54 



PARKS AND PLEASIJEE -GROUNDS. 



can be collected from the sea-shore or the bed of a river. 

 How such conglonierations should have ever been ima- 

 gined to be like actual rocks, it is difficult to imagirie. 

 The slag of glasshouses and the scorise of blast furnaces 

 may be described to be materials quite detestable — ugly 

 in themselves, and unpropitious to the imhappy plants 

 which grow on them. We would not have a rockwork 

 a sort of out-of-doors mineralogical museum, though 

 some variety of stones is not objectionable. One repre- 

 senting various geological formations is more worthy of 

 approbation, as it may be made interesting and instruc- 

 tive in itself, as well as ornamental to the grounds. If 

 expense is to be incurred, it is better that it should be laid 

 out in this way, than that it should be lavished on the pur- 

 chase or collection of mere curiosities. It may be added, 

 that for the construction of a rockwork even of considerable 

 size a great amount of stones is not necessary. Most of 

 its interior may be of earth ; and to produce a sufiicient 

 illusion it may be enough to stud some portions of the 

 surface with stones. In a few years the growth of 

 plants and low sln-ubs placed on it will conceal apparent 

 defects. 



Shelter of the Flower Garden. — It has already been 

 remarked that to the flower-garden proper shelter is 

 indispensable. In providing this needful protection, most 

 people plant an indiscriminate mass of trees and shrubs, 

 without regard to individual eflPect or botanical classifica- 

 tion. We humbly think that this is the part of the 

 ground, in which something Hke a scientific character in 

 the disposition of the trees and shrubs is most suitable. 

 Without carrying this to such pedantic extremes as some 

 do, we should be inclined to arrange the trees mostly 

 according to their genera and natural orders. Beginning 



