THE BOX. 



175 



but, however the father of the modern art may 

 be surpassed in skill, it is next to impossible for 

 any one to excel him in excellence of design. 



Owing to the numerous illustrated works now 

 almost daily issuing from the press, the number 

 of artists in this Kne has greatly augmented, 

 and Box-wood has proportionately increased in 

 price. 



In 1815, the trees which were cut down on 

 Box-hill produced upwards of £10,000. A great 

 deal of that imported from Turkey, Odessa, and 

 other places is inapplicable to the purposes of the 

 wood-engraver ; nevertheless, in London alone, as 

 much is annually consumed in vrorks of art as 

 amounts to many thousands of pounds. 



There are, besides the Tree-Box, two varieties 

 of Dwarf -Box, which were fonnerly much em- 

 ployed in forming patterns in flower-gardens^ 

 imitating the designs of embroidery. This fashion 

 is now quite gone out, having, like topiary-work, 

 given place to the much more rational taste of 

 cultivating various exotic plants ; but representa- 

 tions of quaintly figured gardens may yet be seen 

 in old engravings. Dwarf-Box is now only 

 planted as an edging to garden-beds, for which 

 its low vriry habit well adapts it, preventing the 

 loose earth from falling into the path, without 

 rising high enough to shade the plants in its 

 neighbourhood, or affording a secure refuge for 

 vermin. It may be propagated by dividing the 

 roots, or by planting cuttings in autumn. The 

 best time for clipping Box is in June, when 

 the new" shoots soon obliterate all traces of the 

 shears. 



