ARRANGEMENT OF WOODS IN THE PARK. 



71 



called a mass of wood. In the park^ however^ the 

 masses, generally speaking, are of more limited dimen- 

 sions; yet they are so large, that while the irregularities 

 of outline in the vicinity of the spectator can he per- 

 ceived hy him, the forms of the extremities are distin^ 

 guishable only when viewed from a considerable distance. 

 Masses and clumps may be either enclosed or open : 

 they are generally enclosed. It will be obvious from 

 our definition of a composite group, that the places 

 of the component members may be taken by other 

 groups, and by clumps and even masses; so that we 

 might speak of a group of groups, a group of clumps^ 

 and a group of masses. It wiU tend to clearness, how- 

 ever, if we reserve the term group, at least when unac- 

 companied with quahfication, to denote the smaller and 

 simpler aggregations. In the larger and more composite 

 arrangements we shall prefer the expressions, a system, 

 or combination of clumps or masses. As the word 

 grouping has been extensively used to express the prin- 

 ciples of combination or composition in rural scenery, 

 we shall continue to avail ourselves of it when necessary. 

 It is hoped that, the above explanations being kept in 

 mind, the following remarks will be sufficiently intel- 

 ligible. In carrying out the arrangement of the woods, 

 the designer should begin with forming certain leading 

 systems of masses, to be filled up and completed by 

 secondary and minor combinations, together with the 

 necessary clumps or groups of scattered trees. For the 

 principal masses a few leading positions should be 

 selected. The house and pleasure-grounds should be 

 included in one; a hill, or rising ground, or rounded 

 eminence, may form the centre of a second or third; 

 while the boundary of the park towards the home farm 



