ON WOOD AND PLANTATIONS. 
69 
ment of trees on their margins, or adjacent to them, made the 
most interesting and pleasing portions of the residence. 
In Geometric gardening, trees disposed in formal lines, ex- 
hibit as strongly art, or design, in the contriver, as regular 
architectural edifices ; while, in a more elevated and enlight- 
ened taste, we are able to dispose them in our pleasure-grounds 
and parks, around our houses, in all the variety of groups, 
masses, thicket, and single trees, in such a manner as to rival 
the most beautiful scenery of general nature ; producing 
a portion of landscape, which unites with all the comforts 
and conveniences of rural habitation, the superiour charm of 
refined arrangement, and natural beauty of expression. 
If it were necessary to present any other inducement to the 
country gentleman to form plantations of trees, than the great 
beauty and value which they add to his estate, we might find 
it in the pleasure which all derive from their cultivation. 
Unlike the pleasure arising from the gratification of our taste 
in architecture, or any other of the arts whose productions are 
offered to us perfect and complete, the satisfaction arising 
from planting and rearing trees is never weakened. “We 
look,” says a writer, “ upon our trees as our offspring ; and 
nothing of inanimate nature can be more gratifying than to 
see them grow and prosper under our care and attention, — 
nothing more interesting than to examine their progress, and 
mark their several peculiarities. In their progress from plants 
to trees, they every year unfold new and characteristic marks 
of their ultimate beauty, which not only compensate for past 
cares and troubles, but like the returns of gratitude, raise a 
most delightful train of sensations in the mind ; so innocent 
and rational, that they may justly rank with the most exqui- 
site of human enjoyments.” 
