CULTURE OF THE YELLOW LOCUST. 
143 
" A house is an artificial object, and the scenery around it must in some degree 
partake of art. Propriety requires it ; convenience demands it. But if it partake 
of art as allied to the mansion, it should also partake of nature as allied to the 
country. It has, therefore, two characters to support ; and may be considered as 
the connecting- thread between the regularity of the house and the freedom of the 
natural scene." " The embellished scene has beauties peculiar to itself; and if it 
astonish us not with grandeur and sublimity, it pleases with symmetry and elegance. 
As we seek among- the wild works of nature for the sublime, we seek here for the 
beautiful ; and we still lament that this beautiful mode of composition is oftener 
aimed at than attained. Its double alliance with art and nature is rarely observed 
with perfect impartiality." (Forest Scenery, p. 15, and pp. 8 and 9.) 
Like all the fine arts, gardening- has at different periods been practised in par- 
ticular styles ; all as markedly disting-uished for their several peculiarities as the 
Egyptian, Grecian, Roman, and Gothic styles of architecture ; or the Italian or 
Flemish styles of painting ; and as every such style must, more or less, have had 
its foundation in human nature, having the prevalent and acquired taste grafted 
upon and intermingled with the innate principles of taste ; — an important basis 
overlooked by Alison and the Association school, with their partial and imperfect 
views of human feelings — the several styles may all furnish important hints to the 
ingenious, in the laying out and the disposition of their gardens. 
CULTURE OF THE YELLOW LOCUST. 
The Robinia pseudo-acacia, or Yellow Locust Tree, is superior to any other 
kind of wood for ship trunnels, mill cogs, and fence posts, as well as for various 
other purposes. Its culture is very easy, and it may be propagated in great 
abundance, by sowing the seed in March or April, in a bed of good sandy loam, 
which is its favourite soil, and covering half an inch deep. Previous to sowing, 
put the seeds in a basin, pour in scalding water, and let them stand all night ; pick 
out such seeds as are swollen, and plant them immediately ; next evening repeat 
the same process with such as have not swollen the first night, mix the whole and 
sow them ; they will come up in the course of the following month numerously ; 
for no seeds grow more freely, notwithstanding what has been said to the contrary. 
When a year old, transplant them out of the seed-bed into nursery rows, four feet 
distant, and plant from plant one foot in the row. Having two or three years' 
growth in these rows, they may be planted successfully in any warm and tolerably 
rich sandy ground. They may also be propagated by suckers, which they throw 
up abundantly, especially if some of the wide extending roots be cut through with 
an axe. An acre of these trees planted two feet distant each way, will contain 
10,890; at three feet distant, 4840; and at four feet distant, 2722; and it is said 
that no appropriation of land is more lucrative than that devoted to this purpose. 
The three-thorned Acacia seed (Gleditschia) should be prepared in the same 
manner. 
