SURFACES TO BE PLANTED. 



67 



grouping togetlier tlie masses of wood which he may 

 deem necessary for the purposes of decoration; and 

 though he cannot avail himself of any swell of the 

 ground to add variety to the scene, he will have the 

 satisfaction of knowing that the outlines of his planta- 

 tions, clumps, etc., are perfectly at his command, and 

 that their effect cannot be diminished by any twist or 

 contortion of surface — a difficulty of not unfrequent 

 occurrence in other cases. Deprived of any advantage 

 wliich may be derived from undulations calculated to 

 heighten the effect of a plantation or to relieve the 

 defects of an outline, he will have to create a piece of 

 scenery which should be complete in itself, and should 

 form a graceful and harmonious whole. The disposition 

 of the woods should be such as to make up a variety of 

 ax^parently connected, yet diversified, scenes, of consider- 

 able length and breadth within the park. It is of great 

 practical moment to remark, that to accomplish this, 

 less planting will be required on a flat than on any other 

 surface. The open spaces should be roomy, the glades 

 wide and sunny, and the whole expression of the pla<5e 

 should, so far as is possible, be hght and airy. In an 

 undulating or hilly country, the woods ought rather to 

 occupy the sides of the hills or rising grounds than the 

 intervening vaUeys or hollows. In this way the woods 

 are seen to greater advantage, and they tend to increase 

 the height of the eminences on which they are placed, 

 and proportionally to deepen the grounds below them. 

 When the valleys or depressions of a park are aU planted 

 up, as they too often are, the necessary result is the con- 

 cealment of the natural inequalities of the ground and 

 the production of a dull uniformity. Of course, while 

 recommending the planting of wood on the higher posi- 



