508 



APPENDIX. 



only one transplanted tree which appeared to have died, the others 

 being all, to the number of many hundreds, in uncommon strength and 

 vigour — those planted within the year only differing from the others in 

 the smallness of their leaves, but exhibiting no symptoms of decay, 

 either in bark or twig. The committee further beg to report, that if 

 dead trees had been purposely removed out of the way, the operation 

 could not, they think, have been so effectually done, but that vestiges 

 of it would have been visible. Sir Henry supposes there may, in 

 general, be a failure of one in forty ^ or five-and-forty . But doubtless, 

 such complete success could not be attained in the first instance, till 

 the planter had acquired a great degree of skill and experience, both 

 as to the choice of the subjects, and the mode of carrying through 

 the operation. 



Upon the expense of the process, by which so pleasing and wonderful 

 a change upon the face of nature is effected with so much comparative 

 rapidity, the committee are not qualified to speak with precision ; for 

 the season at which they visited AUanton House, though the best 

 adapted for seeing the effects of the operation, was not suited to the 

 witnessing of the operation itself In general, they beg leave to observe, 

 that the removal of large trees must be considered as a part of landscape 

 gardening, and belonging, of course, rather to the fine arts, than to 

 those which have utility only for their object ; and therefore the 

 expense must not be weighed so scrupulously, as if a return of actual 

 profit were the end to be obtained. Value, no doubt, every proprietor 

 acquires, when he converts bare and unsightly grounds into a clothed, 

 sheltered, and richly ornamented park. But, excepting in the article of 

 shelter, he must expect no more actual return* for his money, than if 

 he bought a picture on canvass, instead of creating an original. When 

 the difficulty of the task, which had hitherto amounted to an impossi- 

 bility, is duly considered, with the extreme beauty of the effects pro- 

 duced, it cannot be thought extravagant that the planting of grove and 

 copse wood on the two acres already mentioned, should amount (as ap- 

 pears from Sir Henry's memoranda) to about £'80 per acre. On the 

 contrary, the committee believe, that no visible change on the appear- 

 ance of nature, however trivial in comparison, could have been effected 

 by the landscape gardener in any other manner, under three times the 

 sum. 



* There is another species of " actual return," besides shelter, which does 

 not seem to have occuiTed to the committee, and that is, the surprising 

 augmentation of the xalue of the pasture, to a considerable extent, proceeduig 

 from the manuring and pulverising of the soil round the trees, at the time of 

 planting. See Note II. at page 451, ante. 



