and shrubs, their 

 habits, and the sizes which they attain, on the part of those 

 who are entrusted with their selection and planting, and a 

 little more taste, ambition, and a desire to have them pro- 

 perly named by their employers ; for when a large variety 

 of trees and shrubs are properly arranged and named they 

 form a fine contrast, and add greatly to the interest of the 

 place. 



The number of hardy trees and shrubs which we now 

 possess is large and admits of very great choice in the forma- 

 tion of ornamental plantations, where variety always adds 

 both to the attraction and beauty of the place ; for every 

 tree and shrub has its peculiar character. The Lombardy 

 Poplar, for instance, has unity of design and an unsocial 

 habit, which forbids the mingling of its branches with those 

 of other trees ; while the Weeping Ash disobeys the ordinary 

 law of vegetation, and grows downwards. Every tree and 

 shrub, likewise, has its two characters, both of which are 

 natural to it, the one when it grows up in a mass or among 

 others, and the other when it grows singly, with ample 

 room for the extension and development of all its parts. 

 In the former case the stem or stems are mostly straight, 

 and comparatively free from branches near the ground, 

 while in the other the tree extends its branches amply on all 

 sides, and retains them down to the ground. It is, therefore, 

 obvious that plenty of room and pruning are of the greatest 

 importance in the management of ornamental plantations 

 and shrubberies, and quite as requisite as in timber planta- 

 tions. 



In plantations where large and small kinds are inter- 

 mixed, and especially flowering ones, the chief object should 

 always be to show the individual character of each species 

 or variety and the beauty of its blossoms, and for these pur- 

 poses the plants must never be crowded together. Nearly 

 all trees and shrubs are planted as permanent objects, which 

 increase both in size and beauty every year, and when a 

 large assortment of them is introduced and properly arranged 

 in the pleasure ground or ornamental plantation, a succes- 

 sion of changes, not only of foliage and flowers but in the 

 general aspect, takes place nearly all the year round ; for a 

 perceptible change is constantly going on in the plants, 

 caused by then: perpetual progress, not only to maturity, 

 but to dormancy. Such changes are exhibited by the various 

 tints of the young expanding leaves in the spring and the 

 maturer shades of summer, by the various hues assumed by 

 the dying foliage of deciduous kinds in autumn, and by their 

 leafless spray in winter. Every species of tree and shrub has 

 its peculiar habit of growth, tint of colour, and outline, and, 

 consequently, requires sufficient space for the full develop- 

 ment of its characteristics, and if these are not carefully 

 considered at the time of planting an evil is created that 

 frequently is not noticed afterwards until it becomes too late, 

 and the result is either the mutilation or sacrifice of some of 

 the finer specimens, which, if due consideration had been 

 exercised at first, would have been avoided. Nothing can be 

 worse than to see in a pleasure ground two or three nearly 

 full-grown trees of different species and habits with their 

 heads and branches mutilated or interwoven, and destroying 

 the outlines of each other. — George Gordon, A.L.S. 



NEW STRAWBERRIES. 



It is a rule with me, from which I seldom depart, to speak 

 only of good Koses and Strawberries, and say nothing of 

 those which are bad or unsuitable to my locality, especially 

 if they have been kindly sent by the raiser. Moreover, an 

 article may be good elsewhere that is not good here. 



These are very good ; and judging them under unfavour- 

 able circumstances, they may be safely recommended. 



1. The Boyal Hauteois (Eivers), is an immense cropper, 

 and the fruit is very large and delicious. The plant is a 

 hardy hermaphrodite. 



2. Lucas (De Jonghe), derived from La Constante, is 

 excellent, hardier, and a better grower. I do not think, as 

 some do, that it is superior to La Constante, but it is excel- 

 lent, and is a heavy cropper. The fruit is nearly round, and 

 handsome. It is more suitable to different soils and locali- 

 ties. The plant does not burn under a torrid sun, as I have 

 seen La Constante do. It is also a better winterer. 



