384 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
February 16 . 
some useful plants and fruits liavo been cast aside 
because tlieir adopted sponsors bad the imprudence to 
laud them to a degree they did not deserve; however, 
their resuscitation has often been effected through the 
instrumentality of their accusers carrying their malice 
too tar, as well as from the aid of their friends’ good 
word; still, after all that, now and then false ideas will 
| creep in and maintain a place, as it were, backed only 
by the traditionary story which gave them their origin. 
I should think there are no readers, from those just 
i removed from the Primer upwards, but are aware 
how much the Oak has been praised as possessing 
all the qualities in itself which a multitude of other 
trees only contain amongst them. Its general features, 
size, form, foliage, and the manifold uses of its timber, 
has, with other considerations, conspired to render it 
the especial favourite of the poet and naturalist, while a 
i sort of veneration seems to hang over it in the less 
j informed class who are not readers, from the reports 
| they have heard of the useful part it takes, or has taken, 
i in contributing to our national greatness. This feeling, 
| alas! threatens to become an erroneous one, since the 
quantity of home-grown Oak timber, now used in ship 
building, forms but a very small portion of what is used 
in that way; however, we do not attempt to deny it the 
place it has so deservedly attained, neither do I con¬ 
demn it as lacking those points so much insisted on by 
its admirers, but I do condemn those who can see 
neither beauty nor utility in other trees, merely becauso 
they are not Oaks. Now, as all trees are not neces¬ 
sarily wanted for the same purpose, it follows that those 
of other kinds may be equally useful in their respective 
ways as Oaks. Carts, waggons, .and buildings, are 
equally necessary to a comfortable existence as ships, 
and timber to make them must also be had somewhere, 
and the weight of Oak, with some other faults it has, 
renders it not the most prized timber for articles of a 
locomotive Character; however, I will waive this point 
also, and leave the wheelwright and other village me¬ 
chanics to urge their own case with the self-constituted 
patriot who will only plant Oaks on his domain, and 
coniine my remarks to its merits and demerits as a park 
tree for giving effect to the general scenery there. 
I readily grant, that if we take a general survey of 
many domains, or even districts, that the Oaks will be 
found to exercise a wonderful influence in giving these 
districts a character, more so than any other tree planted 
there; however, there are other places where others pre¬ 
dominate, as well by their size and utility as by their 
numbers; aud, moreover, some of them present as fine 
appearances, when we can divest ourselves of the poetic 
feeling the Oak inspires, as does the King of the Forest 
himself. Might I ask, how much does the Beech avenue 
lack in the shape of pictorial beauty? And even as a 
single tree it possesses many of the good qualities 
ascribed to the Oak : its foliage, in summer and autumn, 
presenting as many points to the landscape painter as 
the Oak does, and in wiuter its feathery boughs are no 
; less pleasing. There are many fine Beech avenues 
attached to country mansions, and they are, possibly, as 
much regarded as Oaks would have been in their places, 
j Then we have the Elm, which also makes a fine avenue, 
| growing quicker than either Oaks or Beeches; but it 
j is not so long-lived, only in places where the soil is 
j suitable it gets larger than either the above, and Elm- 
j trees of extraordinary size are not uncommon, while 
■ very large Oaks are not so plentiful; but I cannot say 
that 1 approve of the Elm avenue, and still less of its 
appearance as a single tree;—but it has its merits, and 
deserves attention. 
I' 1 dry situations, in the south of England, tho Sweet 
Cliesnut often forms a pretty object as a park tree, and 
for an avenue, it is, perhaps, not exceeded by any; but 
its timber is not so valuable as Oak, which, in some 
respects, it resembles, as it is liable to splinter when 
sawn up, so that timber-merchants do not like it, although, 
in point of durability, &o., it is fully equal to the Oak ; 
while, for appearance, its glossy green leaves, and its no 
less interesting flower in August, render it very attrac¬ 
tive, and its winter appearance is not bad. 1 believe 
it is longer-lived than the Elm and some other trees; 
but, as 1 say, the timber deteriorates in value just as it 
gets the size that is most wanted for ship-building and 
other .purposes, and this bad property seems to be the 
same on all soils. 
Amongst a host of other trees having expanded tops, 
the Sycamore, Lime, Norway, and Common Maple, have 
all their respective claims, and some planters insist 
much on the merits of the Lime as a park tree or one 
suitable for avenues. Its quick growth certainly entitles 
it to respect, but some of the hard-wooded kinds are 
certainly more appropriate in many points in view. 
The Sycamore is also a quick-growing tree, and far from 
being unsightly, although, in point of interest, it must 
succumb to the Walnut, which is more deserving of 
attention than any of the last-named; while the Horse 
Cliesnut has also its admirers, and as a single tree it is 
excelled by none, but its uses in forming an avenue or 
group is somewhat questionable, and its coarse, rampant 
growth makes its appearance less graceful than many 
other trees; it, however, grows very fast, and if mixed 
with other trees speedily overtops many of them. 
In thus mentioning many of the common trees which 
give effect to our landscape, we must not forget one 
which is but rarely planted, and certainly deserves more 
attention than it receives,—the common Wild Cherry, 
which, when in flower, forms a very pretty object, and 
when not so, its upright growth is not at all ungraceful. 
It certainly looks as well as the Poplars, which are here 
and there admired, but which ought to be sparingly 
introduced into groups or lines in park scenery, but 
they are useful in the continuous belt, where the latter 
is indispensable, because, overtopping everything else, 
they break that monotonous outline the belt so often 
presents. However, as my present paper has far ex¬ 
ceeded the limits I intended for it, I must cease, but 
send a few more remarks hereafter in continuation of 
this subject, relating to such trees as are less common, 
and venturing a few observations on the recently im¬ 
ported ones, more especially on the Pinus tribe, which 
some planters think will effect a revolution in our forest 
trees and woodland scenery ; but without denying these 
interesting trees the merit they deserve, I cannot bring 
myself to the belief that they will oust our own long- 
tried and trust-worthy native specimens, neither do I 
think they will even successfully compete with them in 
the points on which these admirers call their “ forte,” 
for I believe our own trees combino more of the truly 
beautiful and useful than any of these far-fetched and 
costly productions so much admired by the collectors of 
novelties. J. Robson. 
THE FATTING OF SHEEP. 
( Continued, from page 365.) 
Several distinct systems of feeding are now in use. 
One, whereby the sheep receivo the roots cut and placed 
in troughs, and an allowance of hay in addition; aud 
another, in which they receive turnips and hay, with an 
allowance also of oil cake, or corn, or both. Believing, 
as I do, that both these methods of feeding are useful 
under certain circumstances, I cannot recommend one 
in preference to the other; but will proceed to state how, 
and in what manner, they may be both beneficially 
employed. 
