248 
CHOICE OF TREES AND SHRUBS FOR CITIES AND RURAL TOWNS.—NO. 2 . 
and cellar-walls, and robbing the neighboring vege¬ 
tation of its legitimate food, this tree, for general 
purposes of ornament, was very justly condemned. 
Since the last named period, however, from the 
universal prejudice against its culture, the opposite 
Fig. 57. 
extreme has prevailed, and it is feared, that, ten 
years hence, scarcely an individual will be left in 
the country. This is to be regretted, as this poplar 
has a character peculiar to itself, and in certain 
situations it will produce an effect in the landscape 
that cannot be imitated by any other tree, except the 
cypress, or perhaps, in some cases, by the spruce- 
fir. For instance when employed for contrasting 
with round-headed trees, the Lombardy poplar has 
a most pleasing effect. Let us take a belt, or thicket 
of trees, as denoted by fig. 57, and when contem- 
.rC—— 
horizontal lines; but 
as to form a part of 
Fig. 58. 
plated by themselves, they are quite fatiguing to 
the eye from their dull and monotonous appearance, 
although they might be displayed with advantage 
in the foreground of a lofty tower, or the tall spire 
of a church, and perhaps many other objects ; but 
add the poplars, as shown in fig. 58, and immedi¬ 
ately an interest is created, and a character given 
to the group, it did not before possess. For the 
poplars, which are taller than the other trees, are 
so disposed as to break the mass into several groups, 
and, give a new aspect to the whole scene. The 
pointed heads of the poplars also form a pleasing 
contrast with the round heads of other trees, and 
break the too uniform line depicted on the sky, 
while the branches, which 
rise stiffly upwards, contrast 
with, and render more 
graceful, the horizontal, or 
pendent masses of round- 
headed trees. 
It is an established rule in 
the composition of land¬ 
scapes, that all horizontal 
lines should be balanced and 
supported by perpendicular 
ones; and it is allowed by 
all writers on the material 
sublime, that gradually- 
tapering objects, of great 
height, create emotions of 
sublimity. Hence the Lom¬ 
bardy poplar, the cypress, 
and other fastigiate-branch- 
ed trees may be advanta¬ 
geously planted wherever 
there is a continuance of 
they should be so arranged 
those lines, and appear to 
grow out of them, rather than to break or op¬ 
pose them in too abrupt a manner. In the case of 
a bridge, displaying a long and conspicuous hori¬ 
zontal line, the effect is greatly increased by plant¬ 
ing poplars on each side of it, as denoted in fig. 
59. Not only the lines of the bridge are balanced 
and supported by the upright poplars, but length¬ 
ened and pleasing reflections from the water are 
produced; which, breaking the horizontal gleams 
of light, not only afford vari¬ 
ety and richness, but, by in¬ 
creasing the length of the 
perpendicular lines, formed 
by the trees confer a degree 
of sublimity on the picture 
attainable by no other 
means.* Similar effects may 
be produced by planting this 
poplar near the margins of 
lakes or streams, or beyond 
the horizontal lines in forti¬ 
fications, an admirable illus¬ 
tration of which is displayed 
on Governor’s Island, in the 
harbor of New York. 
Another beauty the Lom¬ 
bardy poplar possesses, 
which is almost peculiar to 
itself, is, the waving line it 
forms when agitated by the 
wind. Most other trees, in this respect, are only 
partially moved at the same time, one side being at 
rest, while the other is in motion. But this tree, 
as Gilpin expresses it, “ waves in one single sweep 
from the top to the bottom, like an ostrich-feather 
on a lady’s head.” 
Notwithstanding the suitableness of the Lom- 
* Vide Gardener’s Magazine, i., p. 19 
