PLANTING AN ARBORETUM. 



825 



breadth, to allow the distinctive characters of the 

 groups to be perceptible. The distance or proximity of 

 the groups — in other words, the breadths of the 

 lawns — are to be regulated according to the closer or 

 more remote characters of the prevailing affinities. 



It is only in the botanic garden, in the public park, 

 or in private grounds where botanical characters are 

 in high consideration, that an arboretum, in its full 

 extent, can be arranged on strictly scientific principles. 

 Even in these the system can be carried out with rigid 

 precision only at the expense of some baldness, and 

 with no small allowance of the dotting nuisance. For 

 the sake of public instruction, or for other purposes, a 

 very complete collection may be desirable' — the larger 

 the better, we would say ; bnt as no eye can possibly 

 command 2500 trees and shrubs ac once, we should 

 be disposed to recommend the free use of those tall 

 and conspicuous genera and sjjecies which are natu- 

 rally fitted to harmonize the more discordant elements 

 of the scenery. It must be remembered that in every 

 collection of trees there are a variety of considerations 

 which, must be taken into account, particularly in con- 

 nection with private residences. There is the interest 

 arising from the rarity of the species and the com- 

 pleteness of the assemblage — qualities that will have 

 preponderating weight where botanical partialities are 

 strong. There is the satisfaction derived from contem- 

 plating the beauty and magnitude of particular speci- 

 mens of trees; and that will be chiefly affected by the 

 lovers of arboriculture in itself. And the student of 

 jthe picturesque will be attracted by the peculiar phys- 

 iognomy of uncommon plants and by the scenic effect 

 of the whole. Some of these features of an arboretum, 



