66 



PARKS AND PLEASTIRE-GROITNDS, 



Planting in the Parh. — Planting is the principal means 

 of ornamenting tlie park; and accordingly trees and 

 shrubs are the chief materials with which the designer 

 has to operate. On the presence or absence of these, 

 and on their dne arrangement and distribution, will 

 depend the superiority which the lands of the park, thns 

 adorned, will have over lands of a similar character and 

 extent, but occupied simply as pastures. This diflference 

 may be small at first, but it will be rapidly developed by 

 the yearly growth of the trees. In this department of 

 planting, various objects are to be kept in view. Shelter 

 may be necessary in particular quarters ; seclusion, also, 

 is requisite. But the principal aim which the ornamental 

 planter has to keep in view is, of course, scenic beauty. 

 To attain this end, particular attention must be given to 

 the nature of the surfaces which are to be planted; and of 

 these we shall now proceed to speak. 



Surfaces to be Planted. — Of these we may remark gene- 

 rally that their exact nature should be carefully ascer- 

 tained, their present and possible future physiognomy 

 should be attentively studied, and the amount and distri- 

 bution of the planting should be determined accord- 

 ingly. The planter wiU endeavom' to bring out the 

 beauty which intrinsically belongs to the peculiar situa- 

 tion or may be ehcited from it. At the same time, he 

 will take care not to shut out whatever is picturesque in 

 the surrounding country from the principal points of 

 view. We have already said that a flat surface is the 

 least propitious to pictorial effect ; still, by skilful 

 management a certain amount of it may be accom- 

 plished, or, at least, a great improvement may be made 

 on a bald and uninteresting locality. On such ground 

 the artist will have to depend on his own power of 



