70 



PARKS AND PLEASURE-GROUNDS. 



desert ; but there is probably always^ even in tbe case 

 of tbe palm-trees^ a mental reference to existing accom- 

 paniments^ perceived or imagined. In landscape gar- 

 dening, a group, tbongb apparently detached, is uniformly 

 part of a whole. It remains to be added, that groups 

 are either simple or composite : simple, when they are 

 made up of single objects, such as trees or statues; 

 composite, when they are formed of simple groups, or 

 of the other more condensed and extended bodies of 

 trees, which we now proceed to mention. A Clump is 

 a group considerably increased in the number and 

 density of its component parts, without any apparent 

 internal arrangement, but with a definite figure and 

 decided outline. A clump of trees may be called a 

 small wood. Viewed at a moderate distance, the form 

 of that half of it which is next the spectator can be 

 taken in at once by the eye^. A Mass of wood is 

 hardly a technical term, but yet a very convenient one. 

 It denotes a large body of growing timber, exhibiting an 

 apparent continuity of boughs and foliage, and of such 

 depth that the horizontal light cannot be seen through 

 the stems of the trees. That portion of an extensive 

 plantation or forest which is visible at once, may be 



* Lexicographers inform us that the word chomp was originally 

 written and they adduce as examples, a plump of trees, 



of horse, of fowls, etc. Near the begianing of ' Marmion,' Sir 

 Walter Scott, imitating an old hallad, employs the expression, 

 " a plump of spears," and adds ia a note : " This word properly 

 apphes to a flight of water-fowl, hut is apphed by analogy to a 

 body of horse." From certain analogies in words derived from 

 the Anglo-Saxon, it would seem that cliimp and lump are nearly 

 aUied, if not identical : and it must be owned that a lump of trees 

 is a phrase not a httle descriptive of many clumps to be found in 

 parks and pleasure-grounds. 



