LANDSCAPE FORESTRY 245 



appearance, but they are far too heavy and dull for beauty or 

 tasteful effect. When consisting of the dwarfer and choicer 

 specimens, such as kalmias, berberis, cotoneaster, etc., the 

 above objections do not apply to the same extent, as 

 when planted in twos and threes they do not spread in 

 the same way as rhododendrons, or rise to the height of 

 the laurels. 



An objectionable feature of rhododendrons on sandy or 

 peaty soils is the freedom with which they spread along 

 the surface of the ground, or spring up from seed. In such 

 cases they will, if unchecked, cover acres of ground with a 

 dense and impenetrable growth, through which nothing can 

 force its way. When this occurs, energetic cutting and 

 grubbing must be proceeded with, if the wood is to be saved 

 from becoming entirely blocked up, while all seedlings should 

 be pulled up before getting a firm hold of the ground. 

 Cutting during the summer months is also a good means 

 of weakening their growth, although they are difficult 

 to kill outright, and their stumps are troublesome things to 

 get rid of, even when grubbed. 



One extremely tasteless method of planting shrubs is 

 that of confining them to a strip along each side of a broad 

 ride, and in front of ordinary forest trees. Planted in 

 this way, they tend to dwarf the trees behind them, shut 

 out the view between the trees, and in the course of time 

 acquire the form of an overgrown hedge, which shuts in 

 the ride on both sides and deprives it of all variety and 

 interest. 



The safest plan to adopt, when planting shrubs for 

 ornament, is that of using them sparingly, except where thick 

 growth is wanted for shooting purposes, when compact and 

 close-growing deciduous shrubs, such as spirsea, dogwood, and 

 so on, with an occasional patch of privet, berberis, etc., to 

 give colour during the winter, might be put in at corners and 

 other spots, where they will be effective, without being sombre 

 and heavy, as are laurels and rhododendrons. In planting 

 such corners, however, it is not necessary to crowd everything 

 into one small patch of ground, as is often done. By means 

 of a few outlying clumps, and grouping the different species, 

 these corners may be made as ornamental as they are useful, 



