THE ARBORETUM. 



585 



point of view, trees so arranged never can 

 produce a pleasing effect. In nursery 

 establishments, and strictly botanical gar- 

 dens, this adherence to systematic arrange- 

 ment is all very well, as the chief object 

 in the former case is to obtain, at all 

 times, a supply of grafts or cuttings for 

 the purpose of propagation, which could 

 not be so correctly relied upon, did not 

 sufficiently identified specimens exist in 

 the same grounds ; and hence, having 

 this object in view, the Messrs Loddige, 

 of Hackney, more than half a century 

 ago, established an arboretum, the first 

 founded upon an extensive scale which 

 appeared in Britain. This laudable ex- 

 ample was followed by most of the lead- 

 ing nurserymen in England, and latterly 

 adopted also in Scotland— of which that 

 of Messrs Peter Lawson & Son may be 

 given as a very complete example. In 

 strictly botanical gardens, single speci- 

 mens of the majority of trees are culti- 

 vated for the purpose of botanical study ; 

 but the narrow limits to which our gar- 

 dens of this description are confined, pre- 

 cludes not only the cultivation of a suffi- 

 cient number of duplicates, but too often 

 does not afford even sufficient space for the 

 true development of individual specimens. 



Some of our public gardens have at- 

 tempted the same thing, with as little 

 effect towards the production of the beau- 

 tiful as those of more limited space and 

 means : we have only to point to Ken- 

 sington Gardens for a corroboration of 

 this assertion. There space, diversity of 

 situation, climate, and a nation's purse, 

 were at command ; and although now 

 planted many years, few strangers passing 

 through the grounds could recognise the 

 existence of an arboretum, were it not 

 that the eye is so offensively arrested at 

 every step with labels, painted white and 

 lettered in black — giving, it is true, the 

 scientific and English name, native coun- 

 try, and date of introduction of each 

 species, but the labels themselves being 

 of such portentous dimensions as to have 

 no proportion to many of the specimens, 

 and forming in the eye of many the chief 

 attraction. We notice this because of 

 the excellent opportunity which has been 

 thrown away of replanting a noble public 

 garden \ which, had it been done upon 

 correct principles, would in after ages 

 have been one of the finest arboretums in 



VOL. I. 



the world. Here there was ample room 

 for displaying good taste, whether the 

 ancient or what is called the modern 

 style were followed ; while, at the same 

 time, all that is required or can be ex- 

 pected from the nomenclature of trees 

 and shrubs would have been as com- 

 pletely secured. Of other public arbore- 

 tums we can speak with as little appro- 

 bation. It is therefore in private parks, 

 and to the good taste of private indivi- 

 duals, that we are to look for any good 

 exemplification of the kind. A taste for 

 the cultivation of new, rare, or ornamental 

 trees has long existed in this country, as 

 the magnificent grounds of Holkham, 

 Sion, Studley, Woburn, Pains-Hill, &c, 

 bear ample testimony. At one of these 

 places do we find a solitary example 

 only existing ; nor do they convey to our 

 mind the idea that they were planted in 

 nursery lines, or stuck into the centre of 

 a flower-plot here, or in a snug sheltered 

 corner there ; they have been planted in 

 numbers, and in general in situations 

 adapted to them, as may be instanced in 

 the fine weeping willows and deciduous 

 Cypresses by the water's edge at Sion, and 

 the groups of cedars of Lebanon on the 

 elevated knolls at Claremont and Pains- 

 Hill. It is quite evident that no stiff 

 formality or rigid systematic arrangement 

 was thought of by those who planted 

 them, and hence they now form pro- 

 minent objects in the landscape of the 

 places. But the revival of a taste for 

 the cultivation of new and rare orna- 

 mental trees and shrubs has now taken 

 place, for which we are indebted greatly 

 to the late Messrs G. and W. Loddige, 

 as commercial growers, and to the noble 

 encouragement given by the late Duke 

 of Bedford and others, as well as to the 

 energy shown by the London Horticul- 

 tural Society in procuring seeds from all 

 parts of the world. Many specimens, 

 it is true, were for some years rare and 

 difficult to obtain, and this probably led 

 to the dotting system of planting solitary 

 specimens as they could be procured. 

 .The case, however, is now very different; 

 and as abundance of most species can be 

 had in even the majority of provincial 

 nurseries, we see no good reason why 

 they should be so sparingly scattered 

 over the home grounds, and often con- 

 fined to the precincts of the flower-gar- 



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