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P LA NTI N G

A N P

RURAL ORNAMENT.

VOLUME THE FIRST.

f»

PLANTING

AND

RURAL ORNAMENT;

I N G / Y ^'^L''

A SECOND EDITION,

WITH

LARGE ADDITIONS,

O F

PLANTING AND ORNAMENTAL
GARDENING,

A PRACTICAL TREATISE.

IN TWO VOLUMES.
VOLUME THE FIRST.

LONDON:

Printed for G. Nicol, Bookfeller to his Majefly, Pall- Mall;
G. G. and J. Robjnsqn^ in Patcrnofter Row;
and J. Debrett, Piccadilly.

M^DCCiXCVI.

CONTENTS

OF T HB

FIRST VOLUME,

Advertisement.

General View of the Subjects,

SUBJECT THE FIRST.

L A N T I N G-

DIVISION THE FIRST.
MANUAL OPERATIONS;

Introduftory Remarks, 5.
Cautions to Young Planters, 5.
Encouragements to Planting, 6.

SscT. I. Propagating Trees and Shrubs, 80
I. From Seeds, 8.

Gathering frefh Seeds, 8.
Preferving them, 9.
Procuring dry Seeds, 10.
Tr>'ing their Quality, 10,

a 3 Raifing

vi Contents.

Raifing in Beds of natural Mold, il<

Soil and Preparation, i i .
Situation of the Seminary, 12.
Size of Seed Beds, 13.
Methods of fowin*, 15.
Defending the Seeds and SeedliHgs, 14.

Raifing in Beds of Conipoft, 16.
Raifing in Pots, ivc. 16.

II. From Cuttings, 17.

III. From Suckers, 17.

IV. By Layering, 19.

Providing Layers, 19.
Method of Layering, zc.
Seafori of Layering, 22.
Removing the Layers, 22.

V. By Budding, 23.

VI. By Grafting, 23.

Sect. II. Training Trees and Shrubs, — in the
Nursery, 23.

Nature of the Soil, 24.
Situation of the Nurfery, 24.
Preparing the Soil, 25.
Pruning the Seedlings, &c. 25.
Planting them in Nurfery Rows, 25,
Cleaning the Nurfery, 26.
Pruning Nurfery Plants, zy.
Thinning them, 28.
Taking them up, for Planting, 28.
Packing them for Carriage, 29.

Sect.

Contents. vH

Sect. III. Planting out Nurfery Plants, 2^,

Preparing the Ground, 30.
The Seafon of Planting, 32.
Pruning and Sorting the Plants, 32.
Planting them, 33.
Attendance after Planting, 37.
Cleaning the Plantation, 38.
Pruning the Young Trees, jt.
Thinning them, 40.

Sect. IV. Tranfplanting Tall Plants, 40.

DIVISION THE SECOND.
CHOICE OF TIMBER TREES.

Sect. I. Confumption of Timber, 47.

I. By Ships, 49.
II. By Buildings, 49.

III. By Machines, 50.

IV. By Utenfils, 51.

Thefeveral Species of Timber ufed, by the
different Workers in Wood, 49 to 53.

Sect. H. Situation and Soils, 54.

a A- DIVISION'

vili C O N T E N T S.

DIVISION THE THIRD.
HEDGES AND HEDGEROW TIMBER.

Introductory Remarks, 55.

The EfFefts of Hedgerows on cultivated
Lands, 56.

Species of Hedges, 57.
Sect. I. Species of Hedge Woods, 58.

Hawthorn, 59.
Crabthorn, 60.
The Aquatics, 60.
Holly, 61.
Furze, 63.

Sf CT. II. Method and Seafon of Planting, 64.

I. The Fence Wood, 64;

General View of the Praftice, 65.

Planting with Ditch and Plain Bank, yt.

Planting with a Ditch and Offset, 71.

Planting upon level Ground, 73.

Time of Planting, 74.

On the Holly and Crab, 74.

On the Furze as a Guard, 75

II. The Hedgerow Timber, 76.

The Species ; the Oak ; for Ship Timber, 77.
Method of raifing it, 77.

Sect.

Contents. ix

Sect. III. Defending the young Plants, 78.
Sect. IV. Training young Hedgerows, 79.

Defending, 80.
Cleaning, 80.
Pruning, 82.

With Side Brufh, 84.
With Naked Stems, 84.

Sect. V. Management of grown Hedges, 85»

I. Management of the Hedge, 85.

Age of Cutting, 86.

Seafon of Cutting, 87.

Methods of Cutting, 88.

Filling up Vacancies, 90.

Pruning andWeeding newly Cut Hedges, 9 1 .

A Hedge Hook, for this Purpofe, 91.

Treatment of Old Rough Hedges, 93.

Replanting Worn-out Hedges, 95.

II. Management of Hedgerow Timber, 96.

Training Planted Timberlings, 96.
Taking down Hedge Timber, 98.
Management of Hedge Pollards, 100.
Treatment of NeglefledHedgeTimber, lor.

Setting them out atproperDiftances, 102.

Pruning them fully treated of, 102.

DIVISION

Content Si

DIVISION THE FOURTH.

WOODLANDS OR USEFUL
PLANTATIONS.

Introduflory Remarks, 109.

Diftinftion between Ufeful and Ornamental
Plantations, 109.

On the prefent State of Ship Timber, in
England, 1 10.

The Quantity of Woodland cleared by a
Seventy-four Gun Ship, in.

The private Advantages of Planting enu-
merated, 112.

Precautions requifite to profitable Planting, 1 15.

Enumeration of the moll protitable Timber-
Trees, and Underwoods, 118.

Sj)ecies of Woodlands enumerated, 119.

SiCT. I. Woods ; or a Mixture of Timber and

Underwood, 120.

peculiarly adapted to Ship Timber, 1 20,
On different Methods of raifing Woods, 121.
Laying out Lands for Woods, 124.
Fencing them, 126.
On raifsng Woods from Seeds, 127.
Preparing Grounds culturable with tlie com-
mon Plow, 128.
Time of Sov.ing, 129.

Method of Sowing in Drills, 12^.

The

Contents. xi

The Species of Underwoods to be adapted to

the given Markets, 1 30.
Species of Timber, the Oak, 130.
Thefirft Year's Care of the young Plants, 131,
The fecond Year's Treatment, 152.
The third and fucceeding Years, 132.
Filling up Vacancies.
CoUefting fupernumerary Plants.
Nurfing them, in the Intervals.
The firfl Cutting, 133.
The fecond fall, 135.
Succeeding Falls, 135.
Training the Timberlings, 136.
Railing Woods on fleep Hangs, culturabic

with the Turmvrefl Plow, 136.
Raifing them on unculturable Steeps, 137.
Farther Information collected on this Sub-
jea, 138.
In the Southern Counties,
In the Midland Counties,
In the Highlands of Scotland.
On cleaning the Intervals of Seedling

Woods, 139.
On TRAINING youngTimber Oaks for Shjp-

BUILDING, amply treated of, 139.
On TRAINING Larches, for ShipTiwbsr,
143.

Sect. II. Timber Groves, 145.

Remarks on the Scotch Fir, 145.
Species of Grove Timber, 146,
Proper Soils and situations, 147.
Methods of raifing Grove Timber, 148.
MetAo a of Training, 149.

On thinning Grcve Tinitcrs, 150.

On pruning liien;, 151.

Oa

iii Contents.

On mifcellaneous Groves, i^i.

On raifing Groves of Oak, 152.

Mr. Speechley's Paper, on raifing Grove^j

on Sherwood Foreft, 154.
Propofed Improvement a>f his Method, 1 72 ,

Sowing Tree Seeds with Corn, 173.

Depofiting them in clean Sward, 174.
A Caution in feminating the Oak, 174.

Sow in a plentiful Year.
On Grove Planting, in Scotland, 17^.

Its Progrefs, 175.

The Species of Plantation, 176.

The Species of Plants, 176.

The Method of Planting, 1 76.
Obfervations on the Larch, 177.

Its fuperiority in Water Work, 1 78.

-Alfo in Ground Work, 178.

Abundant on the Eftate of Athol, 178.

And throughout the Highlands, 1 79.

Propofals for propagating it, on the Heaths of
the Southern Counties of England, 179.

AndxRAiNiKG itforSnipTiMBER, 179.

Inltances of its rapid Growth, 180.

Recommended to the Notice of Men of
Property, 181.

5>ECT. m. Coppiee Woods, iSi.

The Modern Coppices of Rent, 181.

Cultivate in Rows,

Clean the Intervals;

Cover them with Hopbines.
Raifing Coppices from Seed, 182;

Regulating the Plants,

Ttinning them;

Caltivatiii^

Contents.

xui

Cultivating the Ozier as a Coppice Wood, 183.

Note on Willow Pollards, 183.
Cultivating the Ozier for Baiket Work,— on
Ozier Beds, 185:

Sect. IV. Woody Waftes,

Gene ral Remarks, 188.

Clear them for the Purpofe ofHulbandry,

Or, Fill them up for Woodlands.

The Meth(^.
A General Remark on the Practice or

Planting, 189.
A Hint respecting the Manager of

jPtANTATlONS, 190.

SUBJECT

SUBJECT THE SECOND.

RURAL ORNAMENT.

DIVISION THE FIRST.
HISTORY OF THE RURAL ART,

INTRODUCTION, I93.

MR. WALPOLE's paper ON THE HISTORY
OF MODERN TASTEINGARDENINGj I57.

DIVISION THE SECOND.
PRINCIPLES OF THE RURAL ART.

Sect. I. General Principles, 245.

Anp.lyfis of the Art, 245.

Its Dependencies, 245.

Its Prctenfions, 246.

Definition

Contents. xv

Definition of Nature and Natural, 247.
A note from Mr. Gray's Letters to Dr.
Whartvjn 249.
Suitable Objedls of Imitation, 250.

Sect. II. The Site of Improvement, 251.

Definition of it.

Principles of its Improvement.

Sect. III. Ground, 252.

Definition.

Mr. Gilpin's Defcription of G rounds

Principles of its Improvement.

Sect. IV. Water, 254.

Species of Water.

Sea.

Lake.

Pool.

3^iver.

Rivulet.

Rill.
Principles refpe<!ling Waters, 154,

Sect. V. Wood, 255.

General Remarks.
Species of Woodinefs.

Wood.

Grove.

Coppice or Thicket.

The Border or Skreen.

The Mafs, Clump, or Tuf^,

The Group.

Tiie Single Tret.

0

Pfinciplei

aCVI C O N T E N T S.

Principles refpefling Wood, 256.

Proper Situations for the Several Snecie*.
Difpofition and Outline.
\ The Proper Choice of Trees.

On Mixing Different Species,

Sect. VI. Natural Accompaniments, 257,

Animated Nature.
The Hofie.
The Herd.
The Flock.
The Fawn. ^

The Hare.
The Squirrel.
The Pluroy Tribes.

Sect. VII. Faditious Accompaniments, 25 S.

The Fence, 258.

The unfeen Fence, 259,
TJ:ie Sunk Fence.
The invifible Green.

The Ufe of woody Mafslets, 259.
The Walk, 260.

Its Ufes.

Its proper Direftion.
The Road, 261.

Its Ufes.

Its DiredHon.
The Bridge, 261.

its Prc'-'ver Sitnati^'i,

Us Ccnltruftion.

Scats

Contents. xvii

Seats, 263.

Their Ufcs.

Their Conftrudlion.

Their Colour.
Buildings, 264.

Their proper Charaifter.

The Species of Buildings Admiffible ia
Ornamented Nature.

They fhould harmonize with the Scene.
Retreats, 266.

tv.-:

DIVISION THE THIRD.
APPLICATION OF THE RURAL ART.

SicT. I. General Application, 267.

The Requifite Acquirements of the Rural
Artift, 267.
The Species of Places, 268.
The Nature of. the Place, and the Purpofe
for which it is intended, form the
Groundwork of Improvement, 269.
Some General Guides, 274.
Remarks on Landicape, 270.
The Houfe is the Center of Improvement,2/4,
The General Arrangement or Economy of

a Place, 274.
A Map of the Site requifite, 276.
Other General Guides, 276,

Vol.. I. h SlQT.

xvili Contents.

Sect. II. The Hunting Box, 277. '

Its Charafter.

The required Style of Improvement.

Sect. III. The Ornamented Cottage, 278.

Its Charadler.

The Style of Improvement.

Sect. IV. The Villa, 280.

The Appropriate Style of Improvement.
Mr. Brown's. Manner in this Particular
cenfured, 281.

Sect. V. The Principal Refidertce, 28 j.

Its Character, 283.

Much Study of this Defcription Of Place

requifite, 284.
The Approach how beft direflcd, 284.
The Views from the Houfe ftiould be irt

Charafter with the Rooms from which

they are refpeftively feen, 285.
Contrail admiffible in Scenery, as in

Muiic, 285.

DIVISION

Contents! xix

DIVISION THE FOURTH.
REMARKS ON PLACES.

Sect. I. Persfield, 2860

Defcribed.
Improvements propofed.

Sect. II. Stowe, 298.

!defcribed,
PraAical Remarks.

Sect. IIL Fifherwick, 305,

Defcribed. ;^

Alterations propofed.
Praftical Remarks.

Sect. IV. The Leafowes, 314.

Defcribed,
PraAical Remarks.

Sect. V. Hagley, 321.

Defcribed.
Remarks,

Sect. VI. Enville, 327,

Defcribed.

Remarks.

Praftical Remarks, arifmg from a
RetrofpediveViewof the three laft
Places, 334.

b 2 DIVISION

XX Contents.

DIVISION THE FIFTH.
MINUTES IN PRACTICE.

Sect. I. Minutes in the Midland Diftricl, 341.

The Site defcribed, 342.

MiN. I. Some General Guides to the Artift, in the Out-
lines of Improvement, 342.

II. On the EfFeft of detached Majfes of Wood, in
' Natural Scenery, 346.

III. On Bends of Water, as refembling the detached

Bends of Rivers, 347.

IV. On the dijiinguijhing CharaP.ers of Trees, as

viewed by theBotanift and the Rural Artift,
348.
V. On the proper Width of Skreen Plantations, 349.
VI. On lining out Dijlant Plantations, 349.
VII. On lining out Grounds, in general, 350.

VIII. An afliftant Hint towards the ready and due
Arrangement of Ornamental Plants, 351.

IX. Remarks on Deftgn, in general, 352.

X. On Hiding Qffenfve Ohje^s, 353.

XI. On forming Sidejireens, or other Ornamental
MaJD'es of Wood, 354,

XII. General Direftions, in tranfplanting tall young
Trees, 356.

XIII. On tranfplanting X.)xt Pi7ie Tribe, 361.

XIV. On colouring with Trees, 363.

— . . On arravging Ornamental Plants, whether as to
Colour or Height, 365.

— . General Direftions, /// forming 7nixed Plan-
tations, 366

Contents. xxi

MiN.XV. FuithcronTnw/pla/ithig, 367.
XVI. On hiding Jmall DefeSis, 368.
XVII. On combining Shrubs, 368.
XVIII. On pruning Shrubs, at the time oUravfplanting
them, 369.
XIX. On colle fling the Suckers and Layers of removed
Shrubs, 370.
XX. On planting Supports, with top-heavy Plants.
XXL General Diredions, in li^.ing out WalLs, 371.
XXII. On Fences, in Ornamented Scenery, with Prac-
tical Direftions, 373,

Sect. II. Minutes in Devonfliire, 376.

Defcription of the Diftri£l and Site, 376.
Preliminary Remarks, 378.

lyiiN. XXIII. On the proper Seafons, for breaking Skree^s,

and opening Vijias, 380.
XXIV. On breaking vjoody Hedgeron.vs, fo as to produce

ornamental Effefls, 381.
XXV. On Single Trees, in Vifics, and on the Margins

of Groves, 382.
XXVI. On giving pifturable EfFed to an obfcure

Grove, 383.

General Remarks on Rural Embclliihment,

Sect. III. Minutes in Perthfhire, 385.

The Diftria and Site dcfcribcd, 385.
Preliminary Remarks, 393.

fk4iN. XXVII. Further Remarks on opening Viftas, and dif-
clofing Views, 395.
XXyill. Further Remarks on Studying the Site of Im-
provement, 396,

b 3 MiK.

xxii Contents.

Ml N. XXIX. Inftancc of an illplaced Ri-ver Break, 397,

XXX. On tracin;^ Lines of Vie=w between unfecH
Objcds, 398. • -■'

XXXI. Farther Remarks on leaving tijingh Tree^ near the
ilf^rg-/K of a Mafs of "Wood, 398.

XXXIL Of the Efi^eft oi Fiftas, on the Objefts feea
through them, • 399.

XXXIII. On Points off''iew,in real and reprefented Scenery,

400. .• ' •

On Laying-out PJacef of Vie-jj.
On Defigning Relieves of Shriiis.

XXXI V. Farther on the Study of Sites, 402.

XXXV. On winding deyious Paths along wooded Steeds,

• 403"- • •■ ''-

XXXVI. On the Ufe oi falfe Plants, in proving a Defign,
and facilitating the Bufmefs of Planting, 404.

Farther Improvements of Taymouth fuggefted„

ADVEK.T

ADVERTISEMENT.

TH E Intention of this Publication Is to
bring into one point of view, and arrange
in a compendious form, the Art of Planting
and Laying-out Plantations : an art which,
though in itfelf a unity, has hitherto been
treated of as two diftindl fubjedts. Books
on Planting we have many ; and thofe on
Ornamental Gardening are not lefs numerous;
but a Practical Treatife, comprehending the
entire fubje(!?t of conducting Rural Improve-
ments, upon the principles of modern tafte,
has not hitherto appeared in public. This
circumflance, however, is the lefs to be won-
dered at, as the man of bufmefs and the maa
of tafte are rarely united in the fame perfon.
There are many Nurferymen who are inti^
mately acquainted with the various methods
pf propagating trees and ftirubs ; an,d many
* b /{. G^ntlemeiji

iW

xx'iv Advertisement.

Gentlemen whofe natural tafle, reading, and
obfervation enable them to form juft ideas of
rural embelliiliment ; but where fhall we find
the Nurferyman who is capable of ftriking
out the great deiign, or the Gentleman equal
to the management of every tree and fhrub
he may wiih to affemble in his colledion ?
To proceed one flep farther, where is the
'Gentleman, or the Nurferyman, who is fuf-
ftciently converfant in the training of Wood-
'lands. Hedges, and the more ufeful Plan-
^tations ? In fine, where fliall we look for the
man who in the fame perfon unites the
■Nurferyman, the Woodman, the Orna-
mientalift, and the Author? We know no
•flieh man.: the reader, therefore, mufi: not
"he difappointed when he finds, that, in treat-
ing of exotic trees and fhrubs, the works of
preceding, writers have been made ufe of.

-i^ Gooit is otr firft writer on Planting 5 never-
thelefs Evelyn has been ilyled the Father
of Planting in Engknd. It, is probable that,
in the early part of lifci Evelyn was a prac-
tical planter, upon his eftate at Wotton in
■gurrey 5 but his 'book was written in the

waag"^

Advertisement. xxv

«

wane of life, at Greenwich, during a long and
painful fit of the gout. His Syhoa contains
many pra(!?tical rules, valuable, no doubt, in
his day, but now fuperfeded by modern prac-
tice y and may be faid to lie buried in a farrago
of traditional tales, and learned digreilions,
fiiited to the age he lived in *, Miller at
length arofe among a group of minor planters;
and after him the indefatigable Han bury,
whofe immenfe labours ^re in a manner lofl
to the Public.

Cock and Evelyn treated profefledly of
Forest Trees, Miller and Hanbury
include Ornamentals ; but their works,
which are voluminous and expenfive, alfo
include kitchen gardening, flower gardening,
the management of greenhoufes, ftoves, 6cc.
&c. the propagation of trees and flirubs,
iidapted to the open air of this climate, form-
ing only a fmalj portioji of their refpediive
publications,

Miller

* The firll Edition was printeJ in 1664.

xxvi Advertisement.

Miller and Han bury, however, are the
only writers who could afford us the required
affi (lance ; and we were led to a choice ot
the latter, as pur chief authority, by three
■ principal motives : — Han bury wrote fince
'Miller, and, h;r\ing made ample ufe of
Mr. M.'s book, his work contains, in effe6l,
the experience of both writers : Miller is.
in the hands of mpft Gentlemen j Han bur Y
is known to few ; his book, either tiirough a
want of method, a want of language, or
|:hrough an ill judged plan of publifliing on
his own account, has nevsv /o/d : and laftlv.
Miller's botanical arrangement is become
pbfoletc ; Hanbury's is agreeable to the
Xfinnean iylliena.

Since M^. Hanbury's death, the Publi*:
have been' favored with a new and fumptuou^
edition ci Evelyn's Sy/va -, with notes by
Dr. Hunter of York, confifting of botanical
defcriptions, and the modern propagation c^f
fuch trees as Evelyn has treated of. Thefe
note^:, however, contain little new infor-
mation ; the deicriptions being principally
copied from. Miller, and the pradical di-
red'ion-- from I-] a n b v r 'i" e

Advertisement. xxvii

Lest unacknowledged afiiftance, orafiift-
ance acknowledged indiredly, fliould be laid
to our charge, it is thought proper to particu-
larize, in this place, the feveral parts of this
publication, which are ivritten, from thofe
which are copied.

The Introductory Discourses, con-
taining the Manual Operations of Plant-
ing, ^nd the Outline of the Linnean
System, are, as rudiments, entirely new;
excepting the quotations from Linneus's
work, which quotations are extraded frorn
the Lichfield Tranflation of The Syftema
Vegetabiliiim of that great man.

The Alphabet of Plants, fo far as
it relates to Timber Trees, and other
Native Plants, as well as to fome of the
more useful Exotics, is either wholly our
own, or contains fuch additions, as have re-
lulted from our own obfervation and experi-
ence : fofar as it relates to Ornamental
Exotics, it is entirely Han bur y's; except-
ing the quotations which are marked, and ex-
cepting the General Arrangemenjt,

which

xxviil Advertisement.

which is entirely new. H anbury has not
lefs than fix dillinft dalles for the plants here
treated of, namely, deciduous Forefl Trees,
Aquatics, evergreen Foreft Trees, deciduous
Trees proper for ornament and ihade, ever-
green Trees proper for ornament and fhade,
and hardy climbing Plants. The firfl three
clafles are without a^ny. fubordinate arrange-
ment; in the lafl three the plants are arranged
alphabetically, agreeably to their genera.
This want of fnnplicity in the arrangement
- renders the work extremely heavy, and irk-
fome to refer to ; and is productive of inuch
unnecellary repetition, or of tirefome refe-:
rences, from one part of his unwieldy work tQ
another. His botanical fynonyms we have
Avholly thrown alide, as being burthenfome,
yet uninflrudlive ; and, in their place, we have
annexed to each Species the trivial or fpeciiic
name of Linneus; which, in one word, iden-
tities the phint, with a greater degree of cer-
tainty, than a volume of Synonyma, Other
retrenchments, and a multiplicity of cor-
recTnons, have taken place : however, where
prad:ical knowledge appears to arife inciden-
tally out of our author's own experience, we

have

A D V E R T I S X M E N T. XXlX

have cautiouily given it in his own words :
hkewife, where interefting information lies
entangled in a fingularity of manner, from
which it could not well be extricated, we have
marked the pallages containing it, as literal
quotations ; — to diftinguiili them from others,
which, having been written in a manner more
properly didadic, or brought to that form by
retrenchment or correction, we confider as
being more fully intitled to the places we have
affigncd them.

The articles Timber, Kedgerows, and
Woodlands, are altogether new*, being
drawn from a confiderable Ihare of experience,
and an extended obfervation.

The Sections on Rural Ornament are
likewife nev/, if anything new can be oiiered
on a fubject, upon which fo much has beeii
already written. Tafte, however, is a fubje<fr
upon which ail men vv^ill think and write dif-
ferently, even though their fources of infor-
mation

*, Excepting fiich extrafts andxjuotations as are marked,
anJ have.tUeir rcrpe£tive authorities fubjointd.

xkx Advertise MEKi*.'

mation may have been the fame. WheAT-
LEY, Mason, and Nature, with fome
Experience, and much Observation, ard
the principal fources from which this part of
our work was drawn ; if we add that it was
planned, and in part written, among the mag-
nificent fcenes of nature, in Monmouthniire,
Herefordfliire, and Gloucefleriliire, where the
rich and the romantic are happily blended, in
a manner unparalleled in any other part of the
^lland, we flatter ourfelves no one will be dif-
fatisfied with the on'gm : of the -^rodii^iiorii
let the Publick fpeak.

To this SECOND impression, wc have
been enabled to make considerable addi-
tions; particularly to the Subje(ft RURAL
ORNAMENT. The remarks on orna-
mented places, as well as the minutes
on our own practice, which arenowfirft
printed, are tranfcribed from the rough me^

morafida.

Advertisement. xxxi

')torandat that were written at the times of
obfervation, or as the incidents and retietflions
occurred.

On the fubjed of PLANTING, too, will
be found fome additional information -, more
cfpecially in the Sed:ions Woods, and Tim-
ber Groves,

It may alfo be right to mention, here, that
we have omitted to infert, in this Edition,
Mr. Far QUH arson's Paper on the propa-
gation of the Scotch Fir ; a tree which, now,
when the fuperior merits of the Larch are
afcertained, can feldom be planted with pro-
priety.

We have likewife thought it right to omit
fome remarks on the sale and felling of
timber ; a fubjedl which does not properly
belong to Planting, and is much Icfs com-
patible with Rural Ornament. We therefore
confine this Work to the production of
Woodlands, whether ufeful or ornamental,

and

xxxii Advertisement.

and refer the Reader, for their GExMERAt
MANAGEMENT, a fubjed ill itfelf of great
extent and importance, to the different Works
which we have pubhfhed on Rural Eco-
nomy: a lift of which will appear at the
clofe of thefe Volumes.

London, December 1795.

PLANTING

AND

RURAL ORNAMENT.

General View of the Subjects,

THE earth produces an almofl Infinite va-
riety of Plants, poflc fling various properties,
and different degrees of ftrength and fta-
turc. In the vegetable, as in the animal world,
the ftronger fubdue the weaker : the herbaceous
tribes bow to the fhrub, and this to the more ro-
buft foreft tree j and, in an unpeopled country, a
ftate of woodinefs prevails. The interior parts of
America are at this day a forefl : the Continent of
Europe, too, has ftill Its foreft i and England
once was famous for her's.

As inhabitants increafe, woodinefs gives way to

hufbandry and the arts -, not merely as an incum-

VoL. I. B brancc

2 G E N £ R A L V I £ W.

brance, but as affording ufcful materials. Popula-
fion flill increaflng, the fcrej?- breaks into ':uco(is.
Commerce and luxury advancing, the canoe be-
comes a fhip, and the hut a manfion : at length
even the woods dwindle away, and pla'ntaticnsy or
an irnpcrt of foreign timhr y become: neceflar)' to
ibpply the want.

E-VGLAND has experienced, more or lefs, every
f^age of this decline. Its prefent flate, in refpect
to timber^ we conceive to be this : A few broken
forefls, and many extenfive woodlands, flill re-
maining ; a great number of plantations of diffe-
rent growths, ^rA a vafi fuppiy of foreign timber
of various kinds. Indeed, we are of opinion, that
had it not been for this foreign fuppiy, fcarcely a
timber tree, at this day, would have been left {land-
ing upon the ifland.

Cur exigence, as a nation, depends upon a fuU
and certain fuppiy of (hipping -, and this, we may
venture to fay, upon an internal fuppiy of fhip
tim^ber. That there is no want of oak timber, at
prefent, in this ifl::nd, is, we believe, a facl j but
that ihe article o( JJAp timber is growing fcarce, as
we fball explain more fully in its proper place, is,
v.- :>f-]ieve, alfh a htk which cannot be contro-
ls an important matter, which
.:.:: atcendon of Government, and

is

G E N E R A L V r E W. J

is not unworthy the notice of every landed indi-
vidual.

Mankind, however, do no| view the face of
nature in the light of felfprefervation only ; the
great Author of creation has wonderfully adapted
our fenfes to the enjoyment of its delights j the
eye is gratified by tints of verdure, and the ear by
the mufic of the woods and- the raellownefs of
echo — and both by the voice and majefty of a
foreft, roufed by the breath of Nature. Our plan
therefore, has two objefbs, utility and orna-
ment J they arc nearly allied, however, as exer-
cife and recreation, or as the ufe and the ornament
of drefs.

Nevertheless, to treat of them with greater
advantage, it will be proper to confider them Cc^
parately, as two diftind fubjefts.

B 2 SUBJECT

SUBJECT the: first.

L A N t 1 N

DIVISION THE FIRST.
MANUAL OPERATIONS*

Introductory Remarks,

BEFORE we attempt to give diredions for
cultivating Woodlands, or raifing Orna-
mental Plantations, it will be proper to give
a comprehenfive view of the Manual Opera-
tions incident to

Propagating, Planting and

Training Transplanting

Trees and Shrubs in general.

But before the young planter put his foot upon

the fpade, we beg leave to caution him, in the

B 3 ftrongeft

L A N T r N G.

flrongeft terms, againft a want of spirit in
Planting; A flovenly planter ranks among the
moft extravagant order of flovens : the labour,
the plants, anS the ground arc thrown away j be-
fidcs the confequent difgrace, not only to the iitdi-
vidual, but to the profefTion. Anxious and inte-
refted as we are in the caufe of planting, we would
rather want pupils, than have them pafs tlirough
our hands unfinijhed: we therefore rejecl all fuch as
have not induftry, Ipirit, and perleverance, to go
through with what they undertake ; and we re-
commend to fuch as are poiTefied of thefe valuable
qualifications, to hgm upon aJmallJcaUy arid to let
their feminaries, their nurferies, and their planta-
tions, increafe witli their experience.

While) however, we caution our fe?.ders
againfb entering, immaturely, upon the bufmefs of
planting, we cannot refrain from mentioning the
PLEASURES which refult from it. How rational,
and to a contemplative mind how delightful, to
bbferve the operations of Nature ; — to trace her in
every ftage, from the feed to the perfected plant ;
and, from beneath the leaf ftalk of this, through
the flower biid, the flower, and the feed vefll^l, to
the feed again ! Man mufl: be employed ; and how
more agreeably than in converfing with Nature,
and in feeing the works of his own hands, afllfted
by her, riflng into perfedlion.

Nor

Manual Operation's. 7

Nor do we mean to hold out pleafure, alone, as
an inducement to planting ;— its profits are great,
when properly executed ; and this idea adds foli-
dity to the enjoyment. Pleafure alone may fatiate ;
but profit and pleafure, united, Icldom fail of pro-
ducing a lading gratification.

There is another indtement to planting, which
alone has been generally held out as a llifficient in-
ducement. We are lorry to confcfs, however,
that we know too much of mankind to believe that
PATRIOTISM, unaided by perfonal interefl, will
ever produce a fupply of fhip timber to this or
any other nation. Far be it from us, however
fafhionable it may be, to fpeak irreverently of
patriotlfm -, we confider it as the noblell attribute
of the human mind. Young men, to whom we
more particularly addrefs ourfelves, are feldom
without fome fhare of it; and we flatter ourfelves
that this virtuous principle, affifted by the pleafure,
the profit, and the popularity which attends
planting, will induce the young men of the prefent
age to ftudy and pradife it ; not more for them-
felves, than for future generations.

B 4 section:'

Planting.

SECTION TH£ FIRST.

PROPAGATING TREES AND SHRUBS-
TREES and SHRUBS are propagated
From Seeds, By Layering,

Suckers, — Budding, *

Cuttings, — Grafting.

I. PROPAGATING FROM SEED.-Thcre
are four ways of Taiiing, from feed, the trees and
fhrubs adapted to our purpofe :

In Beds of natural Soil,
In Beds of Compoft,
In Pots, — and fome few
In Stoves, or under GlaiTcs*

It will be expected, perhaps, before we begin
to treat of the different methods of fowing, thaC
we give fome directions for gathering and pre-
fcrving feeds. Little, however, can be faid upon
the fubject under this general head; different
fpecies requiring a difference in management.
We may, nevcrthelefs, venture to fay, tbat all feeds

ought

Manual Operations. 9

ought to be fully matured upon their native plants ;
and we may further add, that fuch as drop fpon-
taneoufly from the feed veflel, or are fhed by a
moderate wind, or other gentle agitation, are pre-
ferable to thofe which are torn from the tree, im-
maturely. The feeds of fcarce, or valuable plants
may be gathered thus : As foon as they begin to
fall, voluntarily, fpread a cloth undei' the plant, and
agitate it moderately, until all that are ripe have
fallen ; — and repeat this, whenever a fecond, and a
third, fpontaneous fall takes place.

The art of preserving feeds refts chiefly upon
that of curing them, immediately after gathering.
If grafs were put into the flack immediately, after
mowing, or corn threfhed out, at harvefl:, and laid
in heaps, it would prefcntly heat, and be entirely
.ipoiled. So it is with the feeds of trees and llirubs :
therefore, they ought, as foon as they are gathered,
to be fpread thin, in an airy place, and be turned,
as often as a clofe attention fees neceflary. When
the fuperfluous moifture has evaporated, they may
be collccled into bulk; remembering, however,
to run them frequently down a fkreen, or fhake
them in a fieve, that their brightnefs and fweetnefs
may be preferved. Some of the larger feeds,
acorns efpecially, are difficult to cure, and require
a very ftrid attention. — It mufb alfo be remem-
bered, that mice, and other vermin, are dangerous

enemies

to P L A ^7 T i N C.

enemies to feeds. Thofe which are particularly
valuable, may be hung up, in bags, to the ceiling
of a dry room.

In procuring seeds from the shops, or frofii
ABROAD, fome caution is necelTary. A feedfman>
who has a character to lofe, and a correfpondent^
who is himfelf a judge of the quality of feeds, are
the beft general guards againft impofition and
difappointment.

There are feveral ways of trying the qua-
tiTY of feeds. The heavier kinds may be proved
in water; fuch as fwim are at lead doubtful. Thi
lighter forts may be tried by biting them : if they
break abruptly between the teeth, they are gene-
rally g^od i but if they be tough and leathery, they
are moftly the contrary. If when cruihed, or fcpa-
rated by a knife or fciffars, tJiey appear firm,
white, and farinaceous, they may generally be
efteemed good -, but if, on the contrary, they be
fpungy and difcoloured, they are generally of a
bad quality. But the moH: certain mode of trial,
and that which in cafes of fufpicion ought never
to be omitted, is to force a few of them, in a garden
pot, placed in an artificial heat, or other v/arm fitu-
ation. Put in fome certain number, taken pro-
mifcuoufly from the parcel, and, from the propor-
tional number that vegetate, a tolerably juft idea

may

Manual Operations. it

tnay be formed of the quality of the whole.
Without this precaution, a feafon may be loft, and
the ufe of the land, together with the labour, be
thrown away.

All the natives, and many exotics, may be
raifed in beds of natural mold. The foil
Ihould be ricli, and fufFicientiy deep to admit of
being trenched, or double dug, two fpits deep.
If it will not bear one fpit and a half, namely about
fourteen inches, it is improper for feed beds, and
fhould either be wholly rejefted, or (if the fub-
ftratum is not of too hungry and poifonous a na-
ture) be trenched, a fpit and a half deep, and the
crude mold meliorated, by manure, and repeated
diggings. Autumn is the beft time to bring up
the fubftratum, letting it lie in rough trenches all
winter, to take the froft. In the fpring, put on 2
quantity of dung, in proportion to the poverty of
the foil ; turning it in, fuperficially, and mixing it
well with the foil to be improved. Repeat this
fmgle digging, through the fummer, as often as
convenienr, or as often as the weeds, which never
fail to rife, in great abundance, from a fubftratum
expofcd to the fun and air, require it. In autumn,
turn up the foil from the bottom, and mix the
whole well together. The longer the foil and
fubftratum lie in the ftate of inverfion, the better
tempered the (T:tCi\ mo'A will become, and the

mellower

a Planting.

mellower will be the old cultivated foil. In a
manner finiilar to this, all foils, which are not natu-
rally rich, ought to be treated. No department of
planting calls more loudly for a fpirited manage-
ment than the feminary ; which, if not rich and
deep by nature, ought to be m.ade fo by art, at
almoft any expence.

In large undertakings, a {tpara.tefdminary may be
tieceflary ; but, in general, a portion of the kitchen
garden is better adapted to the purpofe. There
are, indeed, two very great advantages, in mixing-
the ieminary with the kitchen garden : the kcd
beds are always under the eye, and are more
likely to be defended from weeds and verminy
.there, than in a detached feminary, vifited only
now and then ; and, when the ground has borne a
crop of feedling plants, it may be applied to the
purpofe of culinary herbs ; while that which hai
been long uixkr crops of thefc, may be changed t6'
nurfery bsds. . In whatever fituation k is placed, it
mud be carefuily fenced againft hares and rabbi tsy
or the labour of a whole feafon may be cut off in
a few niglits : rn this light, alio, the kitchen garden
has a preference.

Pr would be idle to give particular direftions for
laying out a feminary, or to fay, under this general
head, where this or that feed ihould be fown.

Suf*

Manual Operations. i?

Suffice it, therefore, to mention, here, i\\2it feed beds
are generally made frpm four to four feet and a
half wide, with intervals of one foot and a half tQ
two ^ttt. Thefe dimenfions render them conve-
nient to be weeded, without the plants being trod-
den or kneeled upon.

The methods of Jewing are various ; as dibbling,
PRILLING, and BROADCAST; which laft is the mofl
prevailing method. Seeds fown in the promif-
cuous broadcaft manner, are covered either with
the rake, or with the fpade (or fieve). Cover-
ing WITH THE SPADE (or fieve) is the common
practice, and is thus performed : The furfacc
being made light and fine, by a recent digging and
faking, and the beds formed (operations which
every gardener and gardener's man are acquainted
with), a thin coat of mold is raked off the beds,
jnto the intervals, in proportion to the depth the
feeds require to be buried, and according to the
nature of the foil, taken jointly. In a light fandy
foil, the foeds require to be buried deeper than they
do in a ftrong loam ; and while an acorn may be
covered from one to three inches deep, the feeds of
the Larch will not bear more than from a quarter to
three fourths of an inch. The new forface being
rendered perfedly fine and, level, the feeds are
fown, and, in fome cafes, prefled gently into the
mold, by patting it with the back of the fpade.

The

14 Planting.

The earth, which was raked off into the interval (or
taken off with a Tpade an i placed in little hillocks
in it) is now returned ; either by calling it ori with
the Ipade, with a kind of fleight which nothing but
pradice can give, or by fifting it on, through a
fieve (an operation more eafy to the inexpert, and
in many cafes preferable) as even and regularly as
poffible. The intervals cleared, the beds neated
up, and^ if the foil be light, or the feed requires it,
their furfaces patted v.ith the back of the fpade,
fo as to give them a kind of poliihed Hrmnefsj the
bufinefs is finilhed. Drilling is performed two
ways : By drawing open drills, with hoes, in tlie
common manner j or by taking cff the furface of
the beds, drawing lines upon the new furface, lay-
ing or fcattering the feeds along thefe lines, and
covering them with the fpade or fieve, as above
diredled for broadcafl: fovving. Dibbling re-?
quires no defcription.

The next bufmefs of th? feminary is to defen(^
t}rA feed and feedlings from birdsy vermin, the wea-
ther, and weeds. Nets are the beft guard againfl
birds, and traps againft vermin. As a defence
againft the fcorching heat of the fun;, the beds
ihould be hooped, and mats occafionally Ipread
over them, in the manner of a tilt or awning ; but;,
when the fcorching abates, the mats fhould be
{iiken off, to ^ive die plants the benefits of the

at-

Manual Operations. 15

atmofphcre; and, in dry weather, the beds fliouU
be kept conftantly watered. The awnings ar?
equally fafcguards againft fpring frofts, than which
nothing is more injurious to feedling plants. In
reipeft to weeds, there is a general rule, which
ought not to be departed from ; that is, not to
fuffcr them to get too ftrong, before they be drawn ;
for, if they be permitted to form large roots, they
not only encumber and rob the ground, but, ia
drawing them, many feeds, or tender feedlings, will
be<lrawn out with them. To prevent the young
plants from being drawn out of the ground
BY WINTER FROSTS, v/hich they are very liable to,
efpecially by a continuance of froft and thaw, alter-
nately, coal allies may be fifted over them. If
this evil has already taken place, and the roots
appear expofed above ground, fome fine mold
fhould firft be fifted on, to cover the roots, and
then the afhes fifted over the mold. If the plants

be BEATEN OUT OF THE GROUND BY HEAVY RAINS,

the remedy is fimilar.

The length of time between the fowing of th^
feed and the appearance of the plant, is very un-
certain : much depends upon the feafon, and Itill
more upon the nature of the plant itfelf. Some
feeds lie in the ground a whole year before they
vegetate, and fome two or three years, — as will be
mentioned under their reipeclive Species. Dur-
ing

l6 Planting.

ing this time the beds fhould be kept free from
weeds and mofs j and, in cafe of a long continue
ance of dry weather, (hoiild be well watered.
After very heavy rains, which are liable to run the
furface to a batter, and wafh away part of the foil,
it is well to rake the beds flightly, and fift over
them a little frefh mold : this prevents the fiir-
face from baking, and at once gives a fupply of
^ir, and nouriihmentj to the embryo plants.

Beds of coj^ipost are made by mixing drift
fand, or other materials, v/ith the natural foil of
the feminary ; or with virgin mold, taken from
a rich meadow, or old pafture ground. But the
particular ingredients of a compoft depend upon
the nature of the plant to be raifed ; and the
reader is referred to the refpe6live Species, in the
Alphabet of Plants, for further information oa
this head.

TriE mode of raifing plants, in pots and boxes^^
alfo depends greatly upon the pardcular plant to be
raifed. The chief intent of this method is to
guard the embryo and feedling plants from the
extremes of heat and cold. The pots are filled
with compoft, fuited to the plant. For examples,
fee the articles Annona, Aralia, Azalia^
Melia, PistaciA; &c. &:c.

IL PRO-

Manual Operations, 17

ii. PROPAGATING FROM CUTTINGS.
It is not from feeds, alone, that plants may be in-
treafed; fo great a fimplicity prevails in the
fyftem of vegetation, that numerous tribes may be
propagated from twigs or truncheons, cut out of
the woody parts of the pbnts themfelves, and
ftuck naked into the ground, without either root
or branch upon them : the part placed in contact
with the foil fends forth roots, while that which
is expofed to the open air, throws out branches 1

But altho* mofl of the aquadcs, and many other
genera of trees and fhrubs, may be raifcd from
tuTTiNGS, planted in common earth and in the
t)pen air, there are others which require more
tare and greater helps. Some require a warnij
others a cool border : fome mufl be rooted in pots,
others in ftoves, or in the greenhoufe. Again,
fome fhould be taken from the older branches,
others from younger Ihoots : fome require to be
planted in autumn, others in the fpring. Thefc and
other peculiarities of treatment will be IJjccifiedj
when we eome to treat, feparatcly, of each indi-
vidual.

m. PROPAGATING FROM SUCKERS.

There is a great fimilarity between the branched

and the roots of plants. If the fibres of fome

Vol, I, C fpecie*

*8 Planting.

Ipecies become expofed to the air, they quit thcif
funflion of fupplying the parent plant with nou-
rifhment, and, taking upon them the nature of
feedlings, put forth leaves and branches. Thefe
rootling plants are called suckers j and if they te
fiipt off from the parent root, and planted in a
foil and fituation fuited to their refpeclive natures,
they will grow up, in the manner of feedling
plants.

Various opinions are held, refpeding the pro-
•priety of raifing trees and fhrubs from fuckers :
Evelyn and Miller are againft the pradice ;
laying, that plants raifed from fuckers are more apt
toferid up fuckers (whicliaretr-oublelbme intruders,
efpecially in ornamental grounds) than thofe of the
iame fpeties- which have been raifed from feeds.
HanburYj however, is of a conrraiy opinion :
he fays, " What might incline people to this no-
tion was, that they have obfervcd trees raifed from
feeds very long before they produced fuckers i
but they fliould confider, that no tree or plant will
produce fuckers, till it is of a fuitable fize ot
ftrength for the purpofe, any more than animals
can produce young before they are of proper age ;
and let them plant a feedling that is grown flrong,
a layer of the fame ftrength, and one v/hich has
been raifed. from a fucker, exaftly of the fame
fize, and with the fame number of fibres to the

root.

Manual Operations. 19

Tootj and they will find that the feedling, or the
layer, will not be behind-hand with the other in
producing fuckers, if they have all a like foil and
fituation j for it is peculiar to them to fport under
the foil, in this manner ; and Nature will ever aft
agreeably to herfelf, if not flopped in her pro-
grefs by art." Neverthelefs, in fpeaking of par-
ticular plants, we find him holding forth a different
language.

IV. PROPAGATING BY LAYERING.—
As the roots of fome plants^ when expofed to the
air, fend forth flioots and branches, fo the branches
of others, when placed in contaft with the earth,
fend out fibres and roots, which being fevered
from the parent plant, a feparate tree is produced.

Layering being an operation by which a great
majority of trees and fhrubs may be propagated,
and by which the many beautiful variegations are
principally preferved, we Ihall here give fome
general diredions for performing it ; referving,
however, the minutiae, peculiar to each fpecies,
until we come to treat of the individual Ipeeies,
feparately.

Layers are bent, cither from t\itJiools of trees
and fhrubs, headed down to a fey/ inches above

C 2 the

t6 Planting.

the furface of the ground, or from houghs ^ plaflied
fo as to bend their tops to the ground ; or fron^
irees brought into a ftooping pofture, by excavating
the foil on one fide of them, until their heads are
lowered into a fimilar fituation.

S TOOLS afford the fimpleft, and are the moft
common, fupply of layers. Where a great num-
ber of layers are wanted, plants fliould be raifed
for the purpofe, and planted in fome well fenced
ground, or in fome vacant part of the feminary, or
nurfery j and, when of a proper age and fize, be
headed down,- to the height of about eight inches,
for {tools. In many cafes, trees {landing in grounds^
or woods, may be cut down, and give a fuiiicienc
fupply. In whatever fituation they are, the earth
round them mu{l be doubly dug, as deep as the
foil will allow, and be treated in a manner fimilar to
that of a feed bed.

The method of layering is this: Diga fhal-
low trench round the {lool (of a depth fuitable to
the fize and nature of the plant, as from four to
eight inches), and having pitched upon the fhoots
to be layered, bend them to the bottom of the
trench (either with or without pla{liing, as may
be found mo{l convenient), and there feg them
fa{l } or, putting fome mold upon them, tread
them hard enough to prevent their fpringing up

again 3

Manual Operations. 5^1

again ;— fill in the mold j— -place the top of the
layer in an upright pofture, treading the mold hard
behind it i aild cut it carefully off, above the fe-
cond or third eye.

In this fimple way a numerous tribe of plants
may be layered : there are many, however, which
require a more complex treatment. Some will
fucceed by having a chip taken off the under fide of
the lov.er bend of the layer, which gives the fibres
an opportunity of breaking out, with greater free-
dom : others, by having a cleft made, in that part, by
thrufling an awl or bodkin through it, keeping the
cleft open, by a chip or wooden pin j or by making
^ longitudinal Jlit in the hark only : others fucceed
better, by twijling the part : and others, again, by
f ricking it, and binding a wire round it. But when
SIMPLE LAYERING wiU not fuccccd, the moll pre-
vailing, and in general the mod certain, method is
that of TONGUE LAYERING} which is thus perform-
ed: The excavation being made, andthelayerchofen
and trimmed, afcertain where the lower bend of it
will fall, by taking it in the left hand and bending
it down to the bottom of the trench j then placing
the thumb of the right hand firmly againft the part
oppofite which the tongue falls, infert the edge of
the knife, as with an intent to cut the layer off ihort,
in that place ; but having cut about half way thro*
it, turn the edge of the knife abruptly upwards,

C 3 drawing

aa Planting.

drawing It along the pith, half an incli, or an inch^
according to the fize of the layer. The whole
ftool being treated in this manner, pft)ceed to peg-
the layers clofe to the bottom of the trench, bed-
ding the cleft or mouth of each in fine mold, for the
fibres to ftrike into. (If the mold and the feafon
be very dry, it may be well to moiften fome fine
mold with foft water, making it into a paile, and
wrap the wounded part in a handful o{ this pre-
pared earth.) This done, level in the mold,
draw the point of the layer upright, and Ihorten it,
as above dire6led; being careful to difcurb the
wounded part as little as poffible. It is a pra6tice
with fome to clear the ftools, entirely, after layering :
we would rather recommend, however, to trim off
fuch fhoots only as are too old, or are defe<5i:ive,
leaving fuch as are too young, to increafe in growth i
by ji^hich means an annual, inflead of a biennial^
fuccefCon of layers will be had.

The time of layering is generally autumn j
ipring is favourable to fome plants, and midfum-
mer to others ; but trees and flirubs, in general,
may be layered at almoft any time of the year.

The length of time requifite for rooting a
layer depends upon the nature of the plant : twelve
months is generally confidered as a fufficient time,
during which the layers Ihould be kept clear froir*

weeds ^

Manual Operations. 23

weeds ; and, when the rooted plants are taken off,
tht flumps, from which they were fevered, fhould Be
cut off' clofe to the Itools, in order that they may
fend forth a future fupply of fhoots.

V. VI. BUDDING— AND GRAFTING arc

operations more particularly applicable to fruit
trees, and belong to the kitchen gardener rather than
to the planter. They are operations difficult to
defcribe upon paper j and are known to every
nurferyman and gardener. The great art in
gra/iinglies in uniting the graft clofcly, and firmly,
with the (lock ; and in buddingy not to leave too
much wood, nor yet to pare it off too clofe to the
eye.

SECTION THE SECOND.

TRAINING TREES AND SHRUBS,

TREES and Shrubs may be trained up fromi
the feed bed, &c. until they be fit to be planted
out to fland, cither in nurseries fet apart for the
purpofe, or in YOUNG PLANTATIONS; which lait
are frequently the mofl eligible nurferies, as will

C 4 be

24 Planting.

be explained hereafter. A separate nursery,
however, is neverthelefs neceffaryj and in thi^
place it will be proper to give fome general idea^
of the foil, fituatjon^ and bqfinefs of a nurfery
ground.

The soil of the nurfery, like that of the femi-
nary, fhould be rich and deep, and like that, alfo,
fhould be prepared, by double diggings, and fuitable
meliorations : if not deep and rich by nature, it
muft be made fo by art, or be wholly rejefted, as
unfit for the purpofcs of a nurfery ground. For, if
the rpots of the tender plants have not a foil they
affe(5b, or a fuiEcient room to ftrike in, there will
be little hopes of their furniihing themfelves with
that ample flock of fibres which is neceffary to a
good plant, and with which to fupply them is th<;
principal ufe of the nurfery.

The situation of the nurfery is frequently
determi'^ed by the foil, ar^d frequently by local
conveniencies : ^e nearer it is to the garden or
ferainary, the more attendance will probably be
given it) but the nearer it lies to the fcene of
planting, the lefs carriage will be requifite, Ii^
whatever fituation the nurfery be placed, it mufl:^
like the feminary, be cffcdually fenced againft
hares iind rabbits^

Manual Operations. s^

The business of the nursery confifts prin-
cipally in

Preparing the soil.
Pruning the Seed-
lings, &c.
Putting them in,
I^eeping them clean.

Pruning theNurserv

Plants,
Thinning them.
Taking up, and
Packing for carriage^

The preparation of the soil has already

been mentioned : too much pains cannot be taken,

jn this department i it is the foundation, upon

which the Ibccefs of the whole bulinefs greatly

depends.

In pruning feedlings, layers, and fuckers, for
the nurfery, the ramifications of the roots fhould
not be left too long and fprawling ; but, in this
cafcy fhould be trimmed off pretty clofe, fo as to
form a fnug globular root. By this means, the
pew fibres will be formed immediately round the
foot of the plant, and may, of courfe, be eafily re-
moved with it, and without difturbing the earth
interwoven among them. The tops fhould, in
mofl: cafes, be trimmed quite clofe up to tiie leader,
or (if aukward or defective) be cut off a litde
above the root.

In putting in feedlings, various methods are
practifed: by t\\^ dihhk ; by x\\q fcocp -, by a finglc

chop

s6

L A N T I N G.

chop with the Jfadc:, or by two chops, one acrofs
the other : by Jquare belcs, made by four chops of
the fpade, bringing up the mold with the laft j
or by bedding ; a method chiefly made ufe of for
quickfets. ]f the foil be well prepared, and the
plants properly pruned, the chief art, in putting
tliem in, lies in not cramping the fibres of the
roots ; but, on the contrary, in letting them lie free
?nd eafy, among the mold: and the particular
mode, or inftrument t© be made ufe of, depends
much upon the fize of the plants to be put in^
This alfo determines, in a great meafure, the pro^
per difiance between the rows and between plant
and plant. Strong fuckers or layers require larger
holes, and a greater diftance, than weak feedling
plants. The propofed method of cleaning, too, is
a guide to the diftance ; the plow cannot work in
fo narrow a compafs as ^t fpade. The natural
tendency of the plant itfelf mufb alfo be confidered ;
io that few general direftions can be given, under
this head. If we fay from fix to twenty-four inches
13 the rows, with intervals frorp one to four feet
u'ide, we fhall comprehend the whole variation of
diftances.

Cleaning the Nursery is a bufincfs which
m^jft not, of all others, be negleded : all plants
are enemies to each other. If grafs and weeds are
fufFered to prey upon the foil^ the young plants

will

- \

Manual Operations. $7

W\\\ be deprived of their proper nourifhment and
mGifture : in Ihort, it is neceflary that the nurfery
(hould be kept equally clean as the feminary, and
this as clean as the kitchen garden : it would be
more pardonable to fuffer the plants to be fmo-
thered in the feed bed than in the nurfery quarters;
for, in that cafe, only a imall part of the expence
would be thrown away. Nor is merely keeping
the weeds under, the only care in a nurfery : the
intervals muft be kept flirred, in order to give air
and freedom to the fibres. This may be done
cither with the fpade, which is called turning in j
or, if the intervals be wide enough, and the nurfery
extenfive, with the plow, which is attended with
much lefs expence.

The next bufinefs of the nurfery is pruni:?g:
tliis is neceflary, to prevent the plants from croud-
ing each other, and to give them ftem. Shrubs,
which do not require a ftem, fhould not be placed
in nurfery rows, but in the quincunx manner, that
they may have an equal room to fpread, on eveiy
fide j but foreft trees, and trees in general, require
fome length of ftem j and, in giving them this, the
leading ihoot is more particularly to be attended
to. If the head be double, one of the flioots muft
be taken clofe off: if it be maimed, or other ways
defedlive, It may be well to cut the plant down to
the ground, and train a frelh ftioot j or, if the head

be

aj Planting.

be taken off fmooth, immediately above a ftrong
fide fhoot, this will fometimes outgrow the
crcokednef;;, and, in a few years, become a, ftraight

plant.

The time of the plants remaining in the nurfery
is determined by a variety of circumilanees j and a
feafonable thinning frequently becomes neceflary,
In this part of the bufinefs there are general rules
to go by : the fhrubby fpreading tribes Ibould be
thinned whenever their branches begin to inter-
fere J and the item plants, whenever their roots
get into a fimilar {late. If either the tops of the
one, or the roots of the other, be fuffered to re-
main in a ftate of interference and warfare with
each other, the beauty of the Ihmbs will foon be
deftroyed, and the diriftinefs of the trees will be
checked. If the plants be wanted for planting out,
it is fortunate ; if not, every alternate plant fliould
be moved to a vacant ground, prepared for the
purpofe. If fuch as ftand in rows be removed,
alternately, into the intervals, and fet in the quin-
cunx form, a temporary relief will be gained, at ^
fmall expence.

Planters, in general, are not aware of the
caution neceffary in taking up plants, for the
purpofe of planting them out to ftand. J?i this cafe,
frvery root and every fibre ought, as much as

poiTible,

Manual Operations. ^9

pofl'ible, to be preferved. No violence fhould,
therefore, be ufed in this operation. The bell way
is to dig a trench clofe by the fide of the plant
to be taken up ; and, having undermined the roots,
let the plant fall of itfelf, or with a very little af-
fiftance, into the trench : if any licentious root or
roots {till have hold, cut them off with fome Iharp
inftrument, fo as to jar the main root as little as
may be. If the root was properly pruned before
planting, it will now turn oiit a globular bundle of
earth and fibres, the befc charafteriflic of a well
rooted plant.

When the nurfery lies at a diftance from the
plantations, or when the plants are to be fent to
fome diftant place, much depends upon packing
them up judicioufly. Valuable plants m.ay be
packed in pots or baflsiets ; — ftraw may, however*
in general be ufed, and will equally preferve them
from frofl in winter, and the drought of autumn or
ipring } efpecially if, in the latter cafe, the draw
be occafionally moidened with foft water. Large
plants fhould be packed, fingly, with as much earth
about the roots as conveniency will allow. If a
][)iece of mat be put over the flraw, it will fave
fome trouble in cording, and be more efredual
than flraw alone,

SECTIOK

J^

Planting*

SECTION THE THIRD.

PLANTING TREES AND SHRUBS^

ALL that we propofe, in this place, is to conve/
to our readers feme general ideas of

Preparing the soil.
Season of planting.
Pruning and sort-
ing THE PLANTS,

Planting them Out,
Attending them af-

ter planting.
Cleaning the Plan«

tation.
Pruning the Young

Trees, and
Thinning them, —

in order to avoid ufelefs repetitions, when we
cometofpeak, feparateiy, of each individual fpeciesj
and to enable fuch of our readers as are wholly-
unacquainted with the fubjecb, to follow us through
the Alphabet of Plants with a degree of eafc
and fatisfaclion to themfelves, which, without
thefe previous inflrudions, they would not be able
to do.

The preparation of the ground depends,
in fome meafure, upon the fize of the plants. To
fpeak generally upon the fubjedl — For plants

under

MaSti/al Operations. ;^i

Under four feet high, the foil ought to receive a
double digging, or a fummer's fallow under tht
plow, or a crop of turnips well hocdj but, for
larger plants, feparate holes, dug in the unbroken
ground, are frequently made ufe of; though wc
cannot, by any means, recommend the pradice.
Trees and Ihrubs never thrive better, than v/heil
they are planted upon made grcnnd; for here the
fibres rove at large, and the nearer the foil of a
plantation is brought to the ftate of made ground ;
that is to fay, the more it is broken, and the deeper
it is dug i the greater probability there will be of
fuccefs. Plants put in holes may thrive very well,
while the fibres Have loofe mold to work in ; but,
whenever they reach the firm unbroken fides of the
pits, they will, except the foil be of a very rich
loamy nature indeed, receive a check, which they
will not overcome, for many years. The fize of
the holes, whether in broken or unbroken ground,
muft be in proportion to the roots of the plants to
be put in. For large nurfery plants, the hoks, in
unbroken ground, fhould not be Icfs than two fett
deep ; and for plants from four to eight feet high,
the holes ought to be made from two to four feet
diameter : the different ftrata fhould be kept fcba-
rate ; laying the fod on one fide of the hole, the
corn mold or foil on another, and the fubflj^atum
on a third; and in thisilate they fliould he fomc
weeks, before the time of planting.

This,

34 P L A N T J N d;.

This, namely the time of planting, varied
with the fpecies of* plant, and with the nature of*
the foil. Plants, in general, may be fet out cither
in the autumn, or in the fpring. In a bleak fitu-
ation, the latter is generally preferable j provided
the planting be not done too late. The latter end
of February, and all March, is a very proper feafon
for mofl: plants : but where the fcene of planting is
^extenfivej every fit of open weather, during thfc
lix winter months, ihould be embraced. Some
plants, however, are partial to particular feafons ;
thefe peculiarities will be mentioned^ in their pro-
per places.

It has been already inthnatedj thatj when trees
and llirubs are planted out finally, their roots
ihould be left unpruned. It is ulualj and ma)*-
- be proper, to take ofi^ the bruifed and maimed
parts; but even this fliould be done with Caution^
Their tofSy however, require a different treatment*
Forel^ trees, and other ftem plants^ may in general
be trimmed clofely j by which means the roots will
be able to fend up a fufncient fupply of nourifli-
ment and moifture the firPc year, and thereby fe=
cure the life of the plant : whereas, on the con-
trary, if a number of fide fhoots be Xtit on, the
quantity of leaves and fhoots becomes fo greaty
that the plant probably is Jlarvedy for want of that
neccfTary fupply^ This renders the fucecfs of

ilirubby

Manual Operations. 23

Hirubby plants uncertain ; and is an argument
againft their paffing through the nurfery j and, of
courfe, in favor of their being moved (when
practicable) from the feminary into the place in
which they are intended to remain. A well rooted
plant, however, if planted in a good mold and a
moift feafon, will fupport a confiderable top ; and
there is a general rule for the pruning of plants :
Leave them tops proportioned to their roots ; for
no doubt the larger the top, provided the root can
fupport it, the quicker progrefs the plant will
make: neverthelefs, it is well to be on the fafer
fide j a fure though flow progrefs is preferable to a
dead plant, which is always a refleflion upon the
planter, and an unfightly incumbrance in the plan-
tation. A judicious planter, while he trims his
plants, will at the fame time sort them : inftead of
throwing them out of his hand into one heap, pro-
mifcuoufly, he will lay the weak ill rooted plants,
in one place -, the middle fort, in another ; and the
ftrong well rooted ones, in a third ; in order that,
when they are planted out, each plant may have a
fair and equal chance of rifmg ; which, v/ithout
this precaution, cannot be the cafe.

We now come to the operation of planting ;
which is guided, in fome meafure, by the fpecies
of plantation. If the plants be large, and the plan-
tation chiefly ornamental, they ought to be planted

Vol. I. D out

34 Planting.

out promifcuoufly in the fituation in v.-hich th^y
are intended to remain ; but, if the plants be fmaU,
and the plantation chiefly ufeful, nurlcry rows
ought generally to be preferred. For, in this
manner, tlie tender plants give warmth to each
other; the tranficion is lefs violent, than when
they are planted out immediately from the nurfery
or fcedbed, fingly, and at a diftance from each
other : the ground is more eafily kept clean, than
where the plants fband in the random manner j
befides, the intervals may, while the plants arc*
youngy be cropped with advantage : while the re-
mainder of the intended plantation may be kept in
an entire ftate of cultivation, until the plants ac-
quire a confiderable fize ; or, if the whole ground
be ftocked in this nurfery manner, the fuperfluous
plants may, in almoft any country, be fold to great
profit. We do not recommend planting thefe
nurfery -plantations too thick j four feet between
the rows and two feet between the plants are con-
venient diftances ; or, if the intervals be fet out
exactly a quarter of a rod wide, namely, four feet
one inch and a half, and the plants be put in at
twenty-foXir inches and three quarters apart, the
calculation of how many plants will be required for
an acre, or any other given portion of ground,
or, on the contrary, how much ground will be
neceffary for a given number of plants, will be
made eafy and certain. The method of putting in

the

Manual Operations. ^5

the plants, in thefe nurfery rows, is this: The
ground beirio; brought to a proper Hate of culti-
vation, 23 dire6ted above, the plants trimmed and
forted, and the rows fee outj a line is laid along, to
make the holes by. To afcertaln precifely the
center of each hole, a mark is made in the line
(or land-chain, which is mt liable to be varied in
its length by the weather), and a ftick, or other
guide, placed where the center of each hole falls.
The workmen begin to make the holes, by chop-
ping a ring round each ftake, with the fpade, of a
diameter proportioned to the fize of the plants,
and of a depth equal to that of the cultivated
mold. A row of holes being firtilhed, the
plants, in this cafcj may be imntediately put in ;
•which is done in this manner : One rhan, or
boy, holds the plant upright, with it^ Item iii
the center of the hole, at the fame time look-
ing along the row, to fee that it ftands in its
proper line, while another fills in the mold ; firft
fpreading the roots and fibres level in the bottom
of the hole -, being careful riot to fuffer any of
them to lie in a cramping folded (late j but open-
ing them wide, and fpreading them abroad in the
manner of a bird's foot. While the planter is
bedding the foots in the fineft of the mold, the
perfon who fteadies the plant fhould move it very
gently up and down, if fmall, but if larger, by a
D 2 cir-

3^ Planting.

circuitous motion of the top, in order to let in tfic
mold more effeftually among the fibres; which
done, they fhould be preffed dov/n gently together
v/ith the foot ; and the treading, if the foil be
light, fnould be repeated two or three times, until
the hole be. filled up round, and the plant firmly
fixed, at the fame depth at which it flood, in the
place from whence it was taken. If, on trial, the
hole be found too Ihallow,. it muft be deepened ;
if too deep, fome of the rougheft of the mold
muft be thrown to the bottom, until the roots be
brought to their natural kvel. The row being
finifned, the planter walks back along it, and
adjufts fuch plants as lean, or ftand out of the line,,
wliiie his helper diftributes the plants of the next
row. In a fimiiar manner the plants are put in,
when the holes are made in whole ground. The
fods are generally thrown to the bottom of the
hole J and, if thefc be not fufficient to raife the
plant high enough, fome of the fubftratum is
mixed with them ; or if this be of a very bad
quality, fome of the top foil is dug from the in-
tervals, and thrown into the hole. The roots are-
bedded in the bell of the mold, and the hole
rounded up, either with the fubftratum or with the
foil of the interval, fo as to form a hillock or fwell
round the flem of the plant, in order to allow for
the fettling of the broken mold.

Manual Operations. 37

Plantations require a dole attendance
AFTER planting J cfpecially in windy weather.
Large plants are generally Hiked -, b;it this is a
pra6lice we do not recommend, except for large
,-tranfpIanted trees or fhrubs : but of thefe in the
next Sedion. Plants, even of fix or eight feet
Kigh, if well rooted and firmly plsntedj will with-
•ftand a great deal of weather. The plantation,
Jiowever, lliould frequently be gone ovcr,^ and fuch
plants as have loll their upright pofture, or are
ioofe at the roots, fhould be righted and rmnmed i
efpecially if the foil be of a light open texture :
indeed, in fuch a foil, it is prudent to ram them, at
the time of planting ; v/hich not only prevents
their being mifplaced by the winds, but alfo pre-
vents the drought from reaching the roots fo
foon as when the mold is left light and porous.
In this cafe, however, it mufl: be remembered,
that when the plants have got foothold, the mold
which has been rammed fnould be Ioofe ned with
the fpade ; in order to admit a full fupply of air ,to
the roots, without which no plant can flourifh.
If a continuance of drought fet in, after planting, it
will be prudent to water the plants * ^ not par-
tially, by pouring a fmall quantity of water againft
the ftem of each ; but in large quantities, poured

* Provided the holes Iiave not been pre vioufly watered ^
a precaution whicli, in a dry foil and a dry feafon, ought not
to be oinitieJ.

D 3 into

2^ Planting.

into a ring made near the outfide of the hole ; fo
that the whole mafs of broken earth may be
thoroughly rnoiftened, without wafliing off the
finer mold from the fibres. A fuperficial watering
taiitalizes the plants, and leads the fibres towards
the furface for noqrifhment : the moifture, thus
partially given, foon evaporates, and the difap-
pointed fibres become expofed to tlie parchings of
the fun and wind.

Plantations in rows are beft cleaned with
the plow. In the fpring, gather two furrows, or if
room four furrows, into the middle of the inter-
val ; in fummer, fplit thefe interval ridges, throw-
ing the mold to the roots of the plants, to fave
them from the drought : in autumn, gather them
again into the interval i and in winter, again re-
t]}rn them to the rows, to keep out the froft. If
the foil be good, and dung can be had, a row of
potatoes, cabbages, &c. may be planted in each
interval, or turnips fown over the whole : in either
cafe, the interlpaces of the rows fhould be kept
clean hoed, or hapd-weeded. In like manner, a
promifcuous plantation ihould be dug, or turned
in, at leaft once a year, for three or four years
after planting.

As the plants increafe in bulk and ftature, they
will require pruning. Much depends upori

doing

Manual Operations. ^q

doing this judicioufly. If it has been neglected
too long, care muft be had not to do too much at
once. The leader is the principal and firft
object ; the fide branches may be afterwards taken
off gradually, fo as not to wound the plant too
much, nor let too much air, at once, into the plan-
tation. The time of pruning is generally con-
fidered to be in autumn or winter, when the fap is
down, and the leaves offj but, for plants which arc
not liable to bleed, we rather recommend mid-
fummer j as fhoots taken off at that time, are not
fo apt to be followed by frefh llioots, as thofe taken
off in winter. If the Ihoots be young and flender,
it is better to rub them off, than to cut them off,
clean, with a (harp inflrument : boughs and iirong
fnoots, however, require an inftrument j and, from
young trees, they Ihould be taken off as fmoorh
and clofc to the Hem as poffible. If a flump be
left, it will be fome years before it be grown over,
and a flaw, if not a decayed place, will be the
confequcnce ; but if a fhoor, or even a confiderabie
bough of a young growing tree, be taken off, level
with the bark of the ftem, the wound will fl<iin over
the firft year, and in a year or two more no traces
of it will be left. A large bough of an aged full-
grown tree requires a different treatment ; which
will be given under the ' arncle Hedgerow
Timber.

D 4 GnEikT

40 Planting.

Great judgment is required in thinning
plantations. The fame rule holds good in nurfery
plantations, as in the nurfery itfelf : and the fame
general rule (liable no doubt to many exceptions)
jnay be extended to woodlands, and ornamental
plantations. But of thefe hereafter : fufFice it to
repeat, in this part of our Work, that wlienever
the roots of plants begin to interfere with each
other, their growth, from that time, is more or
lefs checked ; and whenever their branches are
permitted to clafh, from that time their beauty
and elegance are more or lefs injured.

SECTION THE FOURTH.

TRANSPLANTING TREES AND SHRUBS.

BY this is meant the removal of trees and
flirubs, which, having formerly been planted out,
have acquired fome confiderable fize. We da
not mean to recommend the pradlice, in general
terms ; but, for thinning a plantation, for removing
obflrudions, or hiding defeats, or for the purpofe
of raifing ornamental groups or fingle trees expe-
ditioufly, it may frequently be ufeful, and is uni-
verfally pradlifed j though feldom with uniform
fuccefs. This is, indeed, the moft difficult part of

planting,

Manual Operations. 4X

planting, and requires confiderable flcill — wjth
great care and attention in applying it.

, It is in vain to attempt the removal of a tap-
rooted plant (as the oak), which has not previoufly
been tapped s that is, its tap root taken off; and
i>ot iefs arduous to make a weakly rooted plant, of
almoftany fpecies (the aquatics excepted), fucceed
with a large top upon it ; much, therefore, depends
upon taking up, and pruning, trees and flirubs for
tranlplantation.

Before a tap-rooted plant, which has never
been removed from its place of femination, can be
taken up with propriety, it muft be tapped in this
manner : Dig a trench or hole by the fide of the
plant, large enough to make room to undermine
it, in fuch a manner as to be able to fever the
tap-root i which done, fill in the mold, and let the
plant remain in this flate one, two, or three years,
according to its fize and age. By this time the
horizontal roots will have furnifhed themfelves
with ftrength and fibres j efpecially thofe which
were lopped in the excavation -, and the plant may
be taken up and removed, in the fame manner as
if it had been tapped and tranfplanted while a
feedling, though not with equal fafety ; for plants
that have never been removed, have lono-

o

branching roots, ar,d the fbrss lie at a dillance

from

45^ Plan^ino.

from the body of the plant j while rholc v/hicH
have been taken up, and have had their roots
trimmed when young, are provided with fibres,
which, being lefs remote from the flem, may be
taken up with the plant, and conveyed with it to
its new firuation. This naturally leads to what
may, perhaps, be called a refinementy in taking up
large fibrous-rooted plants for tranfpb,ntation ;
namely, lopping the whole, or a part of the hori-
zontal roots, two years, or a longer time, before the
plant be taken upj leavi.ig the dov/nward roots,
and (if necefiary) part of the horizontal ones, to
fupport the plant until the time of removal *. It
would be needlefs to add, that in taking up plants,
in general, the greater length of root, and the
greater number of fibres there is taken up, the
more probable will be the fuccefs. It is alfo a
circumftance well underftood, that too much eartja
cannot be retained among the fibres f.

The plant being thrown down, and the roots
difcntangled, it is proper, before it be removed
from its place, to prune the top, in order that the
carriage may be lightened. In doing this, a

* In this cafe the head ought, at the fame time, to be pruned,
arui the plant, if expofed, to be fupportsd.

f Bet fee Minutes 12 and 15.

con-

Manual Opejiations. 43

confiderable fhare of judgment is requifite : to
head it down in the pollard manner, is very iin-
Tightly J and to prune it up to a mere maypole, or
fo as to leave only a fmall broom-like head at the
top, is equally deftrudive of its beauty. The
moft rational, the moil natural^ and, at the fame
time, the mod elegant, manner of doing this, is to
^rune the boughs ^ in fuch a manner as to form the
head of the plant into a conoid, in refemblance of
the natural head of the Lombardy poplar, and of a
fize proportioned to the ability of the root. Who-
ever was the inventor of this method of pruning
the heads of trees, deferyes infinite credit : it
only wants to be known in order to be approved j
and we are happy to fee it growing into univeriai
pradice.

The mode of carriage refts wholly with the
fize of the plant : if fmall, it is beil carried by
hand, either upon the Ihouldcr, or upon hand*
ipikes*: — if larger, two fledges, one for the root,
the other for the head, may be ufed : — if very
large, and the ball of earth be heavy, a pair of high
timber wheels (guarded by a lack of hay or other
foft fubftance), or a timber carriage, will be found
peceflary.

* See Minutes, as above.

The

44 P L A N T I >f G.

The hole miifl be made wide cnougli to admk
the root of the plant, with a ipace of a foot, at Icaft,
all FGund it, for the pinpofe of filling in the mold
with propriety ; fo that if the tree v/as taken up
with a root of eight feet diameter, the hole mud be
made of the diameter of nine or ten feet, and of
a depth fufficient: to admit of the tree's being feated
(when the mold is fettled) at its natural depth, as
alfo to receive the fods, and other rough unbrokei^i
rnold, at leaft a foot thick underneath its root.

The method of planting depends upon the ftatc
.of the root, and the temperature of the mold and
the feafon. If the root be well furnifhed widi
fibres and mold, and the foil be m.oift from fitu-
ation, or moiftened by the wetnels of the feafon, no
artificial preparation is neceflary. The bottom of
the hole being railed to a proper hejght, and the
tree fet upright in the center of it, the mold may
be filled in ; being careful to work it well in
amongfl: the roots, and to bed the fibres fmoothly
amongft it j treading every layer firmly, and,
with a carpenter's ramm.er, filling every crevice
and vacancy among the roots, lb that no foft part
r^or hoUownefs remain -, and proceed in this man-
ner, until the hole be filled, and a hillock raifedi
round the plant to allow for its fettling. But if
j:he roots be naked of mold, and thin of fibres,

and

MAfiVAL Cperatioks. ^5

and the foil, the fituation, and the feafon be dry,
wc recommend the foliowins; method : The re-
quifite depth of tlie hole being aicertained,. and its
bottom raifed to a proper height, with fome of the
fined of the mold, pour upon it fo much water as
to moiflen the loofc mold, without rendering it
foft, and unable to fuftain the weight of the plai't j
and th:;n proceed as above direfted. If the tranf-
plantation be dope in autumn, it will require no-
thing farther at that time j but if in the fpring,
more water will immediately be wanted. There-
fore, at once, draw a ring, fome inches deep, near
the outfide of the hole, and, in the bottom of its
channel, make fix, eight, or ten holes (by means
of an iron crow, or of a Ipike and beetle), at equal
diftances, and of a depth equal to that of the roots
of the plant. Thefe holes will not only ferve to
convey water, but air alfo, to the immediate regiorx
in which they are both indifpenfably necefiar)^ to
the health of the plant. We have been the fuller
in our inftructions relative to traniplanting, as
being a procefs littk underftood by profefiional
men. Every nurferyman, and almoft every kit-
chen gardener, can raife, train, and plant out feed-
ling and nurfery plants ; but the removal of tj-ees-
feldom occurs in their pradlice ; and we have met
with very few men, indeed, who are equal to the
tadc. The foregoing rules are the refuk of expe-
rience.

For

4^ PLANTrNG.

For farther experience in Transplanting,
fee Minutes 12 and 15, in this Volume. And
for farther remarks on Planting in general, fee The
P.URAL Economy of the Midland Counties^
Vol. II. Minutes 146 and 168.

brvisioN'

Choice of Timber. 47

DIVISION THE SECOND.
CHOICE OF TIMBER TPvEES.

SECTION THE FIRST.

CONSUMPTION OF TIMBER.

TIMBER is the great and primary objecl of
planting. Ornament, abllracred from uti-
lity, ought to be confined within narrow limits.
Indeed, in matters of planting, efpecially in the
taller plantations, it were difficult to feparate, en-
tirely, the idea of ornament from that of ufe.
Trees, in general, are capable of producing an
ornamental effect j and there is no tree which
may not be faid to be more or lefs ufeful. But
their difference in point of value, when arrived at
maturity, is incomparable j and it would be the
height of folly to plant a tree whofe charaderiftic
is principally ornamental, when another, which is
more ufeful and equally ornamental, may be planted
in its (lead*.

Ther2-

4^ Planting.

Therefore, previous to our entering, at largtf^
upon tlie bufinefs of planting, it will be proper to
endeavour to fpecify the trees moft ufeful to be
planted. In attempting this^ we muft look for-
ward, and endeavour to afcertain the fpecies and
proportional quantities of Timber which will
hereafter be wanted, when the trees, now to be
planted, Ihall have reached maturity. To do this
with a degree of certainty, is impoffible : Cuftoms
and fafliions alter, as caprice and necefTity didtate.
All that appears capable of being done, in a matter
o( this nature, is, to trace the great outlines, and,
by obferving what has been permanently ufeful
for ages pad, judge what may, in all human pro-
bability, be ufeful in ages to come.

Ships, [ Machines, and

Buildings, Utensils,

have been, a'-e, and m.oft probably will continue to
be, the confumers of Timber, in this country.
We will, therefore, endeavour to come at the
principal materials made ufe of in the conftruclion
of theie four great conveniences of life. Indeed,
v/hile mankind remain in their prefent ftate of ci-
vilization and refinement, they are necelfaries of
life, which cannot be difpenfed with ; and are con-
fequently objedVs which the planter ought not to
lole fight of, as they include, in effecft, every thing
that renders plantations uieful j Fence wood and
Fuel excepted.

I. SHIPS

Choice of Timber Trees. 49

I. SHIPS are built chiefly of Oak: the keels,
however, are now pretty generally laid with Elm,
or Beech j and part of the upper decks of men of
war is of Deal : but thefe woods bear no pro-
portion, in refpe^t of the quantity ufed, to the Oak.
The timbers of a fliip are principally crooked, but
the -planking is cut out of flraight pieces. In a
feventy-four gun lliip, the crooked and ftraight
pieces ufed are nearly equal, but xht -planking under
water is of Foreign Oak : therefore, of English
Oak, the proportion of crooked to flraight pieces
is almoft two to one. Mafts and yards are of
Deal. The blockmakers ufe Elm, Lignum-
Vit£e, Box, and other hard woods. Upon the
whole, it may be faid, that, in the conftruclion of a
fhip. Oak is the only English Wood made ufe
of 5 and that, of this Englifh Oak, nearly two thirds
are requifite to be more or Icfs crooked.

II. BUILDINGS. In the metropolis, and
towns in general. Deal is the prevailing wood
made ufe of by the hoafe carpenter : fome Oak is
ufed for fafhes, alfo for window and door frames,
and fome for wall plates -, but in places fituated
within the reach of water carriage. Deal is becom-
ing every day more and more prevalent : never-
thelefs, there are many inland parts of the country,
where the houfe carpenters dill continue to work
Up great quantities of Oak and Elm. The joiner

Vol. I. E fc^rcely

i<^ Planting.

jcarcelyufes any other wood than Deal, except in
fome inland and well wooded diftrifts, where Oak
is liill in life for fioors and ftalrcafcs. Through
the kingdom at large, perhaps three fourths of the
timber uled in the conftrudion of buildings are
Foreign Deal.

III. MACHINES. This clafs comprehends
Mills and other Machines of Manufactory,
Carriages of burden and pleaiure, Implements
of Husbandry, with the other articles ncceflary
in rural affairs.

The 7milzvnghfs chief material is Oak, and
fome Crabtree, for cogs *.

The waggon and cart-wright ufcs Oak, for
bodies j Ash, for fnafts and axles ; Elm, for naves,
and fometimes for fellies and linin2;s.

TnEplo-'^right's fheet anchor is Ash : in fome
counties Beech is fubftituted in its Head, for every
thing but plow beams.

The coachmnkers ufe Ash, for poles, blocks,
fplinter bars, &c. Elm, for naves ; generally

* As to the implements, utenfils, and machines of manu-
tadory, they are infinite ; and various kinds of wood are
•worked up in making them.

Asm,

Choice of Timber Trees. 51

Ash, for fpokes and fellies; and Rattan *, for
pannels.

Gates and Fences are made of Oak and Deal ;
fometimes of Ash, Elm, Maple, &c. but pfis
are, or ought to be, univerfally of Oak, Chesnut,
or Larch 3

Ladders, of Deal, Oak, &c.

Pumps and. Water Pipes, of Oak, Elm,
Alder 3

Wooden Bridges, River Breaks, and other
Waterworks, principally Oak; fome Elm and
Alder under water f .

IV. UTENSILS. Under this head we clafs
Furniture, Cooper's Ware, Mathematical
Instruments, Trunks, Packing Cases, Cof-
fins, &:c. &;c.

The cabinetmaker s* chief woods are Maho-
gany and Beech i next to thefe follow Dutch
Oak (Wainfcot), Deal, Elm; and laflly,

* The mahogany of the Bahama Iflands.

f Beech has lately been found to lie long underwater;
but for ivater-vcerk of every kind the Larch i« found to excel.

E 2 Wal-

jpft Planting.

Walnuttree, Cherrytree, Plu'mtree, BoXj
Holly, Yew, and a variety of woods for inlaying
and cabinets. In fome country places, aconfiderable
quantity of English Oak is worked up into ta-
bles, chairs, drawers, and bedfteads j but, in Lon-^
don, Beegh is almoft the only Englifh wood made
ufe of, atprefentj by the cabinet and chair makers.

The carvers* favorite wood is Lime, for pidure
and glafs frames i Deal, for coarfer articles.

(hoopers-, — Oak (and fome Chesnut), for
large cafks and vefiels: Ash, for dairy utenfils,
butter firkins, flour barrels, &c. Oak, for well
buckets and water pails, and, in fome places, for
milk pails, and other dairy veilels : Beech, for foap
firkins, &c.

LockfmiihSi in Birmingham and Wolver-
hampton, work up a confiderable quandty of Oak,
for Lockftocks : chiefly the butts of trees.

Turners j — principally Beech for large ware,
if Beech is to be had; if not. Sycamore, or other
clean-grained wood : Box, Holly, &c, for fmaller
utenfiis.

Mathematical Injlrumcnt Makers ; — Ma h o g a n y.
Box, Holly,

Trufth-

Choice of Timber Trses. 55

Trunkmakers j— Deal.

PackingCafes i — alfo Deal,

C(?^;/j;—^Oak, Elm, Deal.

And, finally, the laJimakerSj who work up no
rnconfiderable quantity of wood, ufe Beech for
laftsj Alder anciBiRCHforheels,patten-woods,&c.

Wb do not deliver the foregoing fketch as a
perfcdlly corre^fl account of the application of
woods, in this country : the attempt is new, and
that which is new is difficult. We have not
omitted to confult with profefTional men upon the
fvibject i and we believe it to be fufficiently accu-
rate for the pvrpofe of the planter. If we have
committed any material error, we aik to be let
right. We do not wifli to defcend to minuti^ :
it would be of little ufe to the planter, to be
told what toys and toothpicks are made from :
it is of much more importance to him to know,
that, of English Woods, the Oak is moll in
demand, perhaps three to one, — perhaps in a much
greater proportion ; that the Ash, the Elm, the
Beech, and the Box, follow next ; and that the
Chesnut, the Walnut, and the Prunus and
PiNus tribes, are principally valuable, asfubftitutes
for Oak and Foreign Timber.,

E 3 SEC-.

54 Planting.

SECTION THE SECOND..

SITUATION AND SOIL.

IN the choice of timber trees^ however, situ-
ations and SOILS muft ever be confultcd. The
Oakj in fhallow barren foils^ and in bleak expofed
fituations, cannot be raifed with profit, as a timber
tree ; while the Larch, by out-growing its ftrength,
fickens in deep rich foils.

It is a fortunate circumftance for this country,
that the two trees which are molt likely to furnifii
its navy with an internal fupply of timber, ihould
delight in foils and fituations of oppofite natures j
and every judicious planterwill endeavour toaffigq
to each its natural ftation.

DIVISION

H K D G E R O W S. 55"

DIVISION THE THIKD.
HEDGES AND HEDGEROWTIMBER.

Introductory Remarks.

THE raifing of Live Hedges and Hedgerow
Timber conflitutes no inconfiderable part of
the bufinefs of planting. The value of good
Hedges is known to every hufbandman j and not-
v/ithftanding the complaints againft Hedgerov/
Timber, as being liable to be knotty. See, the
quality of the timber itfclf is not queflioned : its
faultinefs arifes, wholly, from an improper treat-
ment of the tree, and not from the fituation of its
growth. Indeed, we are clear in our opinion, that,
under proper management, no fituation whatever
is better adapted to the valuable purpofe of raifing
Ship Timber, than Hedges : The roots have free
range in the adjoining inclofures, and the top is
expofed to the exercife of the winds, with a fuffi-
cient fpace to throw out lufty arms, and form, at a
E 4 proper

5? Planting.

proper height, a fpreading head. Thus, quicknefs
of growth, with ftrength and crookedness of
Timber, are at once obtained.

"We are well aware of the injury rtfulting froni
woody Hedgerows to arable inclofures ; but eveiy
man experienced in rural matters muft be con-
vinced, that it is not well trained Timber trees, but
high Hedges, and low Pollards, which are the bane
of corn fields. Thefe, forming a high and im-
pervious barrier, preclude th^ air and exercife, fo
clTential to the vegetable, as well as the animal
creation : in Norfolk, lands thus encumbered are,
with great ftrength and propriety of exprefTion,
faid to be "juood-bound. Befides, Pollards and low-
ipreading trees are certain deftruclion to the Hedge
wood which srows under them.

tj*

Neither of thefe evils, however, refuk from
tall Timber Oaks, and a Hedge kept down to
four or five feet high : a circulation of air is, in
this cafe, rather promoted than retarded j and it
iz well known, that a pruned Hedge will thrive
perfecflly well under tall-ftemmed trees. Oaks
more' efpecially. We will therefore venture to
recommend, for arable inclofures. Hedges pruned
down to four or five feet high, with Oak tifnbers
of fifteen to twentyfive feet ftcm. '

BtTT

Hedgerows. 57

But, for grafs lands, higher Hedges are more
eiic^ible. The grafies afFecl warmth, which pro-
motes their growth, and thereby increafes their
quantity, though their quality may be injured.
Befides, a tall fence affords (helter to cattle ; pro-
vided it be thick and dole at the bottom j other-
wife, by admitting the air in currents, the blaft is
rendered ftill more piercing. The (hade of trees
IS equally friendly to cattle in fummer, as thick
Hedges are in the colder months ; therefore, in the
Hedges of grafs inclofures, we wifh to fee the Oak
wave its lofty fpreading head, while t}ie Hedge
itfelf is permitted to make its natural fhoots: re-
membering, however, that the oftener it is cut
down the more durable it will be as a fence, and
the better itielter it will give to cattle ; more efpe-
cially if the fides be pruned the firil and fecond
years after cutting, in order to give it an upright
tendency, and thicken it at the bottom.

Upon bleak hills, and in expofed fituations, it is
well to have two or even three rows of Pledge
wood, about four feet apart from each other ; thp
middle row being permitted to reach, and always
lemain at, its natural height ; while the fide rows
are cut down, alternately, to give perpetual fe-
curity to the bottom, and afford a conftant fupply
ofmaterials for Dead hedges, and other purpofes

of Underwood,

Havinp.

f9 P L A N T I ^7 C.

Having thus given agenerai flcetch of our ideas
as to the different kinds of Hedges, and their efte(5ls
on cultivated lands, we proceed to treat of the
inethod of railing them. In doing this, it will he
proper to confider,

J. The Woods moft eligible for Hedges,
a. The time and manner of planting them.

3. The manner of defending the young plants.

4. The method of cleaning and training them,
^. Th£ after management.

SECTION THE FIRST.

SPECIES OF HEDGE WOODS,

THE Species of Hedge Wood depends, in
feme meafure, upon Ibil and fituation. That which
is proper for a found foil, in a temperate fituation,
may not be eligible for a marfh, or a mountain r
and, indeed, a fence may be formed of any tree or
ilrong ibrub, provided it will thrive in the given
fituation. Neverthelefs, there are fome fpecies

much

Hedgerows, 59

piuch more eligible than others i we particularize
the following :

The Hawthorn,
The Crab Bush.
The Aquatic Tribe.
The Holly.
The Furze.

The Hawthorn has been confidered, during
time immemorial, as the wood mod proper for
live fences. This pre-eminence, probably, arofc
from the feedling plants being readily colleded,
in woods and waftes j the method of raifmg them,
in feed beds, being formerly, and indeed in fomc
parts of the kingdom even to this day, but litdc
pradifcd. The longevity of the Hawthorn, efpe-
cially if it be frequently cropped, and its patience
in cropping, — its natural good qualities as a live
fence, and its ufefulnefs as affording materials for
dead he iges, are other reafons why it has been
iiniverfally adopted. Another advantage of the
Hawthorn — It will grow in almoft any foil, pro-
vided the fituation be tolerably dry and warm.
However, if the foil hath not a degree of richnefs
in itfelf, as well as a geniality of fituation, the
Hawthorn will not thrive fufficiently, nor make a
progrefs rapid enough, to recommend it, in prefe-
rence, as a Hedge wood.^

The

6o Planting.

The Crabthorn, among the deciduous tribe,
(lands next : indeed^, taken all in all, it may be
faid to rival the Hawthorn itfelf. Its growth is
confiderably quicker, and it will thrive in poorer
foils, and in bleaker fitqations ; and although it
may not be fo thorny and full of branches as the
Haw-bulhi, yet it grows fufiiciently rugged to make
an admirable fence. Add to this, thougli its
branches may not be preferable to thofe of the
Hawthorn for Jhocting dead hedges, they un-
doubtedly afford a much greater quantity of^akes;
and no wood whatever (the Yev/ perhaps only ex-
cepted) affords better flakes than the* Crab tree.
The feedling plants, too, are readily raifed, as the
feeds of the Crab vegetate the firll year. We do
not mean, however, to force down the Crab, bufh
upon our Reader as being, in a general light, pre-
ferable to tlie Hawthorn : we wifli only to flate,
impardally, their comparative value ; leaving him
to confult his own fituation a^id conveniency, and-,^
hayincr fo done, to judge for himfclf. Neverthe-
lefsj from v/hat has been adduced, we may venture
to conclude, that upon a barren foil, and in a bleak
iituation, the Crab bufn, as aHedge wood, claims a
preference to the Hawthorn.

The Aquatics. As the Crab excels the Haw-
thorn, upon bleak barren hills, fo the Aquatics gai.Ji
a preference, in low fwampy grounds : for although

the

H t D C E R o w s. 6i

the Hawthorn delights in a moifc fituatlon, yec
much itagnant water about its roots is ofFenfive to
it. Of the Aquatic.^, the ud/der feems to claim a
preference ; its growth is more forked and fhrubby
than that of the Poplar or Willow ; and its leaves
are particularly unlavory to cattle. In point of
ornament, however, it is exceeded by the BLick
PoplaVy which, if kept pruned on the fides, will
feather to the ground, and form a clofe and tole-
rably good fence.

The Holly. Much has been faid, and much
has been written, of the excellency of Holly hedges :
neverthelefs, as fences to farm inclofures, they
flill exift in books and theory only j not having
yet been introduced into general pradbice, we be-
lieve, in any part of the kingdom. Their fupe-
riority, however, whether in point of utility or or-
nament, is univerfally acknowledged. The per-
petual verdure they exhibit, the fuperior kind of
fhelter they afford, during the winter months, and
the everlallingnefs of their duration (an old de-
cayed Holly being an objeft rarely to be fecn in
nature), all unite in eflabliihing their excellency.
How then are we to account for the fcarcity of
Holly hedges ? The difficulty of railing them,
and the flownefs of their growth, have been held
out as obftacles ; and fuch they are, in truth ; but
they are obflacles arifing rather from a want of

proper

^1 Planting.

proper management, than from any caufe inherent
in the Holly itfelf. Thoufands of young Hollies
have been dcftroyedj by being planted out impro-
perly, in the fpring, at the time that the Hawthorn
is ufually planted : and the few which efcape total
deftruclion, by fuch injudicious removal, receive a
check which cripples their growth, probably for
feveral years.

We do not mean to intimate, that, by any
treatment whatever, the progrefs of the Holly can
be made to keep pace with that of the Hawthorn,
or the Crab : and we are of opinion that it ought,
by reafon of the comparative flov/nefs of its growth,
to be raifed under one or other of thefe two plants i
more elpecially under the Crab, which, as has been
oblerved, has a more upright tendency than the
Hav/thorn, and confequently will afford more air,
as well as more room to the Holly rifing under iti

But whilft we thus venture to recommend
railing the Holly under the Crabthorn, we are by
no m.eans of opinion that it is difficult to raife a
hedge of Holly alone. The principal difadvantage
ariling comparatively from this pradlice is, that
the dead fence will be required to be kept up at
leafc ten or twelve years, inftead of fix or feven j
in which time a Crabthorn hedj^e, properly ma-^
naged, may bs made a fence, and will remain fo,

without

Hedgerows* 6j

without further expence, until the Holly become
impregnable ; when the Crab may either be re-
moved, or permitted to remain, as tafte, profit, or
conveniency may point out.

The Holly will thrive upon almoft any foil ;
but thin-foiled heights feem to be its natural fitii-
ation. We may venture to fay, that where corn
will grow. Holly will thrive abundantly ; and
Holly hedges feem to be peculiarly well adapted
to an arable country : for, being of flow growth,
and its perfpiration being comparatively fmall, the
Holly does not fuck the land (as the Countryman's
phrafe is), and thereby rob the adjoining corn of
its nourifhment, fo much as the Hawthorn ; which,
if fuffered to run up to that unpardonable height,
and to ftraggle abroad to that Ihameful widdi, at
which we frequently fee it, is not much lefs per-
nicious, in its efFeds upon corn land, than the Alb
itfelf.

The Furze is rather an afTiftant Hedge wood,
than a fhrub which, alone, will make a fence.'
Upon light barren land, however, where no other
wood will grow to advantage, tolerable fences may
be made with Furze alone.

There is one material difadvantage of Furze, as
a live Hedge wood ; the branches are liable to be

killed

^4 Planting.

killed by fevere frofts, efpecially if the plants be-
fufxered to grow tall, branchy, and thin at the bot-
tom. It follows, that the beft prefervative againfl
this malady is, to keep them cropped down low^
and bufhy ; indeed, they are of little ufe, as a
fence, unlefs they be kept in that ftatCi

In Norfolk, it is a practice, which of late years
has become almoft univerfal, to fow Furze feed
upon the' top of the ditch bank ; efpecially when
a new Hedge is planted. In a few years, the
Furzes get up, and become a (heker and defence
to the young quick; and, afTifbed by the high
ditch bank prevalent in tliat country, afford a
comfortable Ihelter to catde in winter; befides
fupplying, at every fall, a confide rable quantity of
Farmhoufe fuel.

SECTION THE SECOND.

METHOD AND TIME OF PLANTING
HEDGEROWS.

I. THE FENCFAVOOD. The method varies
vdth the foil, and the time with the fpecies of
wood to be planted.

In

HEDCEkdws; 65

Ij4 a low level country, ditches become ufeful,
as main drains to the adjoining inclofures j but, irl a
dry upland fituation, drains are lefs wanted ; and
here the Planter has it in choice, whether he will
plant with or without a ditch.

The prevailing cuftom, taking the kingdom
throughout, is to plant with a flialiow ditch, laying
the plants in a leaning pofture againft the firft {pit
turned upfide down, covering their roots with the
bcft of the cultivated mold, and raifmg a bank
over them, with the remainder of the excavated
earth of the ditch, without any regard being had
to the wetnefs or drynefs of the fituation. It is a
flriking fadb, indeed, that in the vale of Gloucefter —
where large plots of naturally rich land are chilled
with furface v/ater, and reduced to little value,
entirely thro' a want of proper fewers and ditches-
it is the cuftom to plant Hedges with a paltry grip
of twelve to fifteen inches deep ; while in Norfolk
^-a dry fandy country, where the natural abfor-
bency of the fubftratum is feldom or ever fatiated
—it is the univerfal praftice to raife Hedges with
what is there called a " fix-foot dyke j" and, when
frefh made, they frequently run from fix and a half
to fevcn feet ; meafuring from the bottom of the
ditch to the top of the bank.

Vol. I. F What

^6 P L A NT T I N G.

What may appear equally extraordinary, tothtf
reft of tiie kingdom, the Norfolk Hulbandmen,
inftead of planting the quick at the foot of the
bank, among the corn mold, lay it in, near the
top of their wall-like bank, among the crude
earth, taken out of the lower part of the ditch. It
is no uncommon fight, however, in that country,
to fee the face of tht bank, with the quickfets it
contains, wafhed down, by beating rains, for rods
together. Neverthelefs, if the plants efcape this
accident, it is aftonifhing to fee the progrefs they
will fometimes make, for a few firft years after
planting. But, as the roots enlarge, they become
confined for want of room to range in ; and the
bank naturally moldering down by time, they are
left naked and expofed. It is common to fee
young plants haijging, with their heads downward,
againft the face of the bank ; and the mold con-
tinuing to crumble away from their roots, they of
courfe drop finally into the ditch.

If we examine the unbroken flourifhing Hedges
of that country, of fifteen, twenty, and thirty
years Handing (for many fuch there are, efpecially
in the Fleg Hundreds) j we fiiall find them firmly
rooted amono; the corn mold at the foot of the
bank. Neverthelefs, the Norfolk farmers, in
general, are i'o clofely wedded to the foregoing

praiftice.

Hedgerows.. 67

practice, that no arguments are fufficlent to con-
vince them of its impropriety.

We confefs ourfelves partial to the fuperior abili-
ties of the Norfolk Hufbandmen, in their general
management of rural affairs; and we hold efta-
blifhed pracTdces in Hulbandry as things too refpec-
table to be wholly condemned without a full and
candid examination : we will therefore endeavour,
in as few words as polTible, to place the Norfolk
praftice of planting Hedges in its proper light.

There are hot, genei^ally fpeaking, any wood-
lands in Norfolk. The Hedges, it is true, efpe-
cially of the eaftern part of the county, are full,
much too fullj of woodi chiefly pollards. There
are fome few timber groves, fcattered here and
there : but we find none of thofe extenfive trafls
of coppice or underwood, in that county, which
we fee in other parts of the kingdom : conse-
quently, the planter of Hedges experiences a
fcarcity of materials for temporary dead fences,
having neither JiakeSj edderSi nor raih^ to make
them with. Fortunately for him, however, the
/oil is of fuch a nature (a light fandy loam of
great depth, without a fingle ftone to check the
Ipa e), that by digging a deep trench, and raifing
a mound with the foil, none of thofe materials are

F 2 wanted.

68 Planting.

wanted. The face of the bank being carried up-
right, and a little brufliwood fct along the top of
it, a fiifficient fence is formed -, while the depth of
the ditch prevents cattle from browzing upon the
young plants. By this means, Hedges are raifed in
Norfolk at a trifling expence, compared with the
great cofl bellowed upon them in Ibme counties ;
where two rows of pofts and rails are ufpd, by way
of temporary fences. But the difficulty in raifing
a live hedge, in the Norfolk manner, arifes from
the want of a proper place to plant the quickfets in.
If it be put in, towards the top of the bank, as is
ufually done, the evil confequences abovementioned
follow : if, on the contrary, it be laid in, near the
bottom, the fuperincumbent preffure of the bank,
and the want of moiflure in this part of it, render
the progrefs of the young plants flow, for the firft
three or four years ; while thofe above, having
loofe made ground for their fibres to ftrike among,
and having a fiifficient iupply of moifture collefted
from every fhower, by the brufh hedge, flourifh
apace j until the roots having grown too large for
the bank, or the upper pait of the bank itfeif
having been wafhed down or moldered away, their
career is ftopt, at a time when thofe below, having
ftruggled thro' the bank, and finding an ample
fupply of air, moiflure, and rich cultivated foil, to
work among, are, in their turn, beginning to thrive ;
and their main roots being firmly fixed in the foil

itfejr.

Hedgerows. 6^

itfelf, there is no fear of their afterwards receiving '
a check.

Thus it appears, that the Norfolk method has
its advantage, as being cheap, with a difadvantage,
arifing from the want of a proper place to put the
plants in.

This is eafily obviated by planting with an
OFFSET i that is — inftead of continuing the face
of the bank with one unbroken dope — to let it
back a few inches, fo as to form a break or flielfj
where the quickfets are planted j for the obvious
purpole of giving the young plants a fufHcient fup- .
ply of moillure, air, and pafturage, until theirs
roots have had time to extend themiclves to the
adjoining inclofures,

This method of raifmg a Hedge is not a mere
theoretical deduction, but has been praclifed with
fuccefs, in different parts of the kingdom ; and,
in a foil free from ftones and other ohftrudtions of
the fpade, it is perhaps, upon the whole, the moft
eligible pradice.

But the beft live hedges we remember to have
feen,in any part of this kingdom, grow in the neigh-
bourhood of Pickering, in the North Riding of
yorkfhire, Thefe Hedges itand nearly upon level
F ^ ground.

7P Planting.

ground, with Utile or no bank or ditch ; fo that the
plants have free range for paflurage, on both fides ;
the fhallow trenches, by which the quickfets have
been planted, being now grown up ; having, it is
probable, never been fcoured out fince they were
made. Indeed, the afiiftance of a ditch is not
wanted; no temporary fence whatever being requi-
fite to be made, when the hedge is topped : the
ftems themfelves are a fufficient barrier, {landing
in rows, like the heads of piles, and in llich clofe
order, that not a iheep, nor a hog, nor, infome places,
even a hare, can creep between them. In a few
years, thofe living piles throw out heads aftonifli-
jngly luxuriant, and every fix or feven years afford
an ample and profitable crop of brufliwopd j and
thi3 without any expence whatever, except that of
reaping it : whereas, in Norfolk, the renewal of the
ditch and bank, when the hedge is cut down, is
nearly equal to the firft coft ; befides the difad-
vantage refuking from cutting off all commu-
nication with the inclofure on the ditch fide, and
thereby robbing the hedge of half its natural
food.

Therefore, where a ditch is notnecefiary as a
drain, and where the nature of the fubftratum is fuel*
tliat it cannot be conveniently funk fufficiently deep
to defend the young plants — the mofl: eligible
method, in fuch a fituation, is to plant the Hedge

upoi)

Hedgerows. 71

upon the Level Ground, without either bank or
ditch, in the manner hereafter to be defcribed -, which
method is now pradlifed, in the neighbourhood
abovementioned, with very promifing fuccefs.

Having thus endeavoured to deduce from
actual practice what may be called the theory
of raifing Hedges, we proceed to the applica-
tion.

From what has been faid, it appears that there
are three diftinct methods of raifing a Live
Hedge :

1. With a ditch and plain bank.

2. With a ditch and offset.

3. Upon level ground.

The frjl has been already mentioned i and being
familiar to every countryman, it is needlefs to en-
large upon it here.

The Jecond is to be praflifed, in wet fitu?tions,
where furface drains are wanted, and where the
ditch is necelTary to be kept open j and iikewifc, in
dry fituations, where the fubfoil is fucii that a ditch
can be conveniently funk deep enough, to guard
F 4 the

72 Planting.

the young plants, in front, without an additional
fence.

The manner of execudng it is this : The ground
may either be prepared by fallowing with the plow,
or the work may be lined out upon the unbroken
ground. In either cale, the plants fhould be fet upon
the natural level of the foil, and at the diftance of
three to twelve inches from the brink of the ditch.
This, in ordinary fituations, fhould be about four
feet, fay a quarter of a rod, wide at the top, and
being brought to an angle at the bottom (or as near
an angle as tools can bring it), its flope or fides
fhould be about the fame dimenfions -, the cavity of.
the ditch being made, as nearly as may be, an equi-
lateral triangle. But, if the ditch be wanted as a
main drain or common fev/er, its width fhould be
confiderably greater ; for, in this cafe, it cannot be
-pc'mted at the bottom, and muft therefore have a
iiifficient width given it, at the top, to admit of its
being made deep enough as a fence, and, at the fame
time, wide enough, at the bottom, to admit the given
current of water. The bank fhould rife in front,
xyith a flope fimilar to that of the ditch j but as
x!?if:. back fhould be carried more upright at the foot,
fwelling out full tov/ards the top, in order to admit
the infertion of a brufli hedge ; or, rather, if it can
be conveniently had, a dwarf ilake-and-edder

Hedge,

Hedgerows. 73

Hedge, which will effe6lually compleat the fence
to the bank fide ; in either cafe, if any ftraggling
fpray overhang the young piants, it lliould be trim-
med off, with feme Iharp inftrument, or be beaten
flat with the back of a fhovel, to prevent its injuring •
the tender fho.ots.

The third methody namely, planting without a
ditch, is more particularly recommended for up-
land (hallow ftony foils. In executing this, the
ground muft be previoufiy marked out, from four
to fix feet wide, be reduced to a fine tilth, and
made perfectly clean, either by a whole fummer's
fallow, repeatedly ftirred with the plow, or by cul-
tivating upon it, in a hufbandlike manner, a crop
of Turnips, or, which is perhaps better, a crop of
Potatoes ; efpecially if a little dung can be conve-
niently allowed them. At the approach of winter,
the foil being fine and clean, and the crop, rf
any, off, gather it up into a highifli round ridge or
land, and thus let it lie till the time of planting ;
when, opening a trench upon the ridge or middle of
the land, either with the fpade or the plow, infer:
the piants, upright, filling in the mold, and pref-
fing'it gently to the roots, in the common nurfery
manner.

The fame precautions fhould be obferved, in
planting quickfets, that have bein already recom-
mended

74 Planting.

mended, under the article Training j namely, the
plants fhould be forted, as to their fize, and fhould
be either cut off within a few inches of the ground,
or be pruned up to fmgle ftems.

Th? difiance fhould be regulated by the age and
ftrength of the plants ; from four to fix inches is
the ufual diftance j but if the plants have been pre-
vioufly tranfplanted from the feed bed, as they
ought in general to be, and have acquired four or five
years of age and ftrength, as we would always wiih
they fi:iould^ from fix to nine inches is near
enough.

The ufual time of planting is during the
fpring months of February, March, and April \
and, for the Hawthorn, the Crab, and the Aquatics,
this is at lead the mofi: convenient feafon j but, for
the Holly, as will be found under that article, in
the Alphabet of Plants, fummer is the pro-*
pereft time of planting.

Where much ditching is required, and hands
fccrce, the foundations of the banks may be laid,
any time in winter, and left to fetrle, until the tinie
of planting.

. Tkus far, we have been fpeaking of raifmg
Single Hedges, whether of Hawthorn, Crab Bufli,

or

Hedgerows. 75

or Holly ; we will now fay a word or two, as to the
method of raifing the Holly under the Crab or
Hawthorn. This may be done two ways j either
by fowing the berries, when the quick is planted ;
or by infcrting the plants themfelves, the enfuing
midfummer. The firft is by much the fimpleft,
and perhaps, upon the whole, the bvrft method.
The feeds may either be fcLUtered among the roots
of the deciduous plants, or be fown in a drill in
front of them : and if plants of Holly be put in,
they may cither be planted between thole of the
Crab, &c. or otherwife in front, in the quincunx
manner J the tablet of the offset, when a ditch is
piade ufe of, being left broad for tiiat purpofe.

If the Furze be made ufe of, as an afllftant
Hedge wood, it is better to fow the feed on the
pack of the bank, than upon the top of it j for, in
this cafe, it is more ?pt to overhang the young
plants, in the face of the bank j while, in the other,
it is better fituated, to anfwer the purpofe intended j
aamcly, that of guarding the back of the bank, as
well as of preventing its being torn down by cattle.
The method of lowing the feed is this : Chop a
(drill, with a fliarp fpaue, about two thirds of the way
up the back of the bank, making the cleft gape as
wide as may be, fo as not t j break off the lip ; and
having the feed in a quart bottle, ftopt with a cork
and ^oofc quiil, or with a perforated wooden Hop-
per,

7^ Planting.

per, trickle it along the drill -, covering it by means
of* a broom, drawn gently above, and over, the
moutli of the drill. This is better than clofing
the drill entirely with the back of the fpade, the
feeds being fufficiently covered, without being fhut
up too clafe, while the mouth of tlie drill is left
open, to receive the rain water wiiich falls on the
top of the bank. One pound of feed will fow
about forty ftatute rods. What in Noifolk is
called the Frmch feed is the beft, as the plants from
this feldom mature their feeds, in this country j and
Gonfequently are kfs liable to fpread over the ad-
joining inclolijre. It may be had at the feed fhops,
in London, for about fifteen pence a pound.

I? a fence be required of Furze alone, a fimllar
driil ihould be fown on the other fide of the bank ;
and when the plants are grown up, the fides fhould
be cut ake/nately.

11. Thus much as to planting the Fekce ; we
now proceed to the method of planting HEDGE-
ROW TIMBER. It has already been given in
opinion, that no fituation whatever is better adapted
to the raifing of ikip timber, than Hedges j and
we are clearly of opinion, that, in thefe alone, a
fufficient fupply, of crooked timbers at leaft, might
be raifed, to furnilh perpetually the Navy of Great

Britain,

H E D C E R O V,- 5. 77

Britain. It is a ftriking fact, that in Norfolk,
where there is very little Oak, except what grows
in the Hedges, and even in thefe, for one timber
tree there are ten pollards, yet the country ex-
periences no want of Oak timber.

But while v.'c recommend the Oak, as eligible
to be planted in Hedges, we cpndemn, as unfit for
that purpofe, every other tree (except, perhaps,
the Aquatics in a marfli, the Beech and Pine tribe
upon a barren mountain, or the Elm where Oak
has lately occupied the foil) and more eipecially
the Afli ; not only as being the greateft enemy to
the farmer, but becaufe the excellency of Afli
timber arifes from a lengrh of ftera, and cleannels
of grain: groves, therefore, and not Hedges, are
the natural fituation of the Alh.

The method of railing the Oak in Hedges, may
either be by fowing the acorns, or planting the
feedlings, at the time of planting the fence wood :
we would wifh to recommend the pradice of
both J namely, to plant a well rooted thriving
nurlery plant (fueh as has previoufly been tapped
and tranfplantcd) at the. diftance of every flatute
rod ; and, at the fame time, to dibble round each
plant tliree or four acorns, to guard againft a mif-
carriage, and to t,ive the judicious woodman a
choice in tlie propereft plant to be trained.

This

73 Planting.

This diftance may be objefled to, as being too'
clofe ; and fo it may in a deciduous Hedge ; but>
in a Holly Hedges we wouLi not wifh to fee Oaks
ftand at a greater diftancci for, Iturted in a Hedge,-
they have unlimited room to fpread on either fide ;
and, by (landing near each other, they are more
likely to throw out main branches, fit for fhip
timber, than they would if they had full head room.
For this reafon, it rr.ight not be amifs to plant at
every half rod, and, when the Hedge is perceived
to begin to fuftcrj to thin them in the manner moflt
conducive to the ends prcpofedj holding jointly in
view the Fence and the Timber*

SECTION THE THIRD.

DEFENDING THE YOUNG PLANTS.

LITTLE more remains to be faid upon this

head. The ditch, bank, and dwarf hedge havef

already been fully described ; and this is by much

the cheapefl-, and a very efFeflual, method, where

it can be conveniently praftifedj but where the

nature of the foil is fuch, that a ditch fufficiently

deep, to defend the young plants, cannot be funk

but at too great an expence, Ibme other expedient

mufi: be fought for.

Pc;;ts

Hedgerows. 79

Posts and rails, wound with bufhes in the York-
fhire manner, are an efFedual fence i but they arc
cxpenfive in the extreme.

In Surrey and Kent, the prevailing pradlice is to
fee a ftrong flake- and -edder Fledge behind the
quickfets, and throw rough bufhes into a fiiallow
ditch, in front : this in a coppice-wood country
may be done at a reafonable expence j but it is by
no means efFeftual.

In fome places, wattle Hedges are ufed ; and in
others furze faggots, fet in dole order, are found
cffcflual, for this purpofe : in fliort, almoft every
country affords its own peculiar materials, and every
judicious planter will endeavour to find out thofe
which are mod eligible for the given fituation.

SECTION THE FOURTH.

THE METHOD OF TRAINING.

MUCH, very much indeed, depends upon this
part of the bufmefs : neverthelefs, it is the com-
mon idea of planters of hedges, everywhere., that,
having performed the bufinefs of j^lantingy and

having

So 1* L A fj T r N G.

having made a fence fufficient to guard the plantSi
at the time of planting, their part hfinijhedi the rel^'
is of courfe left to nature, and chance.

The repairing of the fence j

The cleaning, &c. of the plants ; and the

Trimming or pruning them j are not however
lefs necefiary operations, than the planting and
fencing; for without proper attention to thofe, the
cxpence btftowed upon thefe is only fo much
thrown away. A fingle gap, efpecially where fheep
are to be fenced againfl, may caufe to be undone,
in half an hour, what has been doing for two or-
three years.

In this point of view, a deep ditch fence is pre-
ferable to one raifed upon the ground i provided
the ditch be kept poinled-y for witliout this pre-
caution, a ditch, unlefs it be very deep indeed,
mufl not be depended upon, as a fence, either
againft cattle or fheep : but neither the one nor
the other will truft themfelves in a ditcli, without a
bottom for them to Hand upon \ nothing, indeed,
is more terrible to them ; elpecially if part of the
mold be formed into a iharp banklet, placed on
the outer brink of the ditch.

Hares are great enemies to young Hedges : a
ditch fence is the beft prefervative againft them

(paling

Hedgerows. Si

(paling or other clore fences only excepted). An
offset, however, is favorable to them ; they will
run along it, and crop the plants from end to end :
therefore, where hares are numerous, a tufted
branch of Furze, Thorns, Holly, or other rough
wood, fhould be ftuck, here and there, upon the
platform, to prevent their running along it.

The next bufmefs is WEEomc, either with the
hoe or by hand; the former is more eligible, where
it can be ufed ; as breaking the earth about the
roots of the plants is of great fervice.

Fer n is a great enemy to young hedge plants ;
it is difficult to be drawn by hand, without en-
dangering the plants; and, being tough, it is
equally difficult to be cut with the hoe ; and, if
cut, will prefently fpring up again. ' The beft
manner of getting rid of it, when grown to a head, is
to give the ftem a twift, near the root, and let the
top remain on, to wither and die, by degrees : this
not only prevents its immediate fpringing; but^ to
all appearance, deflroys the root.

Thistles, docks, and other tall weeds, are
equally injurious to the tender plants, in robbing
them of their nouriffiment, and drawing them up
weak and flender, or fmothering them out-right, if
not timely relieved by the foftering hand of the

Vol. I. G planter.

%i Planting.

.planter. Even the grafles are ofTenfive, and
fhould be extirpated, with all the care and attention
neceflary in a I'eed bed or nurlcry.

Nor is it enough to defend the young plants
from animal and vegetable intruders j the plants
themfelves mull, by iudicious pruning, be taught
hov/ to grow, fo as to beft anfwer the purpofe for
which they are intended.

The Hawthorn is naturally a fhrubby plant,
throwing out ftrong lateral fhoots, down clofe to
the ground ; more efpecially when planted by the
fide of a ditch, which, by giving room, favors
this propenfity. Thefe horizontal branches, of
courfe, draw off their Jhare of nourifhment from
the root ; which nourifhment would be better ex-
pended upon the more upright fhoots. They are,
at the fame time, in the weeder's way, and, by
ftraggling acrofs the ditch, become a temptation
tO; cattle. They fhould, therefore, from time to
time, be flruck off with a Iharp inftrument, either
of the hook or the fabre kind.

In performing this, one rule muft be obferved,
invariably ; that is, to leave the under flioots the
iongeft, tapering the hedgeling upwards ; being
very careful, howevei", not to top the leading
fliootSj for, by doing this, the upward tendency

of

Hedgerows. 8j

f>f the hedge will be checked ; and, while its face
IS kept pruned in the manner here defcribed,
there is no fear of its becoming thin at the bottom.

Thus far we have been fpeaking of die method
of training the Single Hedge, whether of Crab
or Hawthorn. In raifmg the Holly, under either
of thefc plants, a different kind of pruning is ne-
ceffary : for, notwithftanding the Holly will flrug-
gle, in a furprizing manner, under the (hade and
drip of other plants, yet the more air and head
room rt is allowed, the greater progrefs it will
make. In this cafe, therefore, the deciduous plants
fliould be pruned to fingle Hems, in the nurfery
manner ; for all that is required of thefe is flrength
and tallnefs ; the Holly being a fufficient guard at
the bottom.

This may be thought an endlefs bufinefs, by
thofe who have not pradlifed it ; but is it not
equally endlefs to prune the young plants of a nur-
fery ? And we here beg leave to remind the
young planter, that if he does not pay that care
and attention to his hedgelings, in every ftage of
the bufinefs, as he does to his nurfery rows, he is a
ftrano;er to his own intereft. The advantage of
obtaining a live fence, en a certainty^ in feven or
eight years, compared with that of taking the chance
of one, in fifteen or twenty, is fcarcely to be done
G 2 away

^4 Planting.

away by any cxpence whatever, bcflowcd upon
planting and training it.

We are, indeed, (o fully ImprefTed with this
idea, that we believe every Gentleman would fijid
his account in having even his fingle Hedges
trained with naked ftems, in order that they might
the fooner arrive at the defirable ftate above de-
fcribed, — a range of living pies. We wifh to be
underftood, however, that we throw this out as a
hint to thofe who wi(h to excel in whatever they
undertake, rather than to recommend it, as a
practice, to Hedge planters in general.

Nevertheless, we recommend, in general
terms, and in the ftrongefl manner, to keep the
face of a young Hedge pruned, in the manner above
delcribed : or, if the plants be browzed by catde,
or otherwife become ftinted and Ihrubby, to have
them cut down, within a few inches of the ground ;
and by this and every other method promote, as
much as poflible, their upward growth. It is
feme time before a young Hedge becomes an.
abfolute fence, againft refolute (lock ; and the
(liorteft way of making it a hlindj is, by encouraging
its upward growth, to raife it high enough to pre-
vent dieir looking over it ; and, by trimming it on
the fides, to endeavour to render it thick enough,
to prevent their feeing through it ; giving it

thereby

Hedgerows. 85

thereby the appearance, at leaft, of a perfect
fence.

A Hedge, pruned with naked flems, requires a
different treatment, to perfect it as a fence. As
foon as the Hems have acquired a fufficietit (labi-
lity, they fhould be cut off, hedge height ; and, in
order to give additional ftiffnefs, as well as to bring
the live flakes into drill, fome ftrong dead flakes
fliould be driven in, here and there. This done,
the whole fhould be tightly eddered together, near
the top. As an adequate fence againft horned
cattle, the flems are required to be ofconfiderable
thicknefsj but as a fufHcient reflraint to fheep
only, flrong plants may be thus treated, a few years
after planting ; efpecially thofe of the Crab bufli.
Upon a fheep farm, pruning the plants would be
eligible, were it only for the purpofc of getting
^eir heads ou^ of the way of their mofl dangerous
enemies.

SECTION THE FIFfH,

MANAGEMENT OF GROWN HEDGE-
ROWS,

I. MANAGEMENT of the HEDGE. There
1% one general rule to be obferved, in this bufinefs j
— r/// off en : for the countiyman's maxim is a good
pue i — " Cut thorns and have thorns.'*

G J Th?

86

L A N T I N G.

The proper Icngtli of time between the cuttings
depends upon the plant, the foil, and other cir-
cumftances : eight or ten years may be taken as
the medium age, at which the Hawthorn is cut in
moft countries.

In Norfolk, however, the Hedges are feldom cut
under twelve to fifteen years; and are fometimes
fuffered to run twenty and even thirty years, with-
out cutting ! The confequence is, the ftronger
plants have, by that time, arrived at a tree-like
fize, while the underlings are overgrown and fuf-
fbcated * : the number of ftems are reduced in pro-
portion, and, at that age, it is hazardous to fell the
few which remain.

In Surrey and Kent, ^tvcn or eight years old is
the ufual age at which the Farmers cut down their
Quickfet Hedges : and, in Yorkfhire, they are
frequently cut fo young as five or fix. This may
be one realbn of the excellency of the Yorkfhire
Hedges ; for, under this courfe of treatment, every
flem, whether ftrong or weak, has a fair chance ;
the weak ones are enabled to withfland fo fhort a
ilruQ-ole, w]:iile the lar^e ones are rather invito-
rated, than checked, by fuch timely cropping.

* For a remarkable infcance of this, fee Mm. Econ,
Vol. II. p. 383.

With

Hedgerows. 87

With refpedt to xhcfirjl cuttingy this alfo muft
be guided by circumftanccs : a fuU-ftemmed
thriving Hedge may ftand from twenty to thirty
years, between the planting and the firfl fall ; but,
if the plants get moiTy, or grow fhrubby and flat- -
topped, or put on any other appearance of bving
difeafed or ftinted ; or, if they are unequal in
ftrength, fo that the weaker are in danger of fuf-
feringi or, if a young Hedge be much broken
into gaps, or any other way rendered defective as a
fence, the fooner it is cut down the better j for
time will not mend it, and tampering with it will
make it worfe : whereas cutting it down, within a
few inches of the ground, will give a falutary relief
to the roots, and the frefh fnoots will furnifh a full
fupply of ftems i without which no Hedge can be
deemed perfect.

The ufual time of cuffing is during the fpring
months of February, March, April. The Haw-
thorn, however, may be cut any time in winter;
and it is obiervable, that the flioots from the ftools
of Hedges cut in May, when the -leaves were break-
ing forth, have been equally as ftrong as thole
from Hedges felled early in the fpring. This late
felling, however, is not recommended as a practice ;
the brulli wood, cut out at that time, being of lefs
yaluej than that which is cut when the fap is down,

G 4 The

88 Planting.

The methods of cutting are various. In Surrey
and Kent, the general pra6tlce is to fell to the
ground, fcour out the ditch, fet a ftake-and-edder
Hedge behind or partially upon the ftubs,and throw
fome rough thorns into the ditch.

In Norfolk, there are two ways praftifed : one,
to cut within a few inches of the face of the bank,
remake the ditch and banki and fet a brufli hedge
as for the original planting : the other is called
Buckjialliiig : which is to leave ftems, about two
feet long, — without repairing the bank or fetting a
Hedge ; and only (hovelling out the beft of the
mold of the ditch, to form the bottoms of dung-
hills with. This is a much cheaper way than the
other, and where the Hedge Hands at the foot of
the bank, and remains full ftocked with ftems, it
is not ineligiole -, efpecially if a few of the flen-
dereft of the old llioots be layered in, between the
bank and the ftems, and kept there by a coping
fod, taken from the foot of the back of the bank :
but when the roots lie high in the bank, and are of
courfe more or lefs expofed by the foil's mol-
dering away from them into the ditch, fucR treat-
ment is dcftrudlive to the Hedge j which, in this
cafe, requires to be cut down, within a few inches
of the roots, every eight or ten years, the ditch to
be fcoured, and the bank to be faced and made
fencible, by a bhilh Hedge. This circumftance^

alonc^

Hedgerows. 8^

alone, furnlfhes fufiicient argument agalnft planting
high in the bank.

In Hertfordfhire, Gloucefterfhire, and fome
parts of Yorkfhire, Plajhing is much in ufc. This
js done by cutting the larger ftems, down to the
ftub, and topping thole of a middling fize, hedge
height, by vMjy offtakes, between which the moll
flender are interwoven, in the wattle manner, to
fill up the interftices, and give an immediate live
fence If live ftakes cannot be had, dead ones arc
iifually driven in their ftead : and, in order to keep
the plafhers in their places, as well as to bring the
ftakes into a line and ftiffcn the whole, it is cufto-
mary, in moft places, to eddcr fuch Hedges.

If the ftems, alone, are not fufiicient as a fence,
this method of treatment may, in fome cafes, be
eligible i provided it be properly executed : much,
however, depends upon the manner of doing it :
many good Hedges have been fpoiled by plafliing.
The plafhers (hould be numerous, and (hould be
trimmed to naked rods, in order that their fpray
may not incommode the tender fhoots from the
ftooU below * : they Ihould be laid in an afcending

diredion,

* The moft effcftnal method of preventing this evil, — as well as
that arifinjj from live ftakes throwing out bulhy tops, to the injury
5f the flioots from th: !ow:r ftubs, — is to drive a line of dead ftakes,

a few

90 Planting.

diredion, (o that they may be bent without nick-
ing at the rootj if poffible : fuch as will not (loop,
without danger of breaking, fhould be nicked with
an upzvardy not with a dozanzvard ftroke : that, if
properly done, gives a tongue which conducts the
rain v/ater from the wound ; tbis^ a mGuth to catch
it.

However, in cafes where the Jlems (land regular,
and are, in themfelves, ftiff enough for a Fence,
or where they can be readily made fo, by driving
large flakes in the vacancies and weak places,
plafhing, and every other expedient, ought to be
difpenfcd v/ith : — where, upon examination, the
Hems are found infufficient, it is generally the befl
practice to fell the whole to die ground, and train
a ict of new ones.

In cafe of gaps or vacancies too v/ide to be
filled up by tlie natural branches of the contiguous
flools, they Iliould be filled up by layering the
neighbouring young fnoots, the firil or fecond year
af:cr felling ; being careful to weed and nurfe up
the young layers, until they be out of harm'^way.
If fiich vaciincies be numerous, it is beft to keep.

a fcW inchtr. from the line of ftubs, and to wind the plafiiers among
thclf Itakes ; thu? kaving the young fhoots a free air to rife in,
and, at the fame time, forming a live hedge to protect them. See
j:>orf rjf th;-; mcrhoJ of phfiiing, in Mid. Fcon. Voi , I. p, 92.

tlie

Hedgerows. 91

tlie whole Hedge, let Its fituation be what it may,
trimmed low, in order to give air and headroom to
the layers.

All fallen Hecfges, whether layered or not,
fhould be p-iined on the fides, the firft and fecc^nd
years after felling ; at the fame time weeding out
the brambles, thiftles, docks, and every other ':£;(?(?^,
whether herbaceous or ligneous j which, by croud-
ing the bottom, prevent the young branches from
uniting, and interweaving with each other.

The proper time for performing this, is when
the thiftles are breaking into blow, before their
feeds have acquired a vegetative body. The large
Spear Thiftle (Carduiis Lanceclatus)^ fo mifchie-
yous in young Hedges, and fo confpicuoufly re-
proachful to the Farmer, when its feeds are fuf-
fcred to be blown about the country, is a biennial
plant, which does not blow till the fecond year;
when, having produced its feed, the root dies : it
is therefore unpardonable to negledt taking this in
the crifisj for, by fo doing, the whole race be-
comes at once extirpated.

The fitteft inftrument for the purpofe of ftriking
off the fide ihoots, and for weeding, is a long hook,
or rather a long ftrait blade v/ith a hooked point,
yvhich is convenient for cutting out the brambles

and

9* Planting.

and weeds, that grow in the middle of the Hedge,
as well as for other purpofes. We will venture to
fay, that whoever puts this piece of hufbandry in
pradtice once, will not negleft doing it a fecond
time ; the ufes, as well as the neatnefs, refulting
from it are numerous, and the expence of per-
forming it little or nothing.

If the Hedge be intended to run up, either as «
fource of iifeful. materials, or as a (helter in grafs-
land inclofures, the leading fhoots fhould not be
touched ; neverthelels, it ought, in thefe two early
trimmings, to be kept thin towards the top, leav-
ing it to fwell out thicker towards the bottom :
but if it be intended to be kept down, as we have
already faid it ought to be, between arable in-
clofures, the leading flioots fiioyld be cropped low,
both the firfl and the fecond year s in order to
check its upward tendency, and give it a dwarfiHi
habit; and the cropping muft be repeated, from
time to time, as occafion rnay require.

A Hedge under this treatment becomes a per-
petual Fence, and its duradon might be deemed
everlafting. The age of the Hawthorn is pro-
bably unknown ; but fuppofing that it will bear to
be felled every ten years, for two hundred years,
during which dme there will be twenty falls of wood
(what a mountainous pile for one (lip of land and

one

Hedgerows. 9J

one fet of roots to produce !) may we not be allow-
ed to fiippofe, that a fimilar hedge, kept in a
dwarfifh ftatc (in which (late its produce, and con-
fequently its exhauftion, could not be one tenth
fo much as that in the former fuppofition) would
live to the age of three or four hundred years ?
Tenants have only a temporary property in the
hedges of their refpedtive farms -, and it is the bu-
fmefs of landlords, or their agents, to fee that they
are properly treated. The value of an eftate is
heightened, or depreciated, by the good or bad
ftate of its fences ; which, it is well known, are
expenfive to raife, and, when once let down, are
difficult to get up again.

With refpe(5t to the rough and the 'wom-cut
Hedges y v/hich conftitute a large majority of the
Hedges of this country, it is not an eafy matter to
lay down any precife rules of treatment. If the
ground they grow in be fufficiently moill, tliey
may be helped by felling, and layering, in the man-
ner already defcribed, or by filling up the vacan-
cies with young quicks, or with the cuttings offal-
low, elder, &c. &c. firft clearing the ground fronv
ivy, and other encumbrances ; but, in a dry bank,
which has been occupied by the roots of trees and
fhrubs for ages, and which, by its fituation, throws
off the rain water that falls upon it, there can be
little hope cither of plants or cuttings taking to ad-
vantage. The

94 P L A N T r N f?.

The htfc afTiftance that can be given, in thvs
cafe, is to drive ilakes into the vacancies, and in-
terweave the neighbouring boughs between the
ftakes, training them in the efpalier manner : or,
if the vacancies be wide, to plafh tall bouj^hs into
them.

These, however, are only temporary reliefs;
for, if the bodies of the plants themfelves be fufFered
to run up, and to draw the nourifliment from tlic
plafhers, the breaches will foon be opened again,
and it will be found difficult to fill them up a
lecond time : the only way by v/hich to render this
method of treatment in any degree lading, is, to
keep the whole hedge trimmed, as fnug and low as
the purppfe for which it is intended will permit ;
v/eeding it with the fame care as a young Hedge.
By this means the vacancies in time will grow up,
and one regularly interwoven furface will be
formed.

After all, however, an old worn-out Hedge^
with all the care and attention that can be be-
llowed upon it, cannot continue for any length
of time j and whenever it verges upon the lafl
ftage of decline, it is generally the beft manage-
ment to grub it up at once, and raife a new
one in its place ; otherwife the occupier mufl be
driven, in the end, to the humiliating and dif-

grace ful

M E D G E R 0 W S. 95

graceful expedient of patching with dead Hedge-
work.

We are happy in having It in our power to fay,
that the praftice of replanting Hedges has, of late
years, become prevalent in a county which has
long taken the lead in many important depart-
ments of hufoandry; and, although we have had
occafion to cenfure fome of its prattices, with ref-
pe6t to Fences, we have great pleafure in giving to
it due praife, in this particular j we fpeak of the
county of Norfolk. The beft way is to level the
old bank, about michaeimas, In order that the
mold may be thoroughly moiftened by the vAn-
ter's rains, and tempered by the frofts. The
roots and old flems will, in general, more than
repay the expence of grubbing and levelling, and
when the eld ftools are numerous, and fuel is dear,
will, fometimes, go a good way towards raifing the
new Fence. One great advantage, arifmg from
this practice, in an arable country, is doing away
the crookednefs of old Hedges.

There is one general rule to beobferved, in re-
newing a Hedge in this manner, which is to plane
a fpecies of Hedgewood different from that which
formerly occupied the foil ; and we know of no
better change, after the Hawthorn, than the Crab
tree and Holly.

II. MANAGE-

9^ P 1. A N T 1 N G.

II. MANAGEMENT OF HEDGEROW
TIMBER. — Thus, having mentioned the feveral
ways of railing and repairing Livt Hedges *, we
now come to the training, and general treatment,
of Hedgerow Timber : and, firft, as to the young
Oaks, which we recommended to be planted witli
the Hedgewood.

The moft eligible length of ftem has been
mentioned to be from fifteen to twentyfive feet j
and, with due attention to their leading flioots, there
will be little difficulty in training them, on a good
foil, to that or a greater height. If, by accident
or difeafe, the head be loft, the ftem fhould be
taken off at the ftub, and a frefli fhoot trained.
However, in this cafe, if the Hedge be got to any
confiderable height, it is beft to let the ftump
ftand, until the firft fall of the Hedgewood ; for,
then, the young tree may be trained with lefs
difficulty.

Next to tlie danger of the young trees being
cropt by cattle, is that of their being hurt by the
Hedgewood : firft, from their being overhung and

* For farther remarks on this fubje£l, fee York. Econ,
Arl. Fences ; and Mid. Econ. under the fame Title.

fmothered

H £ D G E R 0 W "S. ^7

fmoihcred amongft it ; fccondly, from their being
drawn up too tall and fiend er j thirdly, from their
being chafed againft the boughs by the wind ; and,
laftly, from their ftems getting locked in between
the branches, fo as to caufe an indenture in the
(tern, and thereby render it liable to be broken off
by the wind. The fimpleft way of guarding
figainft theie evils, is, to keep the Hedgewood
down to fence height j otherwife, great care and
attention are requifite in training Hedge timber.
Even in this cafe, the plants fhould be frequently
looked over, — to fee that the lower parts of them
do not interfere with the ftems of the Hedgewood,
— to take off, as occafion may require^ the lateral
fhoots, — and to give fimplicity and ftreiigth to the
leaders, until the plants have acquired a fyfficient
length of ftem,

When this is obtained, it may not be amifs to
endeavour to throw the general tendency of the
head to one or the other fide of the Hedge, in
order to give air and head room to the plants, and
crookednefs to the timber. In (hort, if trees in
Hedges are not treated with the fame attention as
thofe in Nurferies and Plantations, it were better
not to plant them ; as they will become an encum-
brance to the Hedge, without affording either
pleafure, or profit, to the planter, or his fucceffors.

Vol. I, H What

98 Planting.

What remain now to be confidered are, thq
Grown Timbers, the Timber Stands, and the
Pollards with which old Hedges are frequently
ftored.

There is not a more abfurd praclice, in the
circle of rural affairs, than that of making Falls
of Hedgerow Timber j which is neither mor^
nor lefs than for the woodman to begin at one en4
of the Hedge, and hack down every timber tree
he comes at, whether full-grown, over-grown, or
only half-grown, until he reaches the other. Th^
impropriety is the fame, whether a young thriving
tree be taken down before it has arrived at its fuU
growth, or an old one be fuffered to remain fland-i
ing, after it has entered upon the ilage of decline,

A timbered ellate fliould frequently be gone
over, by fome perfon of judgement i who, let the
price and demand for timber be what they may,
ought to mark every tree which wears the ap-
pearance of decay. If the demand be brilk, and
the price high, he ought to go two fteps farther,
and mark not only fuch as are full grown, but fuch,
alfo, as are near perfedion j for the intereft of the
money, the difencumbrance of the Hedge and the
neighbouring young timbers, and the comparative
advantages of a good market, are not to be
l^artercd for any increafc of timber, which can

reafonably

H E D C E R 0 w s. 99

reafonably be expeded from trees in the laft ftage
of their growth.

There are men in this kingdom, "who, from
raifmanagement of their timber, are now lofmg,
annually, very handfome incomes. The lofs of
price which generally follows the refufal of a high
offer, the certain lofs of intereft, the decay of
timber, and the injuries anfmg from the encum*
brance of full-grown trees, are irretrievable loffes,
which thole who have the care and management of
timber fl-iould ftudioufly endeavour to avoid.

But while we thus hold out the difad vantages
of fuffering timber to Hand until it be overgrown,
it is far from our intention to recommend, or even
countenance, a premature felling,— of Hedgerow
timbers more particularly : for although, in woods
and clofe groves, a fucceeding crop of faplings may
repair, in fome degree, the lofs of growth, in tim-
ber untimely fallen j yet it is not fo in Hedges,—
where fapling ftands are liable to be fplit off from
the ftool, as foon as they acquire any confiderable
^op ; as being expofed fingly, and on every fide,
to the wind : and all that can be expected from
the flools of trees in Hedgerows, is a fufficiency
of fhoots to fill up the breaches in the Hedge,

H 2 With

" iOO P L A N T I N C.

With refpeft to Pollards * in Hedges, feme
general rules are obfervable. Pollards, which arc
fully grown, but yet remain found, fhould be taken
down, before they become tainted at the heart j —
for a good gate poft is worth five (billings i but a
- firing Pollard, of the fame fize, is not worth one
Ibilling. Firing Pollards which, by reafon of their
decay, or flintednefs, will not, in the courfe of
eighteen or twenty years, throw out tops equal in
value to their prefent bodies, fhould alfo be taken
downi — for the principal and intereft of the money
will be worth more, at the end of that time, than
the body and top of the Pollard ; befides the de-
firable riddance of fuch unfightly encumbrances.
But, in cafe a Pollard is already fo much tainted
as to be rendered ufelefs as timber, yet found
enough, to all prefent appearances, to throw out,
in the time abovemcntioned, a top or tops of more
than equal value to its prefent body; — it reds upon
a variety of circumftances, whether, in flricl pro-
priety of management, fuch Pollard ought to ftant|
or fall.

We declare ourfelves enemies to Pollards j they
are unfightly ; they encumber and dellroy the
Hedge they fland in (efpecially thofe whofe ftem^

* Trees which have htzn polled, topt, or hcadecl dou'ii to the

are

Hedgerows, ioi

are fhort), and occupy fpaces which might, in gene-
ral, be better filled by timber trees ; and, at prefent,
it leerhs to be the prevailing falhion to clear them
away : neverthelefs, in a country, in which wood-
lands and coppices are fcarce. Hedge pollards fur-
nifh a valuable fupply of fuel^ (lakes, &c. — and
every man who clears away the clafs of Pollards
laft-mentioned, without planting an adequate quan-
tity of coppice woodi commits a crime againfl
pofterity ; more efpecially in a diftricl which de-
pends wholly upon the fea for a fupply of coals.
Fci-, although Great Britain is, at prefent, miftrefs
of her own coafl, what man is ralh enough to fiy,
that, amidft the revolutions in human affairs, Ihe
will always remain fo ?

With refped to the Young Timbers, which
frequently abound in rough Hedgerows, we ven-
ture to recommend the following management.

Upon eftates whofe Hedge timber has been
little attended to (and, we are forry to fay, fuch
a<-e nine tenths of the eftates in the kingdom), the
firft ftep is to fet out the plants> and clear away the
encumbrances.

After what has been faid, it may be needlefs

to repeat, here, that, where the choice refts upon

the fpecies of tree, the Oak. fhould invariably be

H 2 chofcn j

toi Planting*

chofen ; for cvci-y other fpecies we confidcr as 2
kind of encumbrance, which ought to be done
awayj as foon as it can with any colour of pro-
priety.

It is bad practice to permit Hedges to remain
crouded with timber ftands ; they fhould, in gene-
ral, be fet out finglyi and at difcances proportioned
to their refped:ive iizes ; fo that their tops be not
fuffered to interfere too much with each other.

There is, however, one exception to this ruk:
where two trees, {landing near each other, have
grown up, in fuch a manner, that their joint
branches form, in appearance, but one top, they
Ihould both be permitted to ftandj for if one of
them be removed, the other will not only take an
unfightly outline, but will receive a check in its
growth, which it will not overcome for feveral
years. It is, neverthclefs, obfcrvable, that twin
trees, as well as thofe which arc double-Hemmed,
are dangerous to ftock i not only cattle, but even
horfes, have been known to be ftrangled, by getting
their heads locked in between them*

The method of training the young plants ha*
already been defcribed -, it now only remains to-
fay a few words, as to the Pruning and Setting
UP Hedgerow timbers*

Low-

Hedgerows. 103

Low-headed trees have been already con-
'demned, as being injurious to the Hedge, as well
as to the Corn which grows under them. To re-
move or alleviate thefe evils, without injuring the
tree itfelf> requires the beft fkill of the woodman.
The ufual method is to hack oft' the offending
bough ; no matter how nor where j but, mod
probably, a few inches from the body of the tree>
with an axe ; leaving the end of the ftump ragged^
and full of clifts and fiffures, which, by receiving
and retaining the wet that drips upon them, render
the wound incurable. The mortification, in a
fliort time, is communicated to the ftem, in which
a recefs or hollow being once formed, fo as to re-
ceive and retain water, the decline of the tree,
though otherwife in its prime, from that time, muft
be dated ; and, if not prefently taken down, its
properties, as a timber tree, will, in a few years, be
changed into thofe of firewood only. How many
thoufand timber trees ftand, at this hour, in the
predicament here defcribed; merely through in-
judicious lopping ! It is this improper treatment,
which has brought Hedgerow timber into a dif-
repute otherwife undeferved.

There is a wonderful fimilarity In the operations
of Nature upon the Vegetable and the Animal
Creation. A flight wound in the Animal Body
foon heals up, and fkins over, while the wound fuc-

H 4 ceeding

i04 P L A N T I N G.

ceeding the amputation of a limb, is with difficult/
cicatrized. The effc6ts are fimilar with refpeft to
the Vegetable Body : a twig may be taken ofF with
fafety, while the amputation of a large bough will
endanger the life of the tree. Again, pare off a
fmall portion of the outer bark of a young thriving
tree, the firfl fummer's fap will heal up the wound :
if a fmall twig had been taken off with this patch
of bark, the effect would have been nearly the
fame; the wound would have been cicatrized, or
barked over, in a fimilar manner j and the body
of the tree as fafely fecured from outward injury,
as if no fjch amputation had taken place. Even
si confiderable branch may be taken off, in this
manner, with impunity, provided the furface of
the wound be left fmooth and flulh with the in^er
bark of the Tree ; for, in a few years, it will be
completely clofed up, and fecured from injury}
though an efchar may remain for fome years longer.
But if a large bough be thus fevered, the wound
is left fo wide, that it requires, in moft trees, a
length of time to bark it over j during which time,
the body of the tree having increafed in fize, the
parts immediately round the wound become tur-
gid, w,hile the face of the wound itfelf is thrown
back into a recef^ j and, whenever this becomes
deep enough to hold water, from that time the
wound is rendered incurable : Nature has, at leafty
done her part ; and, whether or not, in this

cafe.

M- E- D C E R O W S." la^

cafe, afilllarice may be given, by opening the lower
lip of the wound, remains yet (it is probable)
to be tried by experiment : until that be afcei*-
tained, or Ibme other certain method of cure
be known, it were the height of imprudence to
rifk the welfare of a Tree on fuch hazardous treat-
ment.

Further,' although a branch of confiderable
fize may be taken off, clofe to the body of the
Tree, with fafety ; yet, if the fame branch be cut
a few inches from it, the effect is not the fame ; fdr,
in this cafe, the (tump generally dies ; confe-
quently, the cicatrization cannot take place, until
the ftem of the Tree has fwelied over the Itump,
or the Hump has rotted away to the ftem ; and,
either way, a mortification is the probable con-
fequence. Even fuppofing the flump to live,
cither by means of fome twig being left upon
it, or from frefh fhoots thrown out, the cicatri-
zation, in this cafe, will be flow (depending en-
tirely upon the feeble efforts of the bark of
the ftump) ; and before it can be accompiilhed,
the Tree itfelf may be in danger. But, had the
amputation been • made ^/ a dijlance from the
ftem, and immediately above a twig^ ftrong enough
to draw up a fupply of fap, and keep the ftump
alive, with certainty, no rifk would have

been

\o6r

L A !? T I N G.

been incurred j efpecially if the end of the AurtjjJ
had been left fmooth, with the fiope on the under
fide, fo that no watcp could hang, nor recefs ht
formed.

From what has been faid, the following ge-
neral rules, with refpe(5t to fetting up low- headed
trees, may, we humbly conceive, be drawn with
lafety : fmall boughsjhould he cut offy clojs to theftem \
hut large oms^ at a difiance from it j and above a
lateral branchy large encugb to keep the fitimp alive-.
Thus, fuppofing the (lem of a tree, in full growth,
So be the fize of a man's waifc, a bough the thick-
nsfs of his wrift may be taken off, with fafety^
near the llem j but one as thick as his thigh fliould
be cut at the diftance of two feet from it, at leafl i
leaving a fide branch, at lead an inch in diamcter>
with a top in proportion, and with air and head-
room enough to keep it in a flouriihing ftate.
For this purpofe, as well as for the general pur-
pofe of throwing light into the head, the ftanding
boughs fhould be cleared from dieir lower
branches, particularly fuch as grow in a droop-
ing direction. In doing this, no great caution is
required ; for, in taking a hough from a bought
let their fizes be what they may, little rifque can
be thereby incurred, upon Utit YAain body of the
tree.

There

H E b G E fe o w s:. i6f

There is another general rule, with regard
to pruning trees. The bough fhould be ta-
ken off, either by the wpward ftroke of a iliarp'
inftrument (and, generally fpeaking, at one hlo'w)y
or with a faw : in the latter cafe, it Ibould
previoufly be notched, on the under fide, to-
prevent its fplitting off, in the fall. If the
bough to be taken off be heavy, the fafeft way
is, firft to cut it off, a few inches from the ftem,
with an axe, and then to clear away the flump,
clofe and level, with a faw ; doing away the
roughnefTes, left by the teeth of the faw, with a
plane, or with a broad-mouthed chifTel, or ai>
axe J in order to prevent the wet from hanging in
the wound. A faw, for this purpofc, fhould be
fet very wide j otherwife, it will not make its way
through green wood.

The fittefl: opportunity for pruning and fetting
tip young timbers, as well as for taking down
Pollards and dotard timbers, and clearing away
other encumbrances, is when the Hedge itfelf is
felled ; and it were well for landed individuals
(as for the Nation at large) if no Hedge was fuf-
fered to be cut down, without the whole bufinefs
of the Hedgerow being, at the fame time, properly
executed.

For

io8 Planting.

For farther Information refpefting Hedgx?
and Hedgerow Timber, fee the Rural Eco«
NOMY of Yorkshire, Vol. I. p. 201.

Also the Rural Economy of the Midland
Counties, Vol. I. pages 83 to ^^^ and the Mr-
K¥Tes thence referred to.

DIVISION

Woodlands,

q. .

PIVISION THE FOURTH,

WOODLANDS; OR, USEFUI^
PLANTATIONS.

Introductory Remarks.

ALTHOUGH it may be difficult to diftinguifli,
precifely, between ujeful and ornamental
plantations, yet the diftindlion between a rough
coppice, in a reclufe corner of an ellate, and a
flowering fhrubery, under the windows of a man-
fion, is obvious : the one we vidw as an objeft of
fleafure and amufement, while the other is looked
upon in the light of frofit^ only. Upon thefc
premifes we ground our diftinflion. Under the
prefent head, we purpofe to fpeak of plantauons,
whofe leading features are of the more ufeful
kind, and whofe principal end is profit j refcrving
•thofe, whofe diftinguifhing charauleriftics are orna-
mental^

110 F h A vN, TING.

mental, and whofe primary objed is pleafure^ for
the SECOND PART of this Volume.

Perhaps, it ^yill be expe(5led, that, before wc
begin to treat of the propagation of Timber, we
fhould previoiifly prove an approaching scarcity
of that necelTary article in this country : for it
may be argued, that every acre of land applied
to the purpofes of planting, is loft to thofe of
agriculture j and, ^s far ^s cuUurahle land goesj
the argument is juft. To fpeak of this fubjcd:,
generally, as to the whok kingdom, and at the
fame time precifely, is perhaps wha^ no man h
prepared for.

From an extenfive knowledge of the different
parts of the kingdom, "we believe that the Nation
has notj yti, experienced any real want of timber.
We are happy to find, that, in maiiy parts of it,
Chere are great quantities now ftanding j while, in
many other parts, we are forry to fee an aimoft
total nakednefs, With refpeft to large well grown
Oak Timber, fuch as is fit for the purpofes of
Ship building, we believe there is a growing
4'carcity, throughout the kingdom.

We will explain ourfelves, by fpeaking parti-
cularly as to onediflri(5l — the Vale of Pickering,
jn Yorkfhire, This diftridt, for ages paft, has

fupplied.

Woodlands. ti.|»

fupplied, in a great meafure, the ports of Whitby
and Scarborough with fhip timber. At prefent,
notwithflranding the extenfive trafts of Woodlands
ftill remaining, there is fcarcely a tree left (landing
with a load of timber in it. Befides, the woods
which now exiff, have principally been raifed from
the ftools of timber trees, formerly taken down j
the faplings from which being numerous, they
have drawn each other up (lender, in the grove
manner ; and, confequently, never will be fuitable
to the more valuable purpofes of the (hip builder.

When we confider the prodigious quantity of
timber which is confumed in the conftruclion of a
large velTel, we feel a concern for the probable
fituation of this country, at fome future period. A
SEVENTY-FOUR GUN SHjp (wc fpeak Crom gccd
authority) fwallows up three thoufand loads of
Oak timber. A load of timber is fifty cubical
feet ; a ton, forty feet ; goniequently, a feventy-
four gun (liip takes 2,000 large well grown timber
^rees ; namely, trees of nearly two tons each !

The diftance recommended, by authors, for
planting trees, in 2iJVoodi (a fubjeft we (hall fpeak
to particularly in the courle of this chapter) in
which Underwood is alfo propagated, is thirty
feet or upwards. Suppofing trees to (land at two
rods {2Z ^^^^> ^he diflance v/e recommend they

(hould

M2 Planting.

fliould ftand at, in luch a plantation), each Ratiire
3cre would contain 40 trees j confequently, the
t)iiilding of a feventy-four gun fliip would clear, of
iuch Woodland, the timber of 50 acres. Even
fuppofing the trees to fland at one rod apart (a
ihort diflance for trees of the magnitude above-
mentioned), fhe would clear twelve acres and a
half J no inconfiderable plot of Woodland. When
we confider the number of king's ihips that have
been buik during the late wars, and the Eaft
Indiamen, merchants (hips, colliers, and fmall craff,
that are launched daily in the different ports of the
l<:ingdom, we are ready to tremble for the confe-
quences. Neverthelefs, there are men who treat
tiie idea of an approaching fcarcity as being chi-
merical ; and, at prefent, we will hope that they
have fome foundation for their opinion, and that
the day of want is not near. At ibme future op-
portunity, we may endeavour to reduce to a de-
gree of certainty, what at prefent is, in fome
meafure, conjedural. The prefent ftate of this
ifland with refpedl to (hip timber is, to the com-
niunity, a fubjecb of the very firft importance.

However, in a work likejhe prefent, addrefled
to individuals, rather than to the nation at large, a
true eftimate of the general plenty or fcarcity of
tim.ber is only important, as being inftrumental in
afccrtaining the Iccal plenty, or fcarcity, which is

likely

WoobLANDS. 113

likely to take place in the particular neighbour-
hood of the planter. This may be called a new
doftrine, in a Treatile on Planting. It is foj wc
believe, and we wifh to have it underftood, that
we addrefs ourfelves to the private interest,
rather than to the public fpirit, of our readers ;
and we appeal to every one, who lias had extenfive
dealings with mankind, for the propriety of our
■conduct.

We are well aware that, fituated as this country
appears to us to be at prefentj Planting ranks
among the firft of public virtues ; neverthelefs, we
father wifh to hold out that lafiing fame, which
always falls to the Ihare of the fuccefsful planter,
and thofe pecuniary advantages , which muft ever
refult from plantations, judieioufly fet about and
attentively executedj as being motives of a more
pr apical nature.

We wlfli, In the firft place, to do aiVay a mil-
taken notion, that when once a piece of ground
is fet apart for a plantation, it becomes a dead
weight upon the dftate^ or a blank in it, at leafc.
Nothing can be lefs true ; for plantations, entered
upon with judgement, and carried on with fpirit,
accumulate in value, as money at intereft upon
intereft. If an eftate, after a plantation has been
made upon it, is not worth more, by the trouble

Vol. I, I anti

114 Planting.

and expence of making it, than it was before, the
undertaking waseither ill judged, or badly executed.

Ant Ozier bed rifes to profit the fecond or
third year, and a Coppice in fifteen or twenty ;
while an Oak may be a century before he reach
the moft profitable ftate : but do they not, in
effedi all pay an annual income ? Do not eftates
fell at a price proportioned to the value of the
timber which is upon them ? and does not this
value increafe annually ? The fweets of a fall
are well underftood, and the nearer we approach
10 this, the more valuable are the trees to be fallen.

We have fome knowledge of a Gentleman, now
living, who, during liis lifetime, has made planta-
tions, which, in all probability, will be worth, to his
fon, as much as the reft of his eftate ; handfomc as
iris. Suppofing that thofe plantations have been
made fifty or fixty years, and that, in the courfe of
twenty or thirty more, they will be worth 50,0001.
may we not fay that, at prefent, they are worth Ibme
twenty or thirty thoufand ? What an incitement to
planting !

Every thing, however, depends upon manage-
ment. It is not fticking in a thoufand or ten
thoufand plants, as if for the fole purpofe of faying,
'' I have done thofe things," without giving them

a fecond

WoODLAlvfDS. 115

a feCond thought, that will ever bring in the pro-
fits of planting -, yet, how many Gentlemen do^wc
fee fquandering their money, laying their hnds
wafte, and rendering themfelves ridiculous, by fuch
management !

The iirft i^recaUtion requifite to be taken, by
a man who wifhes to ferve his family and his coun-
try, and, at the fame time, to afford amufement and
acquire credit to himfelf, by planting, is to con-
fider well his own particular fituation.

Much depends upon /oily and much on loca-
iilyy or relative fituation, with refpeft to water
carriage, and a variety of other circumflances ^ as
contiguity to a large town, or a manufafluring
place, which generally enhances the value of land,
and tiie price of labour.

Much, alfo, depends upon the natural fea-
turesy or pofitive fituation of his cftate : the
hang of a hill, which is too fteep for the pjow,
and a fwampy bottom, too rotten to bear pafturino-
flock, and which cannot be rendered firm enouc^h
for that purpofe, but at too large an expence, may,
in general, be highly improved, by planting *.

* The laft, however, is a cafe that will now feldom occur,
fince the art of detaining is fo well underilood.

I 2 Again,

Ii6 Planting.'

Again, where the top foil, or culturable ftranim,
is of an unprodu6live nature, while a bed of clay,
loam, or other good foil, lies under it, planting
may fometimes be made greatly advantageous.
An inftance occurs, in the Vale of Gloucefter, of
a coppice which pays at the rate of fourteen or
fifteen fhillings an acre, annually ; while the land,
which furrounds it, is not worth more than eiglit or
ten fliillings. The foil is a Joiir clay, and the
fnbftratum a calcareous loam. The valuable
plantations above-mentioned afford a fimilar in-
flance ; the top foil is a light unproduflive fandy
under which lies a thick flratum of ftrong clayey
loam. Wherever we fee the Hawthorn flourilh
upon had land, we may venture to c6nclude, that,-
under ordinary circumftances, fuch land will pay
for planting.

But, with refpeft to Io\^^ lands, v^-iiich wear a
profitable fward, and will bear the tread of catde,
or which, by judicious draining, can be rendered
fjch, at a reafonable expence; alfo to uplands,
which, by proper management, will throw out pro-
fitable crops of corn, and, other arable produce,
more efpeciaily if the fubitratum is of a nature \m-
genial to the ligneous tribes j we are of opiniony
that planting can feldom be carried on, upon a
large fcale, with propriety. Neverthelefs, even
under thefe circumftances, fivreen plantations,

upon

Woodlands. iiy

upon expofed heights, as well as flickering Groves,
and flripes or patches of planting, to fill up the in-
convenient crookednefles of the borders of arable
fields, may be prodiiflive of reaj ^nd fubftantiaj
improvement to an eftate.

The next flep, which a Gentleman ought to take^
before he fet about raifing plantations, upon a large
fcale, is to look round his neighbourhood, and
make himfelf acquainted vv^ith its prefent ftate, as to
Woodlands ; as well as with the comparative value
which thefe bear to arable and grals lands. He
muft go ftill farther ; he mu(V learn the natural con-
fumption of the country ; not only of timber in
general, but of the fcveral fpecies. Nor muft he
Hop here j he muft endeavour to pry into futurity,
and form fome judgement of the particular fpecies,
whether it be Oak, Afli, Elm, Beech, the Aqua-
tics, Pines, or Coppice Woods, which will be
wanted, at the tiinf^ liis plantations arrjve at ma-f
turity.

It is pofiible, thepe may be Atuations, in this
ifland, where, from a fuperabundance of Woodlands,
it would be unprofitable to plant, even hangs, and
bad top foils : it is not probable, however, that
any fuch places are to be found ; for, in a country
.ituated near water carriage, (and if the prefent
fpirit of cutting canals continue to prevail, what

I 3 part

Il8 P L A N T I N

G.

part of this ifland will, a century hence, be out of
the reach of v/ater carriage ?) fliip timber will, in
all human probability, always find a market ; and,
in fituations remote from fuch cheap conveyance,
foreign timber will always bear a price proportion-
ably high J conlequf ntly, the timber raifed, in fuch
a country, will, in all probability, find a market in
the neighbourhood of its growth.

Before we begin to Ipeak of the feveral Ipecies
of Plantations or Woodlands, and the methods of
raifing them, it will be proper to enumerate,
here, the different species of trees, which v/e
conceive to be moft eligible to be planted, for
the purpofes of timber and underwood, in this^
country.

Under the article Choice of Timber Trees,
it appears that

The Oak,

The Ash,

The Elm, and

The Beech,
are the four principal domefiic timbers, now in life,
in this kingdom : To which mull be added

The Pine Tribe, particularly

The Larch ; and

The Aquatics;

a$

Woodlands. 119

as fubflltutcs (ov foreign timber, at prefent imported,
in vaft quantities, into this ifland : And to thole mud
be added, as coppice woods j

The Ash,

The Chesnut,

The Hazel,

The Sallow,

The Wild Sorb, and

The Ozier *.

There are four difdn6t species of Woodlands:

Woods,

Timber Groves,
Coppices,
Woody Wastes.

By a PFood is meant a mixture of timber trees
and underwood ; by Titnber Grove, a. colledtion of
timber trees only, placed in clofe order; by Coppice,
ftubwood alone, without an intermixture of umber
trees ; and by Woody Wajle, grafs land over-run
with rough woodinefs j or a mixture of Woodland
and grafly patches j which being thought an
objed of pafturage, the wood is kept under, by
being browfed upon by flock, while the grafs, in

* The mode of propagation, and the soil fuitable to
the feveral fpccies, appear under their refpedlive aarnes, in
the Alphabft of Plants.

I 4 its

I20 Planting.

its turn, is ftlnted by the trees, and rendered of an
inferior quality, by the want of a free admiffion of
fun and air.

In pra^ice, thefe Woody Waftes ought firft to
be taken under confideration ; for while a Gentle-
man has "an acre o{ fuch land upon his eftate, he
ought not (generally fpeaking) to think of fetting
about raifing original plantations : for, if grafiinefs
prevail, and the foil be unkind for Wood, let this
be cleared away, and the whole be converted to
paflure or arable. But if, on the contrary,
woodinefs prevails, fence out t:he Itock, and fill up
the vacancies, in the manner hereafter defcribed :
for, in a fyftematic Treatife upon Planting, we
think it mofl confiftent with method, to treat of
Woodlands in the order already fet down.

SECTION THE FIRST^i

WOODS.

OPEN WpoDS are adapted, more particularly;,
to the purpofe of raifmg timber for shipbuilding,
and, perhaps, for fome few other purpofes, where

crookednefi

Woodlands. ;2i

crookednejs is required. Where a firaightnejs and
length of flem, and clcannels of grain, are wanted.
Close Woods or Groves are more eligible ; and,
where Stubwood is the principal objefl, Coppices,
unencumbered with timber trees, are moft ad-
vifeable.

It follows, that no timber tree whatever, but
the Oak, can be raifed, with propriety, in open
Woods, and this, only, when a fupply of fhip
timber is intended ; confequently, open Woods
are peculiarly adapted to places lying conveniently
for water carriage, or which may, in all probability,
lie convenient for water carriage, a century or two
Jience.

Various opinions prevail, with refpeft to the
moft eligible method of raising a Wood :
fome are warm advocates for Jcjoing, others for
^planting ; fome again are partial to roiJOSi while
others prefer the irregular culture.

The difpute about fowing and planting may, in
fome meafure, be reconciled in the following man-
ner : Where the ftrength of the land lies in the
fubftratum, while the furface foil is of an ungenial
nature, Jgvj^ In order that the roots may ftrike
deep, and thereby reap the full advantage of the
Ueafures .below : but, on the contrary, v/hen the

top

1^2 P L A ?; T r K c.

top foil is good, and the bottom of an oppofite
quality, plant, and thereby give the roots the full
enjoyment of the produdive part of the foil ; or,
under thefe lad circumfi-ances, foz^;, and tap the
young plants as they ftand (with a tapping inftru-
ment), and thereby check their downward ztn-
d^ncyy as well as ftrengthcn their horizontal roots.

By this method of treating feedling plants, the
peculiar advantage of planting is obtained. The
uifpute, therefore, feems to retl entirely upon this
quefiion : "Which of the two methods is lead ex-
pcnfive ? To come at this, there are two things to
be confidcred — the a£iual expence of labour and
ether contingent matters, and the lofs of time in the
land occupied. With relpccl to the former, fow-
ing is beyond comparifon the cheapeft method i
but, in regard to the latter, planting may feem to
gain a preference ; for the feed bed is fmall, com-
pared with the ground to be planted, and while
that is rearing the feedling plants, this continues to
be applied to the puipofes of hufbandry. However,
if we confider the check which plants in general
receive in tranfplantation *, and if (as we fhall

hereafter

* We have known an inftance of tranfplanted Oaks remain-
ing upon the ground lb long as eight years before they began
to move. And let us hear what Mi ller fays upon this fubjefl;
v.-c have v.o reafon to doubi his fpeaking from his own expe-
rience.

Woodlands. 123

iiereafter fhew) the interfpaces of an infant Wood
may, for feveral years after fowing, be ftill culti-
vated to advantage, the preference, we conceive,
is evidently, and beyond all difputc, on the fide of
low in o;.

With refped to the arrangement of Wood
Plants, — the preference to be given to the roiVy or
the random culture, refts in fome meafure upon the
nature and fituanon of the land to be (locked with
plants. Againft fteep hangs, where the plow can-
not be conveniently ufed in cleaning and cultivating
the interfpaces, during the infancy of the Wood,
either method may be adopted; and if plants are
to be put in, the quincunx manner will be found

rlence, though he does not particularize it. — " When Oak
trees aj-e cultivated with a view to profit, acorns fhould be
fown, where the trees are defigned to grow ; for thofe which
are tranfplanted will never arrive to the fize of thofe which
ftand where rhev are Town, nor will they lafb near fo long.
For in fome places where thefe high trees have been tranf-
planted, with the grcateil care, they have grown very faft for
feveral years^fter, yet are now decaying, when thofe wli.ch
remain in tfie places where they came up from the acorns, are
ftill very thriving, and have not the lealt lign of decay. There-
fore, whoever defigns to cultivate thefe trees for timber, fhould
never think of tranfplanting them, but fow the acorns on the
fame ground where they ^re to grow ; for timber of all thofe
trees which are tranfplanted is not near fo valuable as that of
ihc trees from acorns," (Art. Quercus.)

preferable

124 Planting.

preferable to any. But in more level fituations,
we cannot allow any liberty of choice : the drill
manner is undoubtedly the moft eligible -, and,
widi this method of raifing a Wood, we begin to
mvt our djredlions.

Laying out lands for woods. But before
we enter upon the immediate fubjecl, it will be
proper to premife, that, previous to the com-
mencement of any undertaking of this nature, it
would be advifeable that the fpot or fpots intended
to be converted into Woodland, Ihould be deter-
mined upon, — the quantity of land afcertained, — .
and the whole (whether it be entire or in detached
parts, and whether it be ten acres or a hundred)
divided into annual Jomings.

The exaft number of thefe fowings fhould be
resrulated by the ufes for which the Underwood is
intended. Thus, if, as in Surrey, flakes, adders,
and hoops are faleable, the fuite ought to confift of
eight or ten fowings j or if, as in Kent, hop pole^
are in demand, fourteen or fifteen fowings will be
required ; and if, as in Yorkfhire, rails be wanted,
or, as in Gloucefterfnire, cord wood be moft mar-
ketable, eigiiteen or twenty fowings will be necef-
^y, to produce a regular fuccefTion o^^ annual falls.

Many

Woodlands. 125

Manv advantages accrue from thus parcel-
ling out the land into fo wings : tlie bufinefs, by
being divided, will be rendered lefs burdenfome ;
a certain proportion being every year to be done,
a regular fet of hands will, In proper feafon, be
employed -, and, by beginning upon a fmall fcale,
the errors of the firft year will be correfted in the
pra<5tice of the fecond, and thofe of the fecond in
that of the third. The produce of the intervals
will fall into regular courfe ; and, when the whole
is completed, the falls will follow each other in
regular fuccefllon.

If it be found convenient to haften the bufinels,
two or three divifions may be fown in one year, the
leparate falls being marked by the firft cutting.
This, though by no means equal to regular fow-
ingSj correfponding to the intended falls, is much
better than hurrying over the whole bufmeis at
once; — a piece of raihnefs, which no man, who
works upon an extcnfive fcale, fhould be guilty of.

The principal objedions to raifing. Woodlands,
in this progreffive manner, is the extra trouble in
fencing. However, if the fowings lie detached
from each odier, the objection falls j if, on the
€ontrary, they lie together, or in plots, let the
entire plot be inclofed at once ; and, if it contain a
number of fov/ings, fome fubdivifions will be ne-

ceiHirv,

126 P L

ANTING.

cefiary, and the annual fowings of thcfe fubdi-
vifions may be fenced off with hurdles, or other
temporary contrivance. If the adjoining land to
be fown be kept under the plow, little temporary
fencing will be wanted.

It may be further necefTary, before we enter
upon the bufinefs of fowing, to give fome direc-
tions as to FENCING J for, unlefs this be done

cffedually, that will be labour loft.

In ralfing a Wood, from feeds, it Is not only
neceffary to fence againft cattle and fheep, but
againft hares alfo, efpecially if they be numerous.
Nothing lefs than a ciofe' fence is adequate to this
purpofe. Where the foil will admit of it, a ditch,
bank, and dwarf paling, may be raifed, in the man-
ner already defcribed, under the article Fences j
except that, inftead of a ftake-and-edder hedge, a
dole paling Ihould be fet upon the bank, in the
following manner.

Before the bank be finilhed, the pods, about
five fctt long, fhould be put down, their lower ends
being firfl: charred (fuperficially burnt), to prevent
their decaying. One rail is fufHcient. To this
the upper ends of the pales are nailed, their lower
ends having been previoufly driven into the crown
of the bank. The pales Ihould be about three feet

long,

Woodlands. 127

long, and ought to be of Oak, or the bottom parts
will loon decay.

The fence is the ftronger, and more effeaual, if
the ditch be made on the outer fide of it, and the
paling ict lb as to lean outwards ; but the quick
Hands a much better chance of being reared, on
the inner fide of the paling, next to the feedling
plants: therefore, the moft prudent method of
making a fence of this kind, is to make the ditch
on the outfide, without an ofr-fct, leaning the
paling over it, and planting the quick at the foot
of the bank, on the inner- fide : it then becomes,
what it ought alv.'ays to be confidercd,— a part of
the Nur/ery.

This, however, is an expenfive fence, and is
better fuited to a fmall than a large fcale ; and if,
inftead of the dwarf paling, a clofe rough ftake-
and-edder hedge be fet upon the bank, it will (pro-
vided it be well made and carefully attended to from
time to time, and tlie miicesj if any be made, ftopt
with rough buflies, and Hakes driven through them),
continue to be efTcflual, againfl: hares, for a confi-
derable time. Againft ralbitSy nothing lefs than
death is effectual.

At lenoth we come to treat particularly of the
method of raifing a Wood, upon land fufficiently

found.

12^ Planting,

found, and fufficiently level, to be cultivated, Con-
veniently, with the COMMON plow,

'' The preparation of the ground. If the
foil be of a ftifF clayey nature, it fliould receive a
whole year's fallow, as for wheats — if light, a crop
of turneps may be taken ; at all events, it mud be
made perfe6lly clean, before the tree feeds be
fown ; particularly from perennial root weeds : for^
when once the feeds are fown, all further opportu-
nity of performing this neceffary bufmefs is, in a
great meafure, loft. If the fituation be mcift, the
foil fhould be gathered into wide lands j not high^
but fufficiently round to prevent furface water from
lodging upon them*

The time of sowing is either atitiimn or fpring.
Oftober and November may be called the fitttft
months for the autumnal fowing, and March ioi
the ipring fowing^ A man of judgementj how-
ever, will attend to the feafon, and to the ftate of
his foil, rather than to twt Calendar* ,

The method of sowing is this. — The land
being in fine order, and the feafon favorable, the"
whole furface fliould be fown with Corn or Pulfe^
adapted to the feafon of fowing : if in autumn.
Wheat or Rye may be chofen ; in fpring. Beans or
Oat?. Whichfoc'ver of the fpecies of Corn is

^ adopted.

Woodlands. 125

adopted, the quantity of feed Ihould be lefs than
ufual, in order to give a free admiinon of air, and
prevent the crop from lodging.

The fowingofthe grain being completed, that
of the tree feeds muft be immediately fet about.
Thefe muft be put in, in lines, or drills, acrojs the
lands, and in the manner beft adapted to their
refpeflive natures : Acorns and Nuts fhould be dib-
bled in, while Keys and Berries Ihould be feat-
tered in trenches or drills, drawn with the corner
of a hoe, in the manner in which garden peas are
ufually fown.

The diftance which we recommend to be ob-
ferved, between the rows, is a quarter of a ftatute
rod (four feet, and one and a half inch). This
may, in theory, feem to be an unneceflary pre-
cifion ; but, in praftice, there are many conveni-
cncies accrue from it. In fetting out the diftance
between the drills, a land-chain fhould be ufed,
and not a hne, which is fubjedt to be ftiortened or
lengthened by the weather. A chain is readily
divided into rodjs, and the quarters may be diftin-
guiftied by white paint, or other obvious marks.
Stakes being driven at the ends of the drills, a
line is ftretched, to dibble or draw the trenches by ^.

If

• It may be unneceflary to obferve, that the drills Ihould be

cjcaftly perpendicular to the range offtakes, otherwife the mea-

Vofc. X. K furement

13^ Planting.

If the plot be extenfive, glades, for the purpofe
of roads, fnoiild be left at convenient diftances.

The species of underwood muft be deter-
mined by the confumption, or demand, peculiar to
the country in which It is intended to be raifed.
In Surrey, where flakes, edders, and hoops, -are in
demand, the Oak, the Hazel, and the Afh, are
efteemed valuable, as underwoods. Upon the
banks of the Wye, in Herefordfhire, Monmouth-
ihire, "and Gloucefterlhire, where great quantities
of charcoal are made for the iron forges. Beech is
the prevailing underwood ; but whether from
choice, or from its thriving well upon thofe bleak
mountains, we cannot fay. In Kent, where hop
poles are valuable articles, the Chefnut and the
Afh are the favorite Coppice woods. The Oak,
the Afh, the Chefnut, the Beech, the Birch, the
Wild Sorb, the Hazel, the Box, may have their
peculiar excellencies, in different countries 3 and the
choice is, of ccurfe, left to the perfon who has-
the care of the undertakino:.

The species of timber has hetn already deteN
mined upon j the Oak being the only tree admif-

fible

furement will be falfe. If the fowlngs or quarters could be fey
laid out, that the drills may be of fome determinate length, as
twenty rods for inllance, the bufmefs of meafuring vvotild be
rendered flill more eafy.

Woodlands. 131

fible in a Wood. The ufual fpace allowed to tim-
ber trees. Handing among undersvood, is thirty
Ifeet : two rods (thirty-three feet) will not be found,
when the trees have fully formed their heads, too
wide a fpace. Therefore, every eighth drill, at
ieaft, Ihould be fown with acorns^ dibbled in^ about
fix inches afunder *.

The Oak and the Hazel, rifing the first year
after fowing, their refpeftive drills will be fuffici-
ently difcriminable, at harvefti but the keys of the
Afli lie two, and fometimes three, years in the
ground, before they vegetate j and it will be con-
venient to have fome diftinguifhing mark, in the
itubble J in order to prevent their being difturbed
in plowing the intervals, after harveft. To this
fend, if Beans be the foftering crop, fcatter a few
Oats among the keysi the ftubbie of which will
fhew itfclf plainly, among that of the Beans ; and^
on the contrary, if Oats be the crop, a line of
Bean flubble will have the fame beneficial effect.

At harveft, the crop fholild be reaped, not mown,
and be carried off with all convenient care. Be-
tween harveft and winter, a pair of furrows ftiould
be laid back to back, in the middle of each in-
K 2 terval,

* For the particulars refpe£ling the propagation of the feve-
Val fpecies under confideration, fee theirf' refpeiSive genera iii
the AtPHABBT OF Plants,

132 Planting.

terval, for the purpofes of meliorating the foil for
the next year's crop, and of laying the feedling
plants dijj — while the ftubble of the unplowed
ground, on each fide of the drills, will keep them
warm during winter.

The next year's crop may be Potatoes, Cab-
bages, Turneps j or, if the firft was Corn, this
may be Beans ; or, if Bearis, Wheat drilled in the
Tullian manner *.

All that the tree drills will require, this year,
will be to be kept perfedtly clean, by weeding and
hand hoing.

In the fpring of die third year, the drills
which rofe the firft year fhould be looked over, and
the vacancies filled upj from the parts where the
plants are fuperfluous : but thofe of the Afh
fliould be deferred until the fourth year.

The whole fhould afterwards be looked over,
from time to time j and this, with cultivating the

intervals,

» This fpecies of culture, however, can only be praftifed ia
the plots and Ikreen plantations, which are mentioned in page
J 16 ; it being there determined, that lands produftivc of corn
and GRASS, and lying conveniently for cultivation, can
feldom be'converted to woodland,— merely as fuch, and on
a large fcale,— with propriety.

Woodlands. 133

intervals, and keeping the drills free from weeds,
will be all that will be neceflary, until the tops of
the plants begin to interfere.

However, if feedlings be wanted for the pur-
pofe of laying into hedges, or if tranfplanted
plants be faleable in the country, t\\t fu^erfluous
feedlings may be drawn out of the drills, in the
fpring of the third or fourth year, and tranfplanted
into fome vacant ground.

None can be more proper, nor any fo conve-
nient, as the contiguous intervals, in which they
may remain two or three years, without injury to the
drills, and may afford a profitable crop ; fubje6t,
however, to this difadvantage, the fpade mud be
made ufe of, inftead of the plow, in cleaning the
interfpaces. Neverthelefs, a ftock of plants of this
kind are valuable, not only as articles of fale, but
for ihelter plantations, and for filling up wafte
corners of an ellate. See p. 117,

The first cutting Ihould be timed by the
plants 'themfelves. Whenever the rows of Oaks,
intended for timbers, are in danger of being drawn
up too flendcr for their height, by reafon of their
being too much crowded, by the interference of
the rows, the whole muft be cut down, to within a
hand breadth of the ground j ^xcept the Oaks
K 3 intended

IJ4 Planting.

intended for flands, which fhould now be fet out,
at about two rods diflrance from each other, and as
nearly a quincunx, as plants moft proper for tha
purpofe will allow.

Strength, cleannefs, and upward tendency^
are the criterions by which the choice of thefe
ought to be determined upon. If more than one
plant of this defcription ftand near the point defired,
it is advifeable not to take them down, the firft fall
(provided they do not interfere too clofely with
each other), but to let them remain, in order to
guard againft accidents, and to afford a future
opportunity of making a fecond choice, when die
plants are arrived at a more advanced ftate.

The young fliands will require to be more or lef^
•pruned: their leaders muft be particularly attended
to, the lower fide fhoots taken off, and their head?
reduced, in fuch a manner, as to prevent their
Joeing rendered top-heavy.

Howevj:r, if the firfl fall of underwood be made
in due time, their heads, in general, will want but
little pruning j for it is not in this cafe, as in that
of tranfplanting, where the roots have frefli flioots|
to make, and a frefh fource of food to feek : here,
they are fully prepared to fend up the necefTary
fupplies, and the more top there is to promote the

afcent.

Woodlands, i^f,

afcent, the quicker progrefs the plants will be
enabled to make.

It is, therefore, very imprudent to defer the firft
fall, until the plants be drawn up, too flender, to
bear a well fized top : We have known young
Oaklings, raifed in a manner fimilar to that which
is here defcribed, drawn up fo tall and flender, by
injudicious treatment, as not to be able to bear the
fmalleft top, without {looping under the weight of
their own leaves ; a fhower of fnow, falling without
wind, bows diem to the ground.

The second fall fhould be timed according
to the "ojare v/hich the country calls for ; with this
provifo, however, that the timber (lands be not
injured, by being crouded among the under-
wood ; for, rather than this fliould be the cafe, the
fecond fall fhould take place, although the Cop-
pice wood may not liave reached the moil profit-
able {late.

After the fecond and every succeeding fall
of underwood, the timbers fliould be gone over^
their leaders kept fingle, and their heads fet up,
until the flems have reached the height of fifteen
or twenty feet (more or lefs, as accidents, or their
refpedlive tendencies, may happen to determine),
K 4 when

13^ Planting.

when their heads fhould be permitted to fpread,
and take their own natural form.

So foon as the branches arc firmly eftabllflied,
(which may happen in ten, fifteen, or twenty years
from the lafl pruning, fooner or later, according to
the foil, fituation, and other circumftances), the

HEADS SHOULD BE PRUNED,

In doing this, the leader is to be fhortened, to
check the upward growth of the tree, and the main
flrength of the head to be thrown, as much as may
be, into one principal arm ; in order to obtain,
with greater certainty, the important end to which
IVood timber is more peculiarly applicable : we
mean crooked shjp timber.

Next, as to raising a wood against a hanq,
too fteep to be cultivated conveniently with the
common ploWj after the Wood feeds are fown ; hut
which may, neverthclefs, be fallowed, and brought
into proper tilth by the turn-wreji -plow ; namely,
a plow which turns the furrows all one way, and
which is in common ufe upon the hills of Kent and
Surrey.

Under thcfe circumftances, the planter has It
in choice, whether he will fow feeds, — or put in
feedlings,— qr tranfplanted plants. If he adopt the

firft.

Woodlands. 137

firftj the expence of cleaning, by hand, will fall
heavy i and if the laft, the labour of the Nurfery
will not be lefs burdenfome. The middle path is
therefore molt advifeable.

The fcedling plants may, in general, be per-
mitted to remain, until the third year, in the feed
bed J by which time they will have acquired fuf-
ficient ftrength and flature, to flruggle with the
l^wer order of weeds, while thofe of a more af-
piring nature may be kept under, at a reafonablc
expence.

The arrangement of thefe plants may either be
irregular, or in drills, fimilar to thofe mentioned
aforegoing. After the plants are in, acorns may
be dibbled in the interfpaces, that fuccefs may be
gendered the more fecure.

The choice of underwood, and the after ma-
nagement, under thefe circumflances, muft be
fubjeft to the fame rules, as under thofe already
mentioned.

With refpeft to hangs fo very steep, or fo
STONEY, that even the turn-wreft plow cannot be
ufed in preparing the foil, fcedling plants and acorns,
or other tree feeds, may be put in, without any
previous preparations j except that of clearing

away

rjS Planting.

away bufhes, and burning off the weeds and rough
grafs, with which the furface may be encumbered.
In this cafe, the number of plants, and the quantity
of acorns, fhould be greater, than when the ground
has been prepared by a fallow.

Since the foregoing Remarks were written (in
1783 and 4), fome favorable opportunities of
collecting farther information, refpefting this
very important branch of Rural Ecofiomy, have
occurred to us.

In the Southern Counties, we have feen the
Oak rife fortuitoufly, or with but little afliftance of
the Woodman, to Timber of the firfl: quality *,
In the Midland Counties, we have examined
Oak Woods, of different ages, which have been
propagated by art, in the moft fimple manner :
namely, that of fowing acorns with arable crops,
or of fetting them in the turf of grafsland, and
leaving the young plants to nature ; and this with
good fuccefs -f. In the Highlands of Scotland,
yre have obferved diftrifls of mountain furfaces

covered

^ Some Account of the Woodlands here alluded to, may
foon appear in a llegifler of the Rukal Ecckomy of tiic
Southern Counties.

f See the Rural Economy of the Midland Countic?^
Vol. ii. p. 297.

Woodlands. 135

covered with tree plants, of various ages and
ipecies ; and this, too; with a fucceis, which, feeing
the inaccurate manner in which they are frequently
put in, and the neglevSl they afterward iexperience,
js almofl incredible *.

Nevertheless, we ftiil remain advocates for
the pradlice of treating young woods as nur-
sery GROUNDS. Our motives are many: by
keeping the foil in a ftate of tilth, and free from
weeds, much time is gained in their early growth^,
and a flrong vigorous habit given to the youthful
plants : by this treatment, alfo, a favorable op*
portunity is obtained, for removing fupernumerary
plants, for file, or for plots of planting, or for
|illing up vacancies, in parts too thinly flocked.

We likewife retain full convi6lion of the pro-
priety of TRAINING THE YOUNG TIMBER TREES

PF WOODS, in fuch manner as to render them, wilb
feriaiiityy applicable to the elpecial purpofes for
which they are raifed, rather than to leave them to
fortuitous circumjtances ; and fuffer them, by fpread-
ing too low, to defiroy the underwood which
furrounds them, or, by (hooting up too flraight, to

frullratc

f See a Sketch of the Rural Economy of the Central
Highlands, prefented, as a Report of that Dillricl, to the
Board of Agriculture, in Feb. 1794.

140 Planting.

fruftrate the main Intention of wood timber. If
flraight timber be required, close groves, and
not OPEN WOODS, are the fit places to raife it in.
Land, fuch at leaft as will grow Ihip timber with
advantage, is become too valuable to be given up,
in any cafe, to accident or negled,

In Forefls and other WafieSy whether public or
appropriated, efpecially where the foil is of a deep
clayey nature. Oaks will rife, fpontaneoufly, from
feeds that happen to be dropped, and whofe feed-
Jing plants happen to be defended, by underwood
or rough buflies, from the bite of pafturing ani-
mals ; and fome few of the plants, thus fortuitoufly
raifed, may chance to take the form defired by the
fliip carpenter : but this is all mere matter of acci-
dent. Even in kept v/oods, there may not, under
the much praifed fyftem of neglect, be a fufficient
crook, or a knee, fit for a firfl rate fhip, in an acre
of Woodland.

We have repeatedly fpoken our fentlments on
the fubje6l of pruning timber trees. To hack
off a large bough from an aged tree^ is a crime of
the deepefl dye, in the management of timber.
But what relation has this mad acl to the falutary
operation of removing a twig from the ftem of a
young growing tree, or of pruning the boughs, or
even of removino- the leader (far above the ftem),

«f

Woodlands. I4t

of a tree In a youthful growing (late ? The ope-
rations are a« diftindl as darknefs and light, or as
evil and good. In that cafe, the fize of the wound,
and the exhaufted Hate of the tree, unite to pre-
vent the healing ; and a defect in the timber con-
fequently takes place : while, in this, the wound is
inconfiderable, and tiie vigorous ftate of the tree
enables it to cicatrize the fore, in a few months
perhaps, after the operation is performed.

By freeing the flems of young trees from fide
(hoots, and by keeping their leaders fingle, a
LENGTH OF STEM is, wtth certainty, obtained -,
;and, by afterwards checking their upright growth,
and throwing the main ftrength of the head into
one principal bough (by checking, not removing,
the reft), a crookedness of Timber is had, with
the fame certainty : and, what is equally neceffary
in SHIP TIMBER, a cleanness and evenness
of contexture are, at the fame time, produced.
The dangerous, and too often, we fear, fatal defcd,
caufed by the decayed ftumps of dead ftem boughs
being overgrown and hid under a fhell of found
timber,~a defedl which every fortuitous tree is
liable to, — is, by this provident treatment, avoided :
the timber, from the pith to the fap, becoming
uniformly found, and of equal ftrength and dura*
bility*

Npthimg

l4^ Planting.

Nothing but prejudice, of the moft Inveterate
kind, can rejedl a pra6lice, v*'hich is founded on the
moft obvious principles of nature and reafon ; and
which, in the numerous inftances we have feen in
hedge timber, and more particularly in the an-
cient avenues, which remain in every quarter of the
kingdom, and which, beyond all doubt, were trained
up in the manner here recommended (for without
it their uniform length of ftem could not have
been had), are fufficient proofs of its eligibility *.

Under a full conviction of the propriety of
training up young trees, in the way beft adapted
to the purpofes for which they are feverally in-
tended, whether it be that of a wall tree, or an
efpalier, an orchard tree for fruit, or a wood tree
for iliip timber, we do not hefitate to recommend

iti

* The mlfchiefs done td Hedgerow and Avenue Trees, by
injudicious lopping, — a difgraceful treatment of Timber Trees
everywhere cbfervable, — have arifen from the prattice we are
condemning j namely, that of taking large boughs from the
ftems of aged Trees, — thefe mifchiefs having been committed
after the trees ivere gronun up ; — and not from the praflice we
are ftrenuoufly recommending ; namely, that of training youn^
trees, during the early Jiages of their grov.th.

For other remarks on tlie PRtxNiNC of Timber Trees,— =
fee the Article Hedgerows, in page 102 of this Volume.

Alfo the Rural Economy of the Midland Counties,
Vol ii. p.' 3 3 7.

Woodlands. I4J

itj in the ftrongeft terms, to every owner and ma-
nager of trees.

In our judgement, the Royal Forefts may not
claim the merit of rational management, until men,
expert in the training of timber trees for the pur-
pofe of building fiiips of war, be conftantly em-
ployed in this important part of the management
of National Timber *,

Even the Larch, it is more than probable, may
be TRAINED, with great advantage, as SHIP
TIMBER i for which it is well underftood to be
fuperiorly adapted. In Italy, we believe, it has
been applied to that purpofe, for ages paft. In
the grounds of Dunkeld, a feat of the Duke of
Athol, in Perthihire, there are Larches, of con-
fiderable fize, in a good form for Ship Building.
Many have a crookedness of stem, adapted to
ribs ; and one, in particular, we obferved v/ith a
FORKED TOP, admirably fuited to knees. The
former appeared to have arifen from the flems
having, while young, been in a Hooping poflure ;
and the other, from the tree having loft its head,
and two oppofite fide boughs having taken the

office

* We are happy to find, fince writing the above, that the
SociETv of Arts, in London, have, at length, taken up
this fubjcd. Odober 1795.

144 Planting*

office of leaders * : fortuitous incidents, which arf
could readily copy ; and, we believe, with high
advantage to this ifland. For, fhould ^^the prefent
price of bark continue, a fupply of Oak Timber,
for the purpofe of building large Ships, will, it is
to be feared, be greatly lelTened, if not, in fome
meafure, cut off: a circumftance, however, which
will be the lefs regretted, by the agricultural in-
terefl, as the Larch will flourifli abundantly, on
lands that are in a manner ufelefs to agriculture ;
while the Oak, to bring it to a ftature fufficient
for the purpofe of conftru6ling fhips of magnitude,
requires a foil and fituation which may generally
be applied to the ufes of hufbandry.

Happy, therefore, is it for this Ifland, to pof-
fels two trees, oppofite in their natures, yet equally
perhaps capable of affording proteflion to its po-
litical independence : and, towards fecuring fo
valuable a blelTing, both of them ought to be
reared and TRAINED with unremitting folicitude.

See more of the Larch, in the next section.

• It is obfervable of this Tree, that it bears cropping, even
by cattle, with fingular patience ; feldom failing to renew it«
upward courfe, by one or more frclh leaders.

SECTION

Woodland i. 145,

SECTION THE SECOND.

GROVES,

THE Timber Grove is the prevailing plan-^
iation of modern time. Woods or Coppices are
ieldom attempted j indeed, until of late years,
clumps of Scotch Firs feem to have engaged, in a
great meafure, the attention of the planter,

TiiE Scotch Fir, however, Is one of the lalt
trees that ought to engage the attention of the
Britifh planter j and fhould be invariably excluded
from every foil and fituation^ in which any other
timber tree cart be made to flourifli. The North
afpe6t of bleak and barren heights is the only fitu-
ation in which it ought to be tolerated j and even
there, the Larch is found to outbrave it. In better
foils, and milder fituation, the wood of the Scotch
Fir is worth little, and its growth fo licentious, as to
over-run every thing which grows in its immediate
neighbourhood : this renders it wholly unfit to be
afibciated with other timber trees: we, there-

VoL. I. L fore.

t4^ Planting.

fore, now dlfcard it entirely from useful plan-
tations*.

The species of timber trees, which we beg
leave to recommend to the planter's notice, have
been already mentioned, at the opening of this
Chapter : They confift of

The Oak,
The Ash,
The Elm,
The Beech,
The Larch, and
The Aquatics.

Of the tribe laft mentioned, we chiefly recom-.
mend

The Poplar,
The Willow,
The Alder,
The Ozier,

To this lift may be added,
TheChesnut,
The Walnut,
The Cherry,

as

• Neverthelefs, to give variety in ornamenial fcenery, and
as a nurfe piant (if kept under due reftraint), the Scotch
Fir may be retained.

Woodlands. i47

as fubftltutes for the Oak and the Beech j and the
two latter, as humble reprefcntatives of the princely
Mahogany.

Respecting the £/w, an error prevails : Miller
and Hanbury tell us (ij^eaking more particularly
of the fine-leaved fort), that it will not flourifli ia
clofe plantations. Experience, however, leads us
to be of a contrary opinion. How often do we
fee two Elms, {landing fo clofe together, that a bird
could not fly through between them, yet toth of
them equally well ftemmed : indeed, the fiioots of
the Elm will interweave with each other, in a man-
ner we feldom fee in any other fpecies of tree. Ill
groups and clofe groves, too, we have feen them
thrive abundantly. It is obfcrvablcj however, that
in thefe fituations, their ftems running up clean>
and in a great meafure free from fide fhoots, the
timber takes a different nature, from that which is
raifed in more expofed places j'— where the lateral
Ihoots being numerous, and being lopped off, from
time to time, the ftems become knotty j by which
means the natural tenacity, in which the peculiar
excellency of the timber of the Elm confifts, is
confiderably increafed

In a Grove, the Jjh may be termed an outjide

tree j plow beams, Ihafts, fellies, and harrow bulls,

requiring a curvature, which generally takes place

L 2 in

l4^ Planting.

in the outer rows of a clofe plantation. The Afh^
however, muft not be excluded a central fituation^
as a flraightnefs of grain is frequently defirabie.

The Oak and the Larch (except for the pur-
pofe of Ship Timber, &c.) the Beech and the
Che/nut, are infide trees ; the carpenter, the
cooper, and the turner, requiring a cleannefs of
grain.

With refpefl to soil and situation, the Elm,
the Chefnut, the Walnut, and the Cherry, require
a good foil and mild fituation ; the Aquatics Ihould
be confined to moift low grounds ; and the Beech
and the Larch to bleak or barren places j whilft
the Oak and the Aih can accommodate themfelves
to almoft any foil or fituation i though they feldom,
rife to profit, on bleak and barren fites.

We now come to the method of raising the
feveral fpecies of Grove timbers. The Oak, the
Afh, the coarfe-leaved Elm, the Beech, the Chef-
nut, the Walnut, and the Cherry, may be raifed-fn
drills, in the manner defcribed in the preceding
feftion, without any variation, except in the method
of training. The Pines being of a hazardous
nature, when in their infant ftate, it is advifeable
to raife them in feed beds, and plant them out
as feedling plants. The fine-leaved Elm muft

be

W O 0 D L A N DS. 149

be ralfcd from layers; and the Aquatics from
cuttings *.

The method of training Grove timbers,
railed in drills, is this : If feedling plants be wanted,
the rows may be thinned, the third and fourth years,
until the remaining plants (land from twelve to
dghteen inches apart. This done, nothing more
will be requifite, until fuch time as fome kind of
ware can be cut out ; as edders, hoops, flakes,
&c.

The plants having reached this ftage of their
growth, the rows fliould be gone over, every win-
ter, and all the underling plants be cut out, within
the ground (if practicable), which will, in general,
kill the roots and fave the expence of grubbing.
If the remaining plants are not already too much
crouded, thofe which yet flruggie for the light
ought to be left, to aflift in drawing up, with greater
certainty, thofe which have gained the afcenclancy.

This conduft fhould be obferved, from the
time of the firft cutting, undl the trees are fet out,
at diftances belt fuited to their refpective natures,
jmd according to the accidental tendency, which

L 3 they

* For the method of planting a Timber Grove, fee the
Divifion Manual Labour, page 33.

f5© Planting.

they happened to take, in rifing. For, in thinning
a timber grove, IJLile or no regard muft be had to
a regularity of diflance at tlie root ; an equal diftri-
bution of head room meriting a more particular
attention.

The feledion ought to be directed by the
(Irength of the plants, and the uniformity of the
Canopy, taken joindy : for a chafm in what may
be called the foliage of a grove, is fimilar to a
vacancy in a coppice, or an unproductive plot ia
a field of corn. The leaves are as labourers^
and every leaf deficient is a labourer loll. The
■woodman's eye ought, therefore, to be direfted to-
wards the tops, rather than to the roots, of his
trees.

There are other things obfervable in thinning a
grove. If it be thinned too fail, its upward growth
will be checked, and the length of flem curtailed ;
and if, or) the other hand, the thinning be neg-
lected, or be performed too leifurely, the plants,
efpecially in their taller ftate, vvill be rendered too
fiender, and thereby become, liable to lalli each
ether's tops, with every blaft of wind. This evil
is called whipping of tops, and many fine groves
liavc been very materially injured by it. When-
ever tvv'o trees are feen to be engaged in this con-
flict, one of them Ihculd be taken down without

lofs

Woodlands. 151

Jofs of time ; otherwife, it will probably prove
fatal to them both.

If the thinning be conduced with judgement,
little pruning will be neceffary ; fome, however,
will be found requifite : ftrong mafcer plants are
liable to throw out fide branches, to the annoyance
of their neighbours : thofe fhould be taken off,
in time, and all dead branches Ihould be removed,
efpecially thofe of the pine tribe ; otherwife, the
heart of the timber will be rendered coarfe,
knotty, and of a bad quality. The leaders fhould
alfo have due attention paid to them ; particularly
if a group of foul-headed plants happen to fall to-
gether ; for, in this cafe, if nature be not affilled,
a timber tree will, in the end, be wanted.

This method of training holds good, whether
the grove be raifed from feeds, immediately, or
from feedling, or other plants ; and whether thefe
be arranged in drills, or in the promifcuous man-
ner ; provided the body of the grove be formed of
one entire fpecies of timber tree i for p( the method
of raifing,that fpecies of grove we have hitherto
been treating. .

With regard to miscellaneous groves, we
have feen fo many evil effetSts, arifing from inju-
dicious mixtures of timber trees, that we are in-

L 4 clinec^

t5^ Planting.

clined to condemn, as unprofitable^ all mixtures
whatever. It may be argued, however, that, by
afTociating trees of different natures, the foil will
be ifiade the moft ofi under an idea, that eacl^
fpeeies of plant has its own favorite food : and,
indeed, it is well known that corn fiourifhes after
grafs, and grafs after corn j that the Afh will thrive
after the Oak, and the Oak after the Afh, in a
more profitable manner, than any one of thefe
plants would do, if propagated repeatedly upon
the fame fpot of foil.

This leads to an improvement in the method
of RAISING A GROVE OF OAKS ; and the fame
method is applicable to any other fpeeies of tree.
Inftead of fowing every drill with acorns, let every
fecond be fown with the feeds of a tree of a diffe-
rent nature i and, under ordinary circumflances,
with thofe of the Afh : its feeds are eafily procured,
and, as underwood, no tree is applicable to io
many ufeful purpofes.

In this cafe, the method of training is nearly the
lame, as that already defcribed ; except that,
throughout, the Afh mull be made fubfervient to
the Oak : if it rife too fafl, it mull be cut down
to the flub, as underwood : if afhen flands be left
to draw up the young Oaks, they mufl be lopt,
or taken down, the moment they afpire to a fu-

periority^

Woodlands. 153

penority, or give the neighbouring plants an jm-r
proper tendency.

When the Oaks have acquired a fufficient
length of flem, and have made good their canopy,
the afllftance of the Afhes will be no longer
wanted ; nor will they be any longer valuable as
underwood ; they ought therefore to be entirely
removed : and, if their roots be grubbed up,
the Oaks will receive at once a frelh fupply of air
and pafturage.

In bleak fituations, a quicker growing and bet-
ter feathered plant than the Afli, affords more
valuable protedion : the Scotch Fir, kept under
due fubjedion, is ehgible in this cafe. The Furze
is fometimes made ufe of, for this purpole : but
the plant which we wifh to recommend, in prcr
ference to the lafl, is the Broom ; as being
lefs ofFenfive, and at the fame time more
efficacious. Its feeds are readily procured j its
growth is rapid j it will brave the bleakeil afpe6l ;
and the natural foftnefs of its foliage renders it
inoffenfive to work among, even in its tailed and
moft crowded flate.

The Duke of Portland has found, that upon
jfhe bleak fandy fwells of Nottingham Forefl, the
Birch affords a friendly protedion to the Oak :

and.

!5"4 P L A N T r N G.

and, whai we confider the eafy manner in which
this plant may be raifed, the quicknefs of its
growth, the ilielter it gives, and its value, in many
places, as ae uhderwood, we mufl allow great merit
in the choice.

His Grace's plantations bci;:^ carried on upon
a Icale which is truly magnificent, and it being in
the conducling of great undertakings, that the
human invendon is railed to the highefl pitch, it
would be unpardonable, in a work of this nature,
to omit inferting the following Letter from Mr,
Speechlv, his Grace's Gardener, to Dr. Hunter,
Editor of a late edition of Evelyn's Syha^ de-
fcribing the manner in v/hich thcfe plantations
have been conduced.

We introduce it, in this place, as the ftyle of
planting it defcribes is peculiarly adapted to raifing
Groves a2;ainfl: Hangs, or acchvities of hills.
The candour contained in the letter itfelf pre-
cludes the necefliry of apprizing our readers, that
it is not calculated for a strong level country,
nor for raifing Woods, in any foil or fituation.

•; "^^Few Noblemen plant more l\\:!Ln his

i Grace the Duke of Pordand; and i think I may
f lay, without vanity, none with greater fuccefs.
1 But as no m?n fhould thiak of planting ia the very

*• ex-

Woodland s. 155-

' extenfive manner that we do, before he is pro-

* vided with well-ft-ocked nurferies, it may not be

* amifs, before I proceed further, to give a fhort
' fketch of that neceflary bufmefs, as alfo to inform

* you of the foil and fituation of our feat of plant-

* ing. The greateft part of our plantation is on

* that foil which in Nottinghamlliire is generally

* diftinguifhed by the name of Foreft land. It is a
^ continuation of hills and dales j in fome places
^ the hills are very fteep and high ] but in general

* the afcents are gentle and cafy.

' The foil is compofed of a mixture of fand and

* gravel ; the hilh abound moft with the latter, and

* the vallies with the former, as the fmaller particles

* are by the wind and rains brought, from time to

* time, from the high grounds to the lower, tz is

* on the hilly grounds we make our plantations,

* which in time will make the vallies of much

* greater value, on account of the fhelter they

* will afford.

' After his Grace has fixed on fuch a part of

* this Foreft land as he intends to have planted,
' fome well fituated valley h chofen (as near the
^ center of the intended plantations as may be) for

* the purpofe of a nurfery ; if this valley is fur-

* rounded with hills on all fides but the fouth, fo
f much the better. After having allotted a piece

5 of

%S6 Planting;

' of ground, con fi fling of as many acres as is con-r
f venient for the purpoie, it is fenced about in fuch

* a manner as to keep out all obnoxious animals,
' At either end of the nurfery are large boarded

* gates, as alfo a walk down the middle, wide

* enough to admit carriages to go through, which
^ we find exceedincrlv convenient when we remove
f the young trees from thence to the plantations.

* After the fence is completed, the whole is
^ trenched (except the walk in the middle) about

* twenty inches deep, which work may be don?

* for about three pounds ten fliillings, or four
' pounds, per acre, according as the land is more

* or lefs gravelly j this v/ork is beft done in the
^ Ipring, when the planting feafon is over. If^

* after the trenching, two or three chaldrons of
' lime be laid on an acre, the land will produce an

* excellent crop either of cabbages or turneps,

* which being eaten off by flieep in the autumn,
f will make the land in fine order for all forts of

* tree feeds : but as the Oak is the fort of tree we

* cultivate in general, I ihall confine myfelf partis
f cularly to oyr prefent method of raifing and

* mauviging that mod valuable fpecies. In the
' autumn, after the cabbage or turneps are eaten

* off, the ground will require nothing more than a

* common digging. So foon as the acorns fall,
' after being provided with a good quantity, we
' iuw them in rh? following aianner: Draw drills

' vt'ith

Woodlands. 157

* with a hoe In the fame manner as is praftifed for

* peafe, and fow the acorns therein fo thick as

* nearly to touch each other, and leave the fpace of

* one foot between row and row, and between every

* fifth row leave the fpace of two feet for the alleys.

* While the acorns are in the ground, great care

* mud be taken to keep them from vermin, which

* would very often make great havock among the
' beds, if not timely prevented. Let this caution

* ferve for mod other forts of tree feeds.

* After the acorns are come up, the beds will

* require only to be kept clean from weeds until

* they want thinning; and as the plants frequently

* grow more in one wet feafon, where the foil is

* tolerably good, than in two dry ones, where th»5

* foil is but indifferent, the time for doing this is

* beft afcertained by obferving when the tops oC
' the rows meet. Our rule is to thin them then,

* which we do by taking away one row on each

* fide the middlemoft, which leaves the remaining
' three rows the fame diftance apart as the breadth

* of the alleys. In taking up thele rows, v/e ought

* to be anxioully careful neither to injure the roots

* of the plants removed, nor ofthofe left on eacli

* fide. The reft of the young Oaks being nov/

* left in rows at two feet apart, we let them agaifi f
' ftand until their tops meet i then take up every

* other row, and leave the reft in rows four feet

15? P L A H T I N C.

' afunder, until they arrive to the height of about

* five feet, which is full as large a fize as we ever

* wi{li to plant. In taking up the two laft fizes,
' our method is to dig a trench at the end of each
' row full two feet deep, then undermine the plants,
'' and let them fall into the trench with their roots

* entire.

* And here let me obferve, that much, very

* much, of their future fuccefs, depends on this

* point of their being well taken up. I declare

* tliat I fiiould form greater hopes from one hun-

* dred plants well taken up and planted, than from

* ten times that number taken up and planted in a

* random, manner ; befides, the lofs of the plants

* makes the worfl method the moft expenfive.

* But before I leave this account of our method

* of raifing Oaks, I fhall juft beg leave to obierve,

* that we are not very particular in the choice of

* acorns j in my own opinion, it matters not from

* what tree the acorns are gathered, provided they

* are good ; for although there feems to be a

* variety of the Englifh Oak, in refpecl to the form
' of the leaf and fruit, alfo their coming into leaf at

* different feafons, with forae other marks of dif-

* tinclion, yet I am of opinion that they will all
' make good timber trees if properly managed.

* It is natural to fuppofe, that a tree will grow low

* and

W O 0 D L A N DS. 159

* and fpreading in a hedge row ; on the contrary,

* it is very improbable that many fhoiild grow fo

* in a thick wood, where, in general, they draw one

* another up ftraight and tall. And I have ob-

* ferved, that the fame diftin6Vions hold good

* amongft our large timber trees in the woods, as

* in the low-fpreading Oaks in the hedge rows.

* Though I have not, as yet, taken notice of any

* other fort of tree but the Oak, yet we have a

* great regjrd for, and raife great quantities of,

* Beech, Larch, Spanifh Chefnur, Weymouth
' Pine, and all forts of Firs, the Scotch excepted,

* as well as many other kinds, by way of thick-

* ening the plantations while young ; among which

* the Birch has hitherto been in the greateft efci-

* mation, it being a quick growing tree, and taking

* the lead of mod other forts on our poor foreft
■* hills ; and as we have an inexhauftible fpring of

* them in the woods, where they rife of themfelves

* in abundance from feed, we at all times plant
•f them plentifully of different fizes. As to the
' Elm and Afh, we plant but few of them on the

* Foreft, though we raife great quantities of both,

* but pardcularly the Afh, which being an ufeful

* wood (but a bad neighbour among the Oaks),

* we plant in places apart by icfclf. I lliall difmifi

* this fubje6l concerning the management of our

* nurferies, after faying a word or two relating to

^ pruning :

l6o JP i. A N T I N O;

* pruning : we go over the whole of the young

* trees in the nurfery every winter ; but in this we

* do little moi-e than Hiorten the flrong fide fhoots,

* and take off one of all fuch as have double leads,

' Having thus pointed out the mode of forming

* and managing our rairfcries, I fhall now proceed

* to the plantations. The fize of the plantations,

* at firft beginning, mufl be in proportion to the

* ftock of young trees in the nurfery j for to under-

* take to plant more ground than we have young

* trees to go through with for thick plantations^

* would turn to poor account on our foreft hills.

* We always plant thick, as well as fow plenti-

* fully at the fame time, provided it be a feafon in
' which acorns can be had j fo that all our plan-
' tations anfwer in a few years as nurferks to fuc-
'^ ceeding plantations.

• As to the fofm of the plantations, they are

* very irregular ; we fometimes follow a chain of

* hills to a very great diftance ; fo that what we
'plant in one feafon, which pjrhaps is fixty,'.
' eighty, and fometimes an hundred acres,- is no

*■ more than a part of one great defign.

* If the ground intended to be planted has nob
^ already bej^n got into order for that purpofe, it
*• ihouJd be fenced about at lead a twelvemonth

' before

Woodlands* i6i ^

^ before it is wanted to plant on, and immediately

* got into order for a crop of turnips ; two chal-

* drons of lime being laid on an acre will be of

* great fervice, as it will not only be a means of

* procuring a better crop of turnips, but will bind

* the land afterwards, and make it fall heavy>

* which is of great ufe when it comes to be planted,

* as fome of the forefl land is fo exceedingly

* light as to be liable to be blown from the roots of
' the young trees after plandng : therefore we find

* it to be in the beft order for planting about two

* years after it has been plowed up from pafture,

* before the turf is too far gone to a ftate of decay.

* It will be neceflary to have a part of the turnips

* eaten off foon in the autumn, in order to get the

* ground into readinefs for early planting i for we

* find the forward planting generally fucceeds the

* beft.

* After the turnips are eateii of^, we plow the

* ground with a double- furrow trenching plow

* made for that purpofe, which, drawn by fix

* horfes, turns up the ground completely to the

* depth of twelve or thirteen inches : this deep

* plowing is of great fervice to die plants at the

* firft, and alfo faves a great deal of trouble in

* making the holes. After the plowing is finifhed,

* we divide the ground into quarters for the planting

* by ridings. It will be a difficult matter to def-

Vol. I. M * cribe

16(2 Planting.

' cribe the laying out the ground for this purpofe,
' efpeclally where there is fuch a variety of land

* as we have on the foreft ; much depends on the
' tafte of the perfon employed in this office. Be-

* tween the hills, towards the outfidcs of the plan-

* tations, we frequendy leave the ridings from

* fixty to an hundred yards in breadth, and con-
' traft them tov/ards the middle of the woods, to

* the breadth of ten or twelve yards ; and on the

* tops of the hills where there are plains, we fre-
' quently leave lawns of an acre or two, which
' makes apleafing variety.

* In fome of them we plant the Cedar of Liba-^

* nus at good diftances, fo as to form irregular
' groves ; and this fort of tree feems to thrive to

* admiration on the foreft-land. On the outfides of

* the woods, next to the ridings, we plant Ever-

* greens, as Hollies, Laurels, Yews, Junipers, &c.

* and thele we difpofc of in patches, foinetimes

* the fevcral forts entire, at other times we inter-

* mix them for variety; but not fo as to make a

* regular fcreen or edging. Our dcfign in the dif-
' tribution of thefe plants, is to make the outfidesof

* the woods appear as if fcalloped with Evergreens
' intermixed fometimes with rare trees, as the
*■ Linondendron Tidipferay or Virginian Tulip-

* tree, Stg.

* After

Woodlands. 163

' After the ground is laid out into quarters for

* planting, we aflign certain parts to Beech, Larch,

* Spanifh Chefnuts, &c. Thefe we plant inirregu-

* lar patches here and there, throughout the planta-
' tions, which, when the trees are in leaf, has the moft

* pleafing effect, on account of the diverfity of

* lliades ; efpecially in fuch parts of the foreft

* where four, five, and iometimes more of the large

* hill-points meet in the fame valley, and tend, as it

* were, to the iame center.

* After thofe patches are planted, or marked
' out for that purpofr, we then proceed to the

* planting in general. We always begin with

* planting the largeft young trees of every fort, and

* end our work with thofe of the fmalleft fize t
' were we to proceed otherwife, the making a

* hole for a larger fized tree, after the fmall ones
^ are thick planted, would caufe the greatefl con-
^ fufion. /

•Birch is generally the fort of tre6 we make

* our beginning with, which we find will bear to be

* removed with great fafety, at the height of f.x or
' fcvcn {cety though we commonly plant rather

* under than at that fize. This fort of tree we

* are always fuppiied with from our plan'ations of

* five or fix years growth. But before I proceed
' to the taking them up, it will be proper to in-

M 2 * form

164 Planting.

* form y(^u, that in the planting feafon we divide

* our hands into four claffes, which we term

* Takers-up, Pruners, Carriers, and Planters : and

* here I Ihall defcribe the feveral methods of doing

* this work.

* First, in taking up we have the fame care to

* take up with good roots in the plantations, as was

* recommended in the nurfery, though we cannot

* purfue the fame method ; but in both places, fo

* foon as the plants are taken up we bed them in

* the ground in the follovving manner : Dig a trench
' at leafl fifteen inches deep, and fet the young

* trees therein with their tops aflant, covering the

* roots well as we go along, and almofi: halfway
' up the ftem of the plants, with the earth that

* comes out of a fecond trench, which we till in the

* like manner, and fo proceed on till we have a

* load more or lefs in a heap, as may be convenient

* to the place from whence they were taken. In

* our light Jcil this trouble is but litde, and we

* always have our plants fecure, both from their

* roots drying, and their fuffering by froft. We

* have a low-wheeled waggon to carry them from

* the heaps, where they are bedded, to the pruners,

* and generally take two loads every other day,

* When they arrive, the planters, pruners, &c. all
' affift to bed them there, inHhe fame manner as

* before defcribed. We have a portable flied for

« the

Woodlands. 165

' the primers to work under, which is alfo conve-

* nient for the reft of the work-people to take
< fheker under in ftormy weather. From the

* above heaps the plants are taken only fo faft as

* they are wanted for pruning, which work we

* thus perform : Cut off all the branches clofe to

* the ftem to about half the height of the plant,

* fhortening the reft of the top to a conical form in
' proportion to the fize of the plant ; and in prun-

* ing of the roots, we only cut off the extreme parts
' that have been bruifed by the taking up, or fuch
^ as have been damaged by accident, wiftiing at all
^ times to plant with as much root as can be had.

* As loon as they are pruned they are taken to
' the planters, by the carriers, who are generally a

* fet of boys, with fome of the worft of the labour-

* ers. The planters go in pairs ; one makes the

* holes, and the other fets and treads the plants

* faft, which work they commonly do by turns.

* In making of the holes we always take care to

* throw out all the bad fojl that comes from the

* bottom : if the planting be on the fide of a hill,

* we lay the bad foil on the lower fide of the hole,

* lb as to form a kind of bafon ; for without this

* care our plants would lofe the advantage of fuch
' rains as fall haftily. We at all times make the

* holes fufficiently large, which is done with great

* eafe after our deep plowing.

M 3 * Before

1 66 Planting.

' Before we fct the plar.t, we throw a few Ipade-
' fuls of the top foil into the hole, fetting the plant
' thereon with its top rather inclining to the weft ;
' then fill up the hole with the beft top foil, taking
' care that it clofes well with the roots, leaving no
' part hollow. When the hole is well filled up,

* one of the planters treads and faftens the tree

* firmly with his ktty while his partner proceeds to

* make the next hole.

' The fattening a tree well is a material article

* in planting -, for if it once becomes loofe, the

* continual motion which the wind occafions, is fure

* to deftroy the fibres as faft as they are produced,

* which mult end in the deftruftion of the plant, if
' not prevented. It is to guard againft this inconve-

* niency that we take off lo much of the top, as

* has been defcribedin the article of pruning.

* We plant about three or four hundred Birches
« of the large fize on an acre, and nearly the fame

* number of the firit-fized Oaks ; we alfo plant

* here and there a Beech, Larch, Spanifli Chefnur,
' Sec. exclufive of the patches of the faid forts of

* trees before planted. We then proceed to plant

* plentifully of the fecond and lelTer-fizcd Oaks;

* and lafl of all a great number of the fmall

* Birches, which are procured from the woods at

* about three {hillings or three fhillings and fixpence

* per

Woodlands. 167

^ per thoiifand : thefe we remove to tlie fucceed-

* ing plantations after the term of five or fix years.

* Of the feveral fizes of the different kinds of

* trees, we generally plant upwards of two thou-

* fand plants upon an acre of land, all in an irregu-

* lar manner.

' After the planting is finiflied, we then fow
' the acorns (provided it be a feafon that they can

* be had) all over the plantation, except amongfl:
' the Beech, Larch, &c. in the aforefaid patches.
' Great care fhoiild be taken to preferve the acorns
« intended for this piirpofe, as they are very fub-
'ject to fprour, efpecially foon after gathering;

* the beft method is to lay them thin in a dry airy
' place, and give them frequent turnings. We
' fow thefe acorns in fhort drills of about a foot

* in length, which work is done very readily by

* two men, one with the acorns, the other with a
< hoe for the purpofe of making the drills and

* covering the feed.

* W^£ are of opinion that the plants produced

* from thefe acorns will at laft make the bed trees ;

* however, I will nOt pretend to fay how taat may
' be, as the Oaks, tranfplanted frnall, grow

* equally v/ell for a number of years : but it is

* probable that a tree with its tap-root undifturbed
? may, in the end, grow to a much larger fize.

M 4 ' Aftilr.

i63

L A N T I N G.

* After the whole is finillied to a convenientj

* diftance round the pruners, we then remove their

* fhed to a fecond flation, and there proceed in the

* like manners and fo on till the whole be finifhed.

' It would be well to get the planting done by

* the end of February, elpecially for trees of the

* deciduous kind ; but from the difappointments

* we meet with, occafioned by the weather, we are

* fometimes detained to a later feafon.

' I HAVE feveral times made trial of twelve or
' fourteen kinds of American Oaks fent over to

* his Grace in great quantities. I fowed them in

* the nurfery, and alfo in the bed and moil Ihel-

* tered parts of the plantations. In both places
^ they come up very plentifully -, but I now find

* that feveral of the forts will not Hand the feverity

* of our winters, and thofe that do make fo fmaJl

* a progrefs as to promife no other encouragement

* than to be kept as curiofities.

* Towards the end of April, when the ground

* is moift, it will be a great fervice to go over the

* whole plantations, and fallen all fuch trees as are

* become loofe fmce their planting: after this,
' nothing more will be required till the month of

* June, when we again go over the whole with
< hoes, cutting oiF only the tall-growing weeds j

* for

Woodlands. , 169

^ for the fooner the ground gets covered with grals.

in our light foil, fo much the better.

* I OWN there is fomething flovenly in the ap-

* pearance of this method, and on fome lands I

* would recommend keeping the ground clean

* hoed for fome time at firH, as alfo planting in

* rows,' which in that cafe would be necefiary.

* More than once I have tried this method on our

* foreft hills, and always found, after every hoeing,

* that the foil was taken away by the fucceeding

* winds into the valleys.

* Besides this inconvenience, the refledion of

* our fandy foil is fo very great, that we find the

* plants (land a dry feafon much better in our pre-

* fent method^ than in the former : and whoever

* fancies that grafs will choak and dcitroy feedling

* Oaks, will, after a few years trial, find himfelf

* agreeably miftaken : I have even recommended

* the fowing the poorer parts of the hills with furze

* or whin feed, as foon as they are planted : we

* have fometimes permitted the furze to grow in

* the plantations by way of fhelter for the game,

* which though it feems to choak and overgrow

* the Oaks for fome time, yec after a few years

* we commonly find the befl plants in the ftrongefl

* beds of whins. This fhews how acceptable

* Dielter is to the Oak whilft young j and expe-

' rience

1 70 Planting.

* jience fhews us, that the Oak would make but a

* flow progrels on the forcil hills for a number of

* years at the firft, were k not for fome kind nurfes ;

* and the Birch feems to anfwer that purpofe the

* bellj as I have already obferved.

* The feveral forts of Fir trees, from appearance,

* feem to promife a greater flTekerj but on the

* foreft land they do not grow fo fift as the former,

* and what is worfe, the Oak will not thrive under

* them, as they do immediately under the Birch.

* Whtre a plantation is on a plain, a fcreen of

* Firs for its bour.dar'y is of fingular ufe, but the

* lituation of the forcil land deniies us this ad-

* vantage.

* We continue to cut dovv^n the tall growing
' weeds two or three times the firft fummer, and
*' perhaps once the next, or fecond feafon after

* planting ; v/hich is all that we do in refpeft to

* cleaning. The next winter after planting, we

* fill up ti\e places Vvich frefli plants where they

* have mifcarricd : after which there is little to be

* done till about the fourth or fifth year 5 by which

* time the fmall-fized Birch, and feedling Oaks,
' wili be grown to a proper fize for tranfplanting :

* in the thinning of thefc due ca/e mull be had

* not to take too inany away in one feafon, but,

* beiu:!:

WopDLANDS. 171

* being properly managed, there will be a fupply
f of plants for at leaft half a dozen years to come.

* About the lame time that the IcfTer-fized
>' Birch wants thinning, the large ones will require

* to have their lower branches taken off, fo as to

* keep them from injuring the Oaks j and this is

* the lirft profit of our plantations, the Birch wood

* being readily bought up by the broom makers.
-' Thi:> pruning we continue as often as required,

* till the Birches are grown to a fufficient fize to
^ make rails for fencing ; we then cut them down

* to make room for their betters.

f By this time the Oaks will be grown to the
' height of twelve or fourteen feet, when they draw
' themfclves up exceedingly fail : each plant feems

* as it were in a ftate of ftrife with its neighbour,

* and ia a ftridl fenfe they are fo, and on no other

* terms than life for life ; and he whofe fate it is to

* be once over-topped, is foon after compelled to

* give up the contcft for ever.

* After the Birches are cut down, there is

* nothing more to be done but thinning the Oaks,

* from time to time, as may be required, and cut-

* ting off their dead branches as frequently as may
' be neceffary. We are very cautious in doing

* the former, knowing well that if we caa but once

* obtain

IJ2 Planting.

* obtain length of timber, time will bring it into

* thicknefs ; therefore we let them grow very clofe

* together for tJie firft fifty years.

* And here it may not be improper to obferve

* the progrefs the Oak makes with us, by defcribing

* them in two of our plantations, one of twency-

* eight, the other of fifty years growth. In the

* former they are in general about twenty-five or

* twenty-fix feet in height, and in girth about

* eighteen inches : the trees in the latter, planted

* in 1725, are fomething more than fixty feet ii^

* height, and in girth a little above three feet j and

* thefe trees are in general about fifty feet in the

* bole, from which you v/ill eafily conceive the
? fmallnefs of their tops, even at this age.

^ It v/ould be a difHcult matter to defcribe their
' farther progrefs v/ith any degree of certainty,

* therefore let it fuffice to make this lad obfcV"

* vation on them in their mature flate.'

* Welbecky 16 Juney 1775.

This valuable Paper does Mr. Speech lev great
credit. On the fpecies oi Flanting^ which he here
defcribes, it is in icfclf a Treatife.

But it ftrikes us forcibly, that much of the ex-
pence of the great and laudable undertaking, which

is

Woodlands, 17J

is the fubjedl of ir, might have been faved, by
Jewing the tree feeds on the fites to be wooded.

We are fully aware of the impropriety of keep-
ing, in a loofe pulverous ftate, the intervals of tree
plants, on a blowing fand, and in an expofed fitu-
ation ; but, in the method we have mentioned, as
being praclifed in the Midland Counties, of lowing
the tree feeds with corn, or of depofiting them in
tlie turf of grafs land, this ill efFed of light fandy
land is avoided.

Were we to recommend a pra6tice for the Sand
hills of Sherwood Foreft, or for any other fite of a
fimilar nature, it would be that of preparing the
foil, by a clean fallow, for rye -, fowing or dibbling
in the tree feeds j mixing thofe of the timber trees
and the nurfe plants promifcuoufly, or in alternate
drills i and, having previoufly guarded the feedling
plants, by fufficient fences, to let them remain, un-
der the fheher of the ftubble and the weeds that
might fpring up, until the plants were fufficiently
confpicuous, to afcertain their fuperabundance or
deficiency : and, having then filled up the vacancie-s,
with the fupernumerary plants of fuch parts as
might be too thickly flocked, — fetting out the
whole at proper diftances, as a field of turnips or
of feed rape is fet out, — let them remain, until
future thinnings or cutting be required.

O.v

174 Planting.

On all foils, and perhaps in every cafe where
the furface is occupied by a free clean fward, de-
pofiting the tree feeds, particulai ly scorns, among
the roots of the grafs, will, we are of opinion, be
found the moft eligible praftice. This may be
done, either by raifing up a tongue of the fward,
and putting the acorn under it, as v/as pra6lifed
with fuccels, in one inftance, in Warwickfhire * ;
or by inferting them with the common dibble ; or
by preffing them into the turf, while wet, with a
roller, or with the foot. The acorn will rife, the
firil fummer, eight or ten inches high, and ftrike
down a root a foot or more in depth ; thus bidding
defiance to the graflfes and mofl: of the herbaceous
tribes -j-. However, in bleak fituations, where
fibrous-rooted nurfc plants may be required, this
mode of cukivation mav be the lefs eligible.

There is one circumflance obfervable, in se-
MiNATiNG THE OAK, whicli is not, wc believe^
Efficiently attended to. It fhould never be at-
tempted (unlcfs in extraordinary cafes) v/hen acorns-
are not abuiidant. It is not the extra coft of
acorns, or the difficulty of procuring them, fo much
as the difficult}' of preferving them from vermin,

which

* Seethe Rural Econo-MY of the Midland Couk-
TiLs, Vol. ii. p. 398.

■J- See as above, page 308.

Woodlands. 175

which renders this precaution requifite. In a
plentiful year, when every wood and every Hedge-
row is flrewed with, acorns, thofe which are lodged
in the foil are lefs liable to their ravages.

It may be needlefs to obferve, tliat the greater
quantity there is fown, in any one place, the lefs
will be the proportional damage. Hence, fifty
or a hundred bufnels, fown in the field, are
more likely to be preferved, than a few in a nur-
fery bed. And, for a fimilar reafon, it may be
prudent to fow the margins of a field thicker
than the area, where fewer enemies may be ex-
pefted.

It now only remains to mention the plan-
tations OF the highlands of Scotland, — ^
which have, of late years, fpread with aflonifiiing
rapidity. There are few men of large property,
within the Highlands, or on their margins, who
have not fet cut their millions of tree plants, and
converted^ perhaps, their hundreds of acres to a
(late of woodland -, and this, in places where,
twenty years ago, not a flick was feen fianding.

About fifty years fince, much planting was
done on two of .he principal eftat -s of the High-
lands, thofe of Ath -l and Breadaleane. But
the fpirit did nor diff ufe itfcif, until many years
after that time. Th^

ly^ Planting.

The /pedes of plan fat ion, found in this qiiaitef
of the ifland, is uniformly the grove, on the rugged
fides, and on the lower (lages, of the mountains.
The fite is generally too fteep, and always too
rough and ftoncy, to admit of being prepared with
the plow. And the furface being generally co-
vered with heath, or other coarfe mountain plant*
/owing the tree feeds on the fites, is feldom, we
believe, attempted: planning being the univerfal
pradice j at leafb, fo far as has fallen within our
own notice of information.

THz/pecie! 0/ plduf h^s been, too generally, the
NATIVE Fir ; except on the lower, better-foiled
fites, where the Oak, and other deciduous trees
liave been propagated. Of late years, however*
the Larch has been the favorite plant; it having
been found to thrive on the moft barren foils, and
in the bleakeft and moft expofed fituations, in a
manner fuperior even to the native Pine I And
its timber has been proved to be of infinitely
greater value. In water work, as well as in ground
work, — the bed tcfts of the quality of timber,—^
the Larch has been found fmguiarly durable.

The riiethod of planting varies, with the age and
the nature of the plant, with the ftate of the ground,
and with tiie fkiil of the planter.

Seed-,

Woodlands. 177

Seedling plants are put in, with a dibble,
or with a chop or chops of a fpade, in the freeft
and bed parts of the fuih But, for nurfery plants,
which, when the furface is much encumbered with
tall heath, are often planted, we underftand *, — -
holes are made with the fpade ; firft: ftriking off,
beneath the furface, the heath and other natural
produce ; and, then, digging a pit, proportioned to
the fize of the given plant.

On planting the common Fir, in thefe holes, the
moid that has been raifcd is reduced with the
Ipade, and returned into the pit j acrofs the
center of which a deep wide galh or cleft is opened,
with the fpade ftruck down to the bottom of the
hole J and the roots of the plant thruft into thi3
cleft ; which is clofed by treading the foil on either
fide of it ; the whole operation being, in this cafe,
performed by the fame perfon.

But, in planting the Larch and other trees, in
thefe pits, two perfons are employed ; the one to
hold the plant, the other to reduce the mold and
bed the roots, in the ordinary manner.

This extra cod of planting may have deter-
mined fome in favor of the Fu- i but, when the

* Not having remained in the Highlands, during the plant-
ing feafon, we fpeak here, from information.

Vol. I. N fuperior

ty$ Planting.

fuperior value of the Larch is taken into the dc-*
count, the faving will become, in the end, a fcrious
lofs.

A STRIKING proof of the superiority of the
Largh, in waterworks, occurred on the eftate of
Athol. A weir, or river dam, which, while con-
ftru6ted with Oakj required to be renewed or re-
paired, every four or five years, was formed with
Larch ; and, in 1792, had Hood nine or ten years ;
the timber, then, remaining in a found firm ftate.
In the character of gate pcjfs, too, the Larch has
been found to be fingularly durable.

It~ is fomewhat aftonilhing, that, feeing the fuc-
cefs of the Larch on the eftate of Athol, during
the laft half century, its propagadon fhould not
have fpread more rapidly. There is probably
more Larch timber, now, on that eftate, than in
the reft of the ifland. In 1792, His Grace the
Duke of Athol (we fpeak from the higheft au-
thority) was poftefted of a thoufand Larch trees,
then growing on his eftates of Dunkeld and
Blair only, of not Icfs than two to four tons of
timber each ; and had, at that time, a million
Larches, of different ftzes, riling rapidly on hi$
cftate.Thefe alone, IF PR OPERLY TRAINED*,
would fupply the Britifh navy widi ftiip timber, for

* See page 143.

a length-

Woodlands. J79

a length of years. Should the fpirit of propa-
gating the Larch continue, nay, were it to expire
at this time (i795)> the Highlands of Scotland,
alone, will henceforwartl be able to furnifh the
whole commerce of the Ifland with timber for its
(hipping.

It is noti therefore, on the niountains of Scot-
land, we now recommend, with eager folicitude, the
propagation of the Larch. We have lands in
England, and nearer to our fliip yards, which will
probably pay a hundred fold in Larch, compared
with any other crop they are capable of producing.
We mean, generally, the barren heathy furfaces
which occupy no inconfiderable portion of the
kingdom ; but more particularly, the fingularly

INFERTILE FLATS OF HEATH, in the SOUTHERN

COUNTIES of Surrey, SulTex, and Hampfliire:
lands which, at prefent, lie in a manner ufelefs to
the community j yet on which we have {^tn. the
Larch rifing with luxuriance !

'O

If thefe waftes fhould be planted progrefTively,
with the Larch, and their produce properly
TRAINED FOR SHIP BUILDING, the fe-
veral yards of Portfmouth, Deptford, Chatham,
&c. to which it might, at all times, be fafely and
readily conveyed by inland navigation, could not
experience a want of timber, for ages to come.

N 2 Were

iSO ' P L A N T I N C.

■ Were other waftes of a fimilar nature, lying la ^
different parts of the Ifl.md, particularly the
MOUNTAIN BROwsof the En-glish Highlands, in
Yorkfliire,Weftmorehnd,&:c. and'alfo theCornifh
and Devonfhire Mountains, with the Welch and
Salopian Hills, together with other barren heights,
at prefent merely blank furfaces, which lie a dif-
grace to the political, as well as the Rural
EcoNOMv of the kingdom , converted to the
fame valuable purpofe, a fupply of foreign tirnber
might, in half a century, become unnecefiary ; and
this, without any, or but an incpnfiderable, abridge
ment of Agricultural produce. -'■

Th£ Larch not only flouri/hes in bleak and
barren fites,.but encreases with a rapidity un-
known to every other durable wood. In the
grounds of Blair of Athol, we meafured a
Larch, which, at five feet high, girted upwards of
eight feet, and contained by eftimation four tons of
timbers which Larch, by the indifputable evi*
dence of a perfon who remembered its being
planted, was not, at the time we meafured it,
1792, fifty-four years old. And, at Dunkeld,
we meafured another, of very little more than fifty
fears old, which girted, at the fame height, eight
feet fix inches ; its height near a hundred feet, and
it& contents from four to five tons of timber.

We

Woodlands. i8j

We are not apt to be carried away by novel
ideas, and up Hart pradlices ; on the contrary,
feeing the falfe bafis on which they too frequently
reft, we may fometimes, perhaps, remain in doubt,
-when we ought to decide : but, believing this to be
the fafer icondudt, we adhere, and mean to adhere,
to our principle. Neverthelefs, in the muldtudc
•of evidences which have occurred to us, in favor of
the tree no\^.nder notice, we find fufHcient ground
for decifion j and We think it right to lofe no time,
in recommending it to the attention of men of
property, in every diflritb of the illand, in which
barren heathy lands are found.

SECTION THE THJRDp

COPPICES.

AFTER what has been recommended, in the
foregoing Seftions, with regard to the raifing of
WOODS and groves, fcarccly anything remains to
be added, here, relpefting Coppices; the proper
culture being fimilar, in the leveral cafes.

The modern coppices of Kent (we fpeak

more particularly of the diftrid of Maidftone),

raifcd for the purpofe of hop poles, are chiefly of

4Jh and Chefnut ; which are generally cultivated in

N 3 row^ i

l82 P I. A N T I N G.

rows; the intervals being kept clean, as thofe of
hop grounds ; and the profits arifing from them is
almoft incredible.

One particular in the Kentifh prafticc deferve?
nct'ice. To keep the intervals free from weeds ^
and t\\tfoil mellow^ they are thickly covered with
" hep lines" — the ftalks of hops as freed from the
polesj-r-and with good cfFe<5t. When thefe bines
have performed their office, and are become fuf-
ficiently tender for the operation, they are dug
under as manure. Furze, Broom, or rough bufhes,
might be ufed in the fame intention.

In raising a coppice, as in cultivating any
other fpecies of woodland, the firft bufmefs is to
regulate the plants ; to fet them out, at proper dif-
tances, where they are too thick, and to fill up the
vacant fpaces with the fupernumerary plants,

Something, too, may afterwards be done, by
judicious thinnings \ but lefs in coppices, than in
the other two fpecies of woodland. However,
where the demand of the country calls for the larger
articles of coppice ware, many Hakes, binding
rods, &c. may be cut out, with advantage to the
free-fhooting plants, left to grow up, to fupply the
markets of the given diftrid. j which will ever deter-
mine the SPECIES of COPPICE WOOD. Seep. 119, and

the SPECIES OF UNDERV/OOD, p. IJO. OnE

WOODLANDS, i?^

One fpecies of coppice wood, however, requires
to be particularly noticed j as its ufes are adapted
to every diflri(5l : namely, the Ozier ; which, in
low moid fituations, may be cultivated, on a fmall
fcale at lead, with great advantage to every farm j
for binders, thatching rods, hurdles, edders, ftakeSj
rake handles, fithe handles, and other utenfils of
hufoandry, and for poles and rails of almoft any
length *.

In cultivating the Ozier, as a coppice wood, on

moiji moory fites, the firft ftep is to throw the foil

N 4 into

* Willow Pollards are ufeful in the fame intention J
but do not aftbrd fuch a length and cleannefs of flem, as a clofe
coppice. Nevcrthelefs, they are planted, with great profit,
by the fides of brooks and rivulets, pafling through meadowy
and mailhy grounds, in many parts of the Ifland ; and might,
in many others, be planted with equal benefit.

An error, too frequently committed, in planting Willow
poles for Pollards, is to fet them within the banks of the
rivulet or brook ; to the future injury of its channel : a prac-
tice which no commiffion of fevvers, or manor inqueft, fhould
fuffer,

The proper fituation for thefe Pollards is Tome feet, not
lefs than half a rod, from the brink of the channel : a fituation,
which the Salix tribe in general prefer ; the roots foon reach
the moillure, and thus gain a double range of pallurage. It.
this fituation, too, the trees afford a falutary (liade to catde in
hot weather^ without danger ta themfelves, or injury to thcj
channel, or its banks,

1S4 Planting.

into beds, fo as to lay the furface fuiHciently dryi
the Ozier difliking an unfound fituation.

This work fhould be done in autumn, when the
foil, having had all the fummer to grow firm in,
will ftand to the fpade ; and the fides of the
trenches will then be lefs liable to give way than
they would, in the fpring, when the foil is filled
like a fponge with water ; which ouzing out, from
beneath the beds, into the new-made trenches,
their fides become undermined j and can never,
afterwards, be made to (land properly ; on the
contrary, if the trenches be opened in autumn,
and the mold which cornes out of them be ufed in
filling up the hollov/s, and laying the furface even
and round, the winter's rains will not pafs through
the foil, but will run off^ the furface, and rather
aflift in eftablifhing the beds, than in rendering
them tender^

In March, the beds being firmly eftablifhed,
and their furfaccs in good working order, the foil
lliould be thoroughly trenched with the fpade, and
truncheons inferted.

The fets fhould be put in, about two feet from
each other, and a potatoe plant may be dibbled
into the center of each interf|)ace. During fummer.

Woodlands. iS^

the furface fliould be kept clean hoed, and the
potatoes earthed up, from time to time.

In autumn, after the potatoes are taken up, the
foil ought to be drawn towards the roots of tlie
plants, leaving channels between them to carry off
the winter's rains. The enfuing fpring, the plants
mufr be looked over, and fuch as have failed flioulci
be replaced with frefli flrong fets.

After this, little more will be neceflary than
keeping down the taller weeds : if, however, in
the courfe of three or four years, the plants do not
gain entire polTeffion of the foil, by overcoming
the weeds and graffinefs, they muft be cut down to
the flub, the interfpaces dug, the rubbilh of the
furface turned in, and the roots of the plants freed
from incumbrances, with the hoe : A fecond crop
of potatoes maybe taken, and the former treat-
jTient repeated,

Thus far as to the Coppice: we will conclude
this feftion with fome obfervations on what is
termed the Ozier bed ; kept for the particular
purpofe of the basket maker.

Notwithstanding the Ozier is ufually planted
near water, we have good reafon to believe it af-
feels a>W, if not a dry foil. The places it

mofl:

i86 Planting,

tnofl delights in are drained moors, and the banks
of large rivers, both of which are peculiarly dry
fituations : it has no diflike, however, to being
flooded occafionally, but feems to be invigorate^
by fuch irrigation : -therefore, the fand banks,
which we frequently fee thrown up by the fides of
rivers, and which fometimes lie for half a century
before they become profitable, are peculiarly eli^^
gible to be converted into Ozier grounds.

The method of planting an Ozier ground h
this : The foil being laid perfectly dry, and its
furface made thoroughly clean, cuttings, of the
fecond or third year's growth, and about twelve
inches long, are planted in drills, about two feet
and a half afunder, in the month of March. The
cuttings ought to be thruft feven or eight inches
deep, leaving four or five inches of head above
ground.

The intervals fhould be kept ftirred with a
fmall plow J or, the firft year, a crop of potatoes
may be taken ; the drills, in either cafe, muft be
kept perfectly clean with the hand hoe j and, at
the approach of winter, the intervals fhould be
fplit, and the mold thrown to the roots of the young
plants, in order" to lay them dry and warm, during
winter*

I.V

W00X>LANDS. IS7

In fpriHg, It will be well to trim ofF the firft
year's, flioots (though not neceflary), and replace,
the plants which have failed, with frefh cuttings.

The fecond fummer, the intervals muft be kept
ftirred, the drills hoed, and the plants earthed up,
as before, againfl winter.

Th? enfuing fpring, the flools mufi: again be
cleared j although the twigs, as yet, will be of little
value. But the third cutting they will produce
marketable ware, and will incrcafe, in quantity and
value, until the profits arifing from them will be
almoft incredible. In fituations which the Ozier
affe<5ts, and in countries where the twigs are ia
demand, Ozier grounds have been known to pay
an annual rent of ten. pounds an acre ! Under
ordinary circumftances, they will, if properly ma-
jiaged, pay four of five.

In Yorkfhire, the ^f wands" are fold by the bun^
die ; but in Glocefcerlliire, where Ozier ground^
abound, upon the banks of the Severn, thegpunds
are let, under leafe, to balket makers, who keep
up the fences, and take upon themfelves the entire
fnanagemeot, during th^ term of the leafe,

0£C7IOM

'f88 P I, A N T I NT «,

SECTION THE FOURTH.

WOODY V/ASTE5,

NO inconfiderable part of the face of this
country, taken colledively, is disfigured by lands
bearing this defcription * j the remedy, however,
is eafy, and the dilgrade may foon be removed.

If the foil and fituation be favorable to grafs
(^T arable produce, grub up the bufhes, and clear
away the rubbifh ; but^ on the contrary, if the
land, either from its own nature, or from the pro-
portion of woodinefs which has already got pof-
ieffion of its furface, can be more profitably con-
verted into Woodland, fill up the vacant ipaces, \r\
the following manner :

The fird bufinefs is to fence it round, and -the

next to cut down the underwood to the ftub, and

[ fet up the timber 'trees. If the vacancies be fmall,

they ought to be trenched with the fpade ; if large,

they may be fallowed with the plow i or, in either

cafe,

* S?e page i r^.

Woodlands. 1S9

cafe, the plants may be put in, without any other
preparation, than digging holes to receive them :
however, with this kind of management, fucceis
can only be hoped for, while under that it may be
Jecured,

The fpecies of wood and the mode of propa-
gation depend upon locality, and the fpecies of
plantation required. If underwood be an obie6b,-
the fmaller chafms may be filled up, by layering ;
for which purpofe young fhoots ought to be left,
when the brulli wood is felled, for layers : if timber
alone be the defired objed, feedling plants may be
put in, and acorns or other feeds dibbled in the
interfpaces : Whether the Wood, the Grove, or
the Coppice, be •.intended, the large fpaces ought
to be filled up in that way ; or feeds, only, may be
fown in drills, and treated as before diredled j or
they may be fcattered in the random manner, and
the feedlings kept clean by weeding and hand
hoeing j or the foilering care may be left to nature
alone : indeed, in this kind of Vv'ay, Woods and
Timber Groves may be propagated.

A GENERAL REMARK. ON THE PRACTICE OF
PLANTING.

WE do not, however, mean to recommend to
our readers, here, pradices depending on chance,

after

igo Planting.

after having been folicitous to point out thofe
which may be purfued with certainty i.

Gentlemen, when they (et about forming plan-
tationsj or raifing Woodlands, ought to confider^
that the labour, the fencing, the feeds or plants, the
rent, and other contingent charges of the landj
their own prefent credit, and their future fame, are
fiaked. If, after waiting eight or ten years, a mif-
carriage take place, the whole is loft. On the con-
trary, if, by judicious methods and careful ma-
nagement, no material failure happen, the prize is
vion ; not only the principal but intereft is fecured:
and this by a fmall additional expence j the
trifling difference in labour beftowed upon the
after management, only : for the labour in the
firfl inftance, rent, &c. &c, &c, are in both cafes
fimilar.

A HINT respecting THE MANAGER 0^

plantations.

MUCH depends upon the perfon to whofe care
and management plantations are entrufted. If a
Gentleman has not leifure, nor inclination, to at-
tend to them himfelf, he ought to appoint a man
of experience ; and, if pofTible, one who is fettled
near the feat of planting ; and who is likely to en-
joy his appointment for fome length of time. For

he

Woodlands. i^t

Ke who plants ought to expefl to nurfej and
having planted he ought to nurfe, becaufc his own
credit is at (take. On the contrary, a Gentleman
who is continually changing his planter, muft never
cxpecfl to fee his plantations fucceed ; for the credit
of the prefent rifes upon the mifcarriage of his pre-
decefTor : he has even an intereft in negledling to
nurfc J becaufe his own planting will be thereby
iet off to advantage. On the other hand, being
without hopes of feeing his own labors fucceed,
he lofes a neceffary ftimulus : he is not fufficiently
interefted j having a ready excufe, in the negle<5t of
his fucceffor. Thefe are not theoretical de-
ductions, but are drawn from obfervation.

SUBJECT

SUBJECT THE SECOND.

RURAL ORNAMENT,

DIVISION THE FIRST.
HISTORY OF THE RURAL ART.

■■

Imtroduction.

MANKIND no fooner find themfelves in
faft pofTeflion of the necejfaries of life,
than they begin to feel a want of its conveniences ;
and thefe obtained, feldom fail of indulgins

' O CD

in one or more of its various refinements.
Some men delight in the luxuries of the imagi-
nation j others in thofe of the fenfes. One man
finds his wants fupplied in the delicacies of the
table, while another has recourfe to perfumes and
clTences for relief: few men are infenfible to the
Vol. I, O gratifications

194 Rural Ornament.

gratifications of the ear ; and men in general artf
fufceptible of thofe of the eye. The imitative
arts of painting and fculpture have been the ftudy
and delight of civilized nations, in all ages : but
the art of embellifhing Nature, herfelf, has been
referved for this age, and for this nation !

A FACT the more aftox'iifliing, as ornamented
Nature is as much fuperior to a Painting or a
Statue, as a " Reality is to a Reprefentation ;"
—as the Man himfelf is to his Portrait. ThaC
the flriking features — the beauties— of Nature,
whenever they have been feen, have always been
udmired, by m.en of fenfe and refinement, is un-
doubtedly true ; but why the good ofHces of art^
in fetting off thofe features to advantage, fhould
have been fo long confined to the human perfoii
alone, is, of all other fads in the Hiftory of Arts
and Sciences, the mofl extraordinary.

The Tranflator of D'Ermenonville's EfTay on
Landfcape has attempted to prove, in an intro-
ductory difcourfe, that the art is notliing neWy for
that it was known to the Antients, though not
;pra5fifed. But the evidences, he produces, go no
farther than to Ihew, that the Antients were ad-
mirers of Nature in a ftate of wildnefs ; for, when-
ever they attempted to erabellifj Nature, they ap-
pear to have been guided by a kind of Otaheitean^

tafte ir

History* t^^

tafte J as the gardens of the Greeks and Romans,
like thofe of modern nations (until of late years in
this country), convey to us no other idea, than that
of Nature tatoo'd *.

Mr. Burgh, in a Note to his ingenious Com-
tnentary upon Mr. Mafon's beautiful poem. The
EngUJh Gar deny confirms us in thefe ideas j and,
by a quotation from the Younger Pliny, {hews the
juft notions the Antients entertained of the powers*
of human invention, in afTociating and polifhing
the rougher fcenes of Nature : for, after giving us
a beautiful defcription of the natural fcenery round
his Tufcan villa, upon the banks of the Tiber, he
acknowledges " the view before him to refemble
'* a pi(flure beautifully compofed, rather than a
" work of Nature accidentally delivered/*

We have been told that the Englifh Garden is

but a copy of the Gardens of the Chinefe : this,

however, is founded in Gallic envy rather than in

O 2 truth;

* The inhabitants of Otahekee, an iiland in the Southern
hemifphere, ornament their bodies by making punftures in th«
Ciin with a fharp-pointed inftrument, and call it tatoujing.
The African Negroes are Itill groffer in their ideas of orna-
ment, ga(hing their cheeks and temples in a manner fimilar to
that pracftifed by the Englifti Butcher in ornamenting a fhoulder
gf mutton, or a Dutch gardener in embellishing th« environ
of a manfion.

1^6 Rural OR}>:AMENt.

truth ; for though their ftyle of Gardening may no^
admit of tatooings and topiary works *, it has as
httle to do with natural fcenery as the garden of
an antient Roman, or a modern Frenchman:—
The Art of ajfijling Nature is, undoubtedly, all
our own.

It cannot fail of proving highly interelllng to
our Readers, to trace the rife of this delightful
Art.

Mr. Walpole, in his Anecdotes of Painting in
Bnglandy has favoured the Public with A Hijicry cf
the modern Tafie in Gardening. A pen guided b/
fo mafterly a hand, mufl ever be productive of
information and entertainment, when employed
upon a fubje6t io truly interefling, as that which
is now before us. Defirous of conveying to our
Readers all the information, which we can comprefs
with propriety within the limits of our plart, we
wilhed to have given the Juhftance of this valuable
paper j but finding it, already, in the language of
fimplicity, and being aware of the mifchiefs which
generally enfue in meddling with the produflions of
genius, we had only one alternative ; either wholly
to tranfcribe, or wholly to rejedt. Ihis we could
not do, in Uriel juflice to our Readers ; for, be-

fides

* Trees carved by a Tcpiarlus Into the form of bealls,.
birds, &c.

History. 197

fides giving us, in detail, the advancement of the
art, it throws confide rable light upon the art itfelf ;
and being only a fmall part of a work upon a diffe-
rent fubjed, it is the lefs likely to fall into thfi
hands of thofc, to whom it cannot fail of proving
highly interefting. We are, therefore, induced to
exceed our intended limits, in this relpecl, by
making a literal tranfcript ; and we have obtained,
through the well known liberality of the Author,
his permilFion for fo doing,

HISTORY OF THE MODERN TASTE IN
GARDENING.

* GARDENING was probably one of the firft

* arts that fucceeded to that of building houfes, and

* naturally attended property and individual pofTcf-
' fion. Culinary, and afterwards medicinal herbs

* were the objeds of every head of a family: it
' became convenient to have them within reach,

* without feeking them at random in woods, in

* meadows, and on mountains, as often as they were

* wanted. When the earth ceafed to furnifh
' fpontaneoufly all thelc primitive luxuries, and

* culture became requifite, feparate inclofures for
' rearing herbs grew expedient. Fruits were in

* the fame predicament, and thofe moft in ufe or
^ that demanded attention, mufl have entered into

O 3 *and

19^ Rural Ornament.

* and extended the domeflic inclofure. The good

* man Noah, we are told, planted a vineyard^

* drank of the wine, and was drunken, and every

* body knows the confequences. Thus we ac-

* quired kitchen gardens, orchards, and vineyards,

* I am apprized that the prototype of all thefe

* forts was the garden of Eden j but as that Para-

* dife was a good deal larger than any we read of

* afterwards, being inclofed by the rivers Pifon,

* Gihon, Hiddekel, and Euphrates, as every tree

* that was pleafant to the fight and good for food
' grew in it, and as two other trees were likewife

* found there, of which not a flip or fucker remains,

* it does not belong to the prefent difcufllon,
' After the Fall, no man living was fuffered to

* enter into the garden j and the poverty and

* neceffities of our firft anceflors hardly allowed
' them time to make improvements in their eftate^

* in imitation of it, fjppofing any plan had beer^
' preferved. A cottage and a flip of ground for
' a cabbage and a goofeberry bufh, fuch as we fee
' by the fide of a common, were in all probability

* the earliefi; feats and gardens : a well and bucket
' fucceeded to the Pifon and Euphrates. As
' fettle ments increafed, the orchard and the vine-

* yard followed ; and the earlielt princes of
« tribes polTefTed jufl the neceffaries of a moderr\

* ffirmer.

Matter$j^

History. 1^9

* Matters, we may well believe, remained long

* in this iituation ; and though the generality of

* mankind form their ideas from the import of

* words in their own age, we have no reafon to

* think that for many centuries the term Garden
'implied more than a kitchen-garden or orchard.

* When a Frenchman reads of the Garden of Eden,
"* I do not doubt but he concludes it was fomethino-

* approaching to that of Verfailles, with dipt

* hedges, berceaus, and trellis-work. If his de-

* votion humbles him fo far as to allow that, con-
' fidering who defigned it, there might be a laby-
' rinth full of ^^fop's Fables, yet he does not con-

* ceive, that four of the largefl rivers in the world

* were half fo magnificent as an hundred fountains
' full of ftatues by Girardon. It is thus that the

* word Garden has at all times palled for whatever

* was underilood by that term in different coun-
' tries. But that it meant no more than a kitchen-
' garden or orchard for feveral centuries, is evident

* from thofe few defcriptions that are preferved of

* the moil famous gardens of antiquity.

' That of Alcinous, in the OdyfTey, is the moft

* renowned in the heroic times. Is there an ad*

* mirer of Homer, who can read his defcription
' without rapture -, or who does not form to his

* imagination a fcene of delights more pidurefque

* tlian the landfcapes of Tinian or Juan Fernan-

O 4 « dez ?

200 Rural Ornament.

' dez ? Yet what was that boafted Paradife with

* which

the Gods ordain'd
To grace Alcinous and his happy land ? ^Pope.

* Why, divefted of harmonious Greek and bewitch-

* ing poetry, it was a fmall orchard and vineyard,

* with fome beds of herbs, and two fountains, that
' watered them, inclofed within a quickfet hedge.

* The whole compafs of this pompous garden in-
' elofed — four acres.

Four acres was th' allotted fpace of ground,
Fenc'd with a green inclofure all around.

* The trees were apples, figs, pomegranates, pears^

* olives, and vines.

Tall thriving trees confefs'd the fiuitful mold j
The redning apple ripens into gold.
Here the blue fig with lufcious juice o'erflows.
With deeper red the full pomegranate glows.
The branch here bends beneath the weighty pear,
And verdant olives flourifh round the year,

Beds of all various herbs, for ever green.
In beauteous order terminate the fceng.

< Alcinous's garden was planted by the poet, en-

* richeJ by him with the fairy gift of eternal fum-

* mer, and, no doubt, an effort of imagination, fur-

* pafTing any thing he had ever feen. As he has
^ beftowed on the fame happy prince a palace

^ with

History. 20i

* with brazen walls and columns of filver, he cer-
' tainly intended that the garden fhoiild be propor-

* tionably magnificent. We are fure, therefore,

* that as late as Homer's age, an inclofure of four

* acres, comprehending orchard, vineyard, and

* kitchen garden, was a ftretch of luxury the worl4
^ at that time had never beheld.

* The hanging gardens of Babylon were a flill
' greater prodigy. We are not acquainted with

* their difpofition or contents, but, as they are fup-

* pofed to have been formed on terrafles and the

* walls of the palace, whither foil was conveyed on

* purpofe, we are very certain of what they were

* not ; I mean they muft have been trifling, of no

* extent, and a wanton inftance of expence and
< labour. In other words, they were what fump-r

* tuous gardens have been in all ages till the
? preient, unnatural, enriched by art, pofTibly with

* fountains, ftatues, baluftradeS; and fummer-houfes,
f and were anything but verdant and rural.

* From the days of Homer to thofe of Vl'iny^
' we have no traces to lead our guefs to what were

* the gardens of the intervening ages. When Ro-

* man '-authors, whofe climate inftilled a wifh for
^ cool retreats, fpeak of their enjoyments in that
? kind, they figh for grottos, caves, and the refrefh-

* ing liollows of mountains, near irriguous and

* aiadjr

^02 Rural Ornament.

' fhady founts ; or boaft of their porticos, walks of

* planes, canals, baths, and breezes from the fca.
^ Their gardens are never mentioned as affording
' Hiiide and fhelter from the rage of the dog-flar.

* Pliny has left us defcripdons of two of his villas,
' As he ufed his Laurentine villa for his winter

* retreat, it is not furprifing that the garden makes
^ no confiderable part of the account. All he fays
^ of it is, that the gefiatio or place of exercife,

* which furrounded the garden (the latter confe-
' quendy not being very large), was bounded by
' a hedge of box, and where that was perilhed,

* with rofemary i that there was a walk of vines,
^ and that moft of the trees were fig and mulberry,
f the foil not being proper for any other forts,

* On his Tufcan villa he is more difilifc; the
^ garden makes a confiderable part of the de-

* fcription; — and what was the principal beauty of

* that pleafure ground ? Exatcly what was the

* admiration of this country about threefcqre years

* aero j box-trees cut into monfters, animals, let-
^ ters, and the names of the mafter and the artin-

* cer. In an age when architefture difplayed all
^ its grandeur, all its purity, and all its tafte j when
< arofe Vefpafian's amphitheatre, the temple of

* Peace, Trajan's forum, Domitian's baths, and

* Adrian's villa, the ruins and veftiges of which

* ilill eicite our aftcnilhment and curiofity ; a

* Roman

History, 203

« Roman conful, a polifhed emperor's friend, and a
' man of elegant literature and tafte, delighted in
« what the mob now fcarce admire in a college

< garden. All the ingredients of Pliny's corre-

< fponded exactly with thofe hid out by London

* and Wife on Dutch principles. He talks of

* flopes, terraces, a u'lldernefs, (hrubs methodically
« trimmed, a marble bafon, * pipes fpoutlng water,

< a cafcade falling into the bafon, bay trees, alter-
f nately planted with planes, and a ftraight walk, from
' whence ilTued others parted off by hedges of

* box, and apple trees, with obelill<:s placed be-

* twcen every two. There wants nothing but the
» embroidery of a parterre, to make a garden in

< the reign of Trajan ferve for a defcription of one
( in that of King William f. In one paflage

* above,

f * The ^nglifh gardens defcribed by Hcntzner in the reign

* of Elizabeth, are exaft copies of thofe of Pliny. In that at
« Whitehall was a fun-dial and jetd'eau, which, on turning a

* cock, fpurted out water and fprinkled thC fpedtators. In

* Lord Burleigh's at Theobalds were obelifks, pyramids, and

* circular porticos, with cifterns of lead for bathing. At

* Hampton Court the garden walls were covered with rofe-
^ mary, a cuftora, he fays, very common in England. At

* Theobalds was a labyrinth alfo, an ingenuity 1 Ihall mentioi^
f prefently to have been frequent in that age.

* f Dr. Plot, in his Natural Hiftory of Oxfordfhire, p. 380,
f feems to have been a great admirer of trees carved into thf
f moil heterogeneous iprms, which he calls tofiarji naorks, and

♦ quotd

S04 Rural Ornament.

' above, Pliny feems to have conceived that natu-
f ral irregularity might be a beauty j /;/ opcre urba^

* mjfimoy fays he, Jiihita vclut illati riiris hnitatio,

* Something like a rural view was contrived amidft

* fo much poliihed com.pcfition. But the idea

* foon vanifhed, lineal walks immediately enve-
' loped the flight Icenc, and names and infcriptions

* in box again fueceeded to compenlate for the

* daring introdudion of nature,

' In the paintings found at Herculaneum are ^

* few traces of gardens, as may be feen in the fecond
' volume of the prints. They are fmall fquare in-
' clofures, formed by trellis work, and efpaliers *,
' and regulai-ly ornamented with vafes, fountains,

* and caryatides, elegantly fymmetrical, and proper

* for the narrow fpaces allotted to the garden of a

* houfe in a capital city. From fuch I would not
^ baniili thofe playful waters that relrelh a fultry

^ manfioq

' quotes one Laurembergius for faying that the Englifh are as
' expert as moft nadons in that kind of fculpture, for which

* Hampton Court was particularly remarkable. The Doftor

* then, names other gardens that fiourifiied with animals and
' callles, formed arte topiarid, and above all a wren's neft, that

* was capacious enough to receive a man to fit on a feat made

* within it lor that purpofe.

* * At Warwick Caftle is an antient fuit of arras, in which

* there is a giiden exadly refembling thefe pidqres ofHercu-
^ laneum.

History. 205

* manfion in town, nor the neat trellis, which pre--
•• ferves its wooden verdure better than natural

* greens expofed to duft. Thoie treillages, in the
' gardens at Paris, particularly on the Boulevard,

* have a gay and delightful effed. They form
' light corridores, and tranfpicuous arbours,

* through which the fun- beams play and chequer

* the fhade, fet off the ftatues, vafes, and flowers^

* that marry with their gaudy hotels, and fuit the

* gallant and idle fociety who paint die walks be-

* tvveen their parterres, and realize the fantaftic

* fcenes of Watteau and Durfe.

* From what I have faid, it appears how natu-

* rally and infenfibly the idea of a kitchen garden
' Aid into that which has for fo many ages been
' peculiarly termed a Garden, and by our anceftors

* in this country, diftinguilhed by the name of a

* Pleafure garden. A fquare piece of ground v/as

* originally parted off in early ages for the ufe of
' the family : — to exclude cattle, and afcertain the
' property, it was feparated from the fields by it

* hedge. As pride, and defire of privacy increafcd,
' the inclofure was dignified by Vv'alls j and, in

* climes where fruits were not lavifhed by the ri-
' pening glow of nature and foil, fruit-trees were
' affifted and flieltered from furrounding -^vinds by

* the like expedient ; for the inundation of luxuries
' which have fwelled into general neceiTities, have

' almoft

tb6 kuRAL Ornam£nt,

* almoft all taken their fource from the fimple

* fountain of reafon;

' When the cuftom of making fquare gardens

* inclofed with walls was thus eftablilhed, to the

* exclufion of nature and profpeft *, pomp and

* folitude combined to call for fomething that

* might enrich and enliven the infipid and unani-

* mated partition. Fountains, firfl invented for
' ule, which grandeur loves to difguife and throw

* out of the queftion, received embellifhments

* from cofily marbles, and at laft, to contradi(5l
" utility, toffed their wafle of waters into air in

* Ipouting columns. Art, in the hands of riide
' man, had at fir ft been made a fuccedaneum to

* nature ; in the hands of oftentatious wealth, it

* became the means of oppofmg nature ; and the

* more it traverfed the march of the latter, the

* more nobility thought its power was demon^

* flrated. Canals meafured by the line were

* introduced in lieu of rrieanderingHreams, and ter-

* races were hoifted aloft in oppofition to the facile

* (lopes that imperceptibly unite the valley to the hill.

* Baluftrades defended thefe precipitate and dan-

* gerous elevations, and flights of fteps rejoined

* them to the fubjacent flat from which the terrace

* • It was not uncommon, after the circumadjacent country*

* had been ihut out, to endeavour to recover it by raifing large
' IBOUDW of earth to peep over the walls of the garden.

'had

H I 9 r O R. Y. 4t5j

' had bcert dug. Vafes and fculpturc were added

* to diefe unneceflary balconies, and ftatucs fur*

* nifhed the lifelcfs fpot with mimic reprefentations
' of the excluded fens of men. Thus difficulty

* and expence were the conftituent parts of thole

* fumptuous and felfifli folitudes ; and every im-

* provcment that was made, was but a ftep farther

* from nature. The tricks of water- works to wet

* the unwary, net to refrelh the panting fpeftator,
' and parterres embroidered in patterns like a pet-

* ticoat, were but the childilh endeavours of faflnon

* and novelty to reconcile greatnefs to v/hat it had
' furfeited on. To crown thefc impotent difplays
' of falfe tafte, the fheers were applied to the

* lovely wildnefs of form v, ith which Nature has

* diftinguifhed each various fpecies of tree and
' fhrub. The venerable Oak, the romantic

* Beech, the ufeful Elm, even the afpiring circuit

* of the Lime, the regular round of the Chefnut,
' and the afmoft moulded Orange Tree, were cor-

* refted by fuch fantafcic admirers of fymmetry.

* The compafs and fquare were of more ufe in

* plantations than the nurfery man. The meafured
' walk, the quincunx, and the etoile, impofed their

* unfatisfyiag famenefs on every royal and noble
' garden. Trees were headed, and their fides
'pared away; many French groves feem green

* chefts fet upon poles. Seats of marble, arbours,

* and fummer-houfes, terminated every vifto ; and

* fym-

io8 Rural Ornament,

* fymmetry, even where the fpace was too large to

* permit its being remarked at one view, was {o
' eiTcntial, that, as Pope obferved.

;ach alley has a brother.

And half the garden juft reflefts the othfer.

* Knots of flowers were more defenfibly fubjeded
• * to the fame regularity* Leifure, as Milton ex-

' preffed it,

in trim gardens took his pleafbrc.

* In the garden of Marfhal de Biron at Paris, con-

* lifting of fourteen acres, every walk is buttoned
' on each fide by lines of flower-pots, which fuc-

* ceed in their feafons. When 1 faw it, there

* were nine thoufand pots of Afl:erSj or la Reine
« Marguerite.

* We do not prcclfely know what our anceftors
' meant by a bower; it was probably an arbour ;
' fometimes it meant the whole frittered inclofure,

* and in oneinftance it certainly included a labyrinth.

* Rofamond's bower was indifputably of that kind,
-* though whether compofed of walls or hedges we

* cannot determine *. A fquare and a round laby-

* rinth

• ' Drayton in a note to his Epiftle of Rofamond, fays, her

* labyrinth was built of vaults under grour^d, arched and

* walled with brick and Hone ; but, as Mr. Gough obferves,

'he

History. 209

' rinth were fo capital ingredients of a garden for-

* merly, that in Du Cerceau's architecture, who

* lived in the time of Charles IX. and Henry III.

* there is fcarce a ground-plot without one of

* each. The enchantment of antique appellations

* has confecrated apleafing idea of a royal refidence,

* of which we now regret the extindion. Haver-

* ing in the Bower, the jointure of many dow-
' ager queens, conveys to us the notion of a roman-

* tic fcene,

* In Kip's Views of the Seats of our Nobility

* and Gentry, we fee the fame'tirefome and re-

* turning uniformity. Every houfe is approached

* by two or diree gardens, confiding perhaps of a
' gravel-walk and two grafs-plats, or borders of

* flowers. Each rifes above the other by two or

* three fteps, and as many walls and terraces, and

* fo many iron gates, that we recoUedt thofe antient

* romances, in which every entrance was guarded

* by nymphs or dragons. At Lady Orford's, at

* Piddletown, in Dorfetfhire, there was, when my

* brother married, a double inclofure of thirteen

* gardens, each I fuppofe not much above an hun-

* dred yards fquare, with an enfilade of correfpon-

Vol. I. P *dent

* he gives no authority for that affertion. V. pref. to 2d edit,

* of Britifh Topography, p. xxx.' Such vaults might remain

* to Drayton's time, but did not prove that there had been no
< fuperftrufture.*

210 Rural Ornament.

* dent gates ; and before you arrived at thele, you
' pafTed a narrow gut between two flone terraces,

* that rofe above your head, and which were

* crowned by a line of pyramidal yews. A bow-

* ling-green was all the lawn admitted in thofe
' times, a circular lake the extent of magnificence.

* Yet though thefe and fuch prepoflerous incon-

* veniences prevailed from age to age, good fenle
*.in this country had perceived the want of fome-
' thing at once more grand and more natural.

* Thefe refleclions, and the bounds fet to the Vv^aftc
^ made by royal fpoilers, gave origin to Parks.

* They were contrad;ed forefts, and extended gar-

* dens. Plentzner fays, that, according to Rous

* of Warwick, the firft park was that at Wood- '

* flock. If fo, it might be the foundation of a-
' legend that Henry II. fecured his miftrefs in a

* labyrinth : it was no doubt more difficult to find
' her in a pirk than in a palace, where the intri-
' cacy of the woods and various lodges buried in

* covert might conceal her aftual habitation.

* It is more extraordinary tliat having fo long

* ago fiumbled on the principle of modern garden-
'''ing, we fhould have perfifted in retaining its re-

* verfe, fymmetrical and unnatural gardens. That

* parks were rare in other countries, Hentzner,

* who travelled over great part of Europe, leads us

• * 16

History. 2ii

* to fuppofe, by obfcrving that they were com-
' mon in England. In France they retain the^

* name, but nothing is more different both in com-
' pafs and dilpofition. Their parks are ufually

* Iquare or oblong inclofures, regularly planted

* with walks of chefnuts or limes, and generally

* every large town has one for its public recreation.

* They are exactly like Burton's-court, at Chelfea-
' college, and rarely larger.

* One man, one great man we had, on whom

* nor education nor cuftom could impofe their pre-
*judicesj who, "on evil days though fallen, and
" with darknefs and folitude compafled round,"

* judged that the miftaken and fantaftic ornaments

* he had feen in gardens, were unworthy of the

* Almighty Hand that planted the delights of

* Paradife. He feems, with the prophetic eye of

* tafte (as I have heard tafle well defined *), to
' have conceived, to have foreseen rfiodern garden-
' ing J as Lord Bacon announced the difcoveries

* fince made by experimental philofophy. The

* defcription of Eden is a warmer and more jufl

* picture of the prelent ftyle than Claud Lbrrain
•^ could have painted from Hagley or Stourhead.

P 2 *Thc

• * By the great Lord Chatham who had a good tafte

* himfelf in modern gardening, as he Ihewed by his own Villas

* in Enfield Chace and at Hayes.*

ai2 Rural Ornament.

' The firft lines I (hall quote exhibit Stourhead'on

* a more magnificent fcale.

Thro' Eden went a river large.
Nor chang'd his courfe, but through the fhaggy hill
Pafs'd underneath ingulph'd, for God had thrown
That mountain as his garden-mound, high rais'd
Upon the rapid current———

* Hagley feems pidured in what follows :

which thro* veins
Of porous earth with kindly thiril updrawn,
Rofe a frefh fountain, and with many a rill
Water'd the garden-——

What colouring, what freedom of pencil, what

* landfcape in thefe lines !

from that faphire fount the crifped brooks.

Rolling on orient pearl and fands of gold.
With mazy error under pendent (hades
Ran neftar, viliting each plant, and fed
Flow'rs worthy of Paradife, which not nice art
In beds and curious knots but nature boon
Pour'd forth profufe on hill and dale and plain.
Both where the morning fun firft warmly fmote
The open field, and where the unpierc'd (hade
Imbrown'd the noon- tide bow'rs. — Thus vjas this place
A happj rural feet of •various view,

« Read

History. 213

* Read this tranfporting defcription, paint to your

* mind the fcenes that follow, contrail the.m with
' the favage but refpeftable terror with which
' the Poet guards the bounds of his Paradife,
' fenced

with the champaign head

Of a fteep wildernefs, whofe hairy, iides
With thicket overgrown, grotefque and wild*
Accefs denied ; and over head upgrew
Infuperable height of lofciell (hade.
Cedar and pine, and fir, and branching palm,
A fylvan fcene, and as the ranks aicend.
Shade above fhade, a woody theatre
Of llatelieft view

* and then recoiled that the author of this fublime

* vifion had never fecn a glimpfe of any thing like

* what he has imagined, that his favorite Antients

* had dropped not a hint of fuch divine fcenery,
' and that the conceits in Italian gardens, and

* Theobalds and Nonfuch, were the brightefl

* originals that his memory could furnifh,. His

* intellectual eye faw a nobler plan, fo little did he:

* fufFer by the lofs of fight. It fufficed him to

* have feen the materials with which he could

* work. The vigour of a boundlefs imagination

* told him how a plan might be difpofed, that
f would embelliOi nature, and reftore art to its

P 3 * proper

214 Rural Ornament.

' proper office, the juft improvement or imitation
' of it *.

* It is necefifary that the concurrent teilimony of
' the age fhould fvvear to pofterity that the defcrip-

* tion above quoted was written above half a cen~

* tury before the introdu6tion of modern garden-
' ing, or our Incredulous defcendants will defraud the

* poet of half his glory, by being perfuaded that

* he copied fome garden or gardens he had feen — ■

* fo minutely do his ideas correfpond v/Ith the

* prefent ftandard. But what fliall we fay for that

* intervening half century who could read that
' plan and never attempt to put it in execution ?

* Now let us turn to an admired writer, pof-
' terior to Milton, and fee how cold, how in-

* fipid, how taftelefs is his account of what he

* pronounced a perfect garden. I fpeak not of

* his flyle, which it was not necefiary for him to

* animate with the colouring and glow of poetry.

* It is liis want of ideas, of -imagination, of tafte,

* that I cenfure, vvhen he didlated on a fubjeft that

* is capable of all the graces that a knowledge of
' beautiful nature can beftow. Sir William Temple

* was an excellent man ; Milton, a genius of the

' firil order.

'We

* ' Since the above was written, I have found Milton praifed

* and Sir William Temple cenfured, on the fame foundations.
' in a poem called The Rife and Progrcfs of the prefent Tafte

* in Planting, printed in 1767.*

History. 215

* We cannot wonder that Sir William declares in

* favour of parterres, fountains, and ftatues, as

* neceffary to break the famenefs of large grafs-

* plats, which he thinks have an ill effedl upon the
' eye, when he acknowledges that he difcovers
' fancy in the gardens of Alcinous. Milton ftudied
' tlK; Antients with equal enthufiafm, but no bigo-
' fry, and had judgement to difcinguifh between the

* want of invention and the beauties of poe-

* try. Compare his Paradife with Homer's Gar-

* den, both afcribed to a celellial defign. For of Sir
' William, it is juft to obferve, that his ideas cen-
' xered in a fruit-garden. He had the honour of

* giving to his country many delicate fruits, and he
' thought of little elfe than difpofmg them to the
' beft advantage. Here is the paffage I propofed
' to quote ; it is long, but I need not make an

* apology to the reader for entertaining him with
' any other words inftead of my own.

*' The beft figure of a garden is either a fquare or^
" an oblong, and either upon a flat or a defcent : "^
^* they have all their beauties, but the beft I efteem
" an oblong upon a defcent. The beauty, the air,
" the view, ipakes amends for the expence, which
" is very great in finiftiing and fupporting the
" terrace-walks, in levelling the parterres, and in
" the ftone ftairs that are neceflary from one to the
^* other.

P 4 " The

ii6 Rural Ornament.

" The perfefteft figure of a garden I ever faw,
" either at home or abroad, was that of Moor-
" park in Hertfordfhire, when I knew it about
*^ thirty years ago. It was made by the Countefs
" of Bedford, efteemed among the greateft wits of
" her time, and celebrated by Doctor Donne ;
" and with very great care, excell<^nt contrivance,
" and much coft ; but greater fums may be
" thrown away without effedt or honour, if there
" want {'en{c in proportion to money, or // nature
*' be not followed J which I take to be the great rule
*' in this, and perhaps in every thing elfe, as far as
" the condui5t not only of our lives but our govern-
" ments."

[We fhall fee how natural that admired gar-
den was.]

" Because I take * the garden I have named to
" have been in all kinds the moft beautiful and
" perfect, at Icafl in the figure and difpofidon, that \
" have ever feen, I will defcribe it for a model to
** thofe that meet with fuch a fituation, and are
" above the regards of common expence. It lies
" on the fide of a hill, upon which the houfe (lands,

\., " ^"^

* This garden feems to have been made after the plan
laid down by Lord Bacon in his 46thEflay, to which, that I
ruay not multiply quotations, I will refer the reader.

History. , 217

" but not very fteep. The length of the houfe,

" where the bed rooms and of mod life or plea-

" fure are, lies upon the breadth of the garden ;

" the great parlour opens into the middle of a

" terrace gravel walk that lies even with it, and

" which may lie, as I remember, about three

" hundred paces long, and broad in proportion ;

" the border fet with ftandard laurels and at large

" diflances, which have the beauty of orange trees

" out of flower and fruit. From this walk arc

" three defcents by many ftone fteps, in the middle

'' and at each end, into a very large parterre.

" This is divided into quarters by gravel-walks,

" and adorned with two fountains and eight ftatues

" in the feveral quarters. At the end of the

*^ terras-v/alk are two fummer-houfes, and the fides

" of the parterre are ranged with two large cloifters

^' open to the garden, upon arches of ftone, and

" ending with two ether fummer-houfes even

" v/ith the cloifters, which are paved with ftone,

*' and defigned for walks of fnade-, there being

" none other in the v»'hole parterre. Over thefc

" two cloifters are two terraces covered with lead

" and fenced with balufters ; and the paflage into

" thefe airy walks is out of the two fummer-houfes

" at the end of the firft terrace-walk. The cloifter

" facing the fouth is covered with vines, and

** would have been proper for an orange-houfc,

** and die other for myrtles or other more com-

** mon

2 J 8 Rural O r n a \t e nt t.

" mon- greens, and had, I doubt not, been cafl fop
" that purpofe, if this piece of gardening had been
" then in as much vogqe as it is now.

" From the middle of this parterre is a defcent
" by many fteps flying on ejich fide of a grotto
"that lies between them, covered with lead and
" flat, into the lower garden, which is all fruit-trees
": ranged about the feveral quarters of a wilder-
^' nefs which is very fnady ; the walks here are all
" green, the grotto embellifhed with figures of
" Ihell rock- work, fountains, and water-works.
" If the hill had not ended with the lower garden,
" and the wall were not bounded by a common
'f way that goes through the park, they might have
" added a third quarter of all greens ; but this
" want is fupplied by a garden on the other fide
" the houfe, which is all of that fort, very wild,'
*f lliady, and adorned with rough rock-work and
*' fountains.

" This was Moor-park when I was acquainted
" with it, and the fwectefl place, I think, that I
*' have kei:\ in my life, either before or fince, at
*' home or abroad." —

* I v/iLL make no farther remarks on this de-
< fcriprion. Any man might defign and I?uiIJ as
* fweet a garden, who had been born in and never

* ftirred

History. ^IJ

f ftirred out of Holborn. It was not pccuHar to

* Sir William Temple to think In that manner.
5 How many Frenchmen are there who have feen,

* onr gardens, and ftill prefer natural flights of
^ fteps and lliady cloiilers covered with lead ! Le
.« Nautre, the archited of the groves and grottos

* at Verfailles, came hither on a mifllon to im-

* prove our tafte. He planted St. James's and
« Greenwich Parks — no great monuments of hi^
f invention.

' To do farther juftlce to Sir William Temple,

* I mud not omit what he adds. " What 1 have

<' faid of the beft forms of gardens, is meant only of

*/ fuch as are in fome fort regular -, for there may

« be other forms wholly irregular, that may, for

" aught I know, have more beauty than any of the

*.* others j but they mufl. owe it to fome extraordi-

*.' nary difpofitions of nature in the feat, or fome

" great race of fancy or judgement in the contri-

" vance, which may reduce many difagreeing parts

<f i ito fome figure, which fhall yet, upon the whole,

" be very agreeable. Something of this I have

" feen in fome places, but heard more of it from

?* others, who have lived much among the Chinefcs,

" a people vvhofe way of thinking fcems to lie as

" wide of ours in Europe as their country does.

*' Their greateft reach of imagination is employed

♦.* in contriving figures, where the beauty fhall be

" great

- 'iio Rural Ornament.

" great and flrike the eye, but without any order
** or difpofition of parts, that fhall be commonly or
*' eafily obferved. And though we have hardly
^^ any notion of this fort of beauty, yet they have a
" particular word to exprefs it ; and where they
" find it hit their eye at firfl: fight, they fay the
" Sharawadgi is fine or is admirable, or any fuch
" exprefiion of efteem : — but I fhould hardly advife
" any of thefe attempts in the figure of gardens
" among us J they are adventures of too hard at-
" chievement for any common hands ; and though
" there may be more honour if they fucceed wfll,
" yet there is more difhonour if they fail, and it is
*' twenty to one they v.'ill ; whereas in regular
" figures, it is hard to make any grea| andremark:-
<« able fauks,"

* Fortunately Kent and a few others were
' not quite fo timid, or we might ftilj be going up

* and down flairs in the open air.

' It is true, we have heard much lately, as Sir
' William Temple did, of irregularity and imi-
' tations of nature in the gardens or grounds of the

* Chinefe. The former is certainly tiue : they are
' as whimfically irregular as European gardens arc

* formally uniform, and unvaried: — but, with re-

* card to nature, it feems as much avoided, as in

* the fquares and oblongs, and ftraight lines of our

* arceflors.

H 1 S t O R V. 2ix

' anceftors. An artificial perpendicular rockj

* ftarting out of a flat plain, and connected with

* nothing, often pierced through in various placf s,

* with oval hollows, has no more pretcnfion to be

* deemed natural^ than a lineal terrace, or a parterre.

* The late Mr. Jofeph Spencc, who had both tafte

* and zeal for the prefent ftyle, was fo perfuadcd of

* the Chinefe Emperor's pleafure-ground being laid
' out on principles refembling ours, that he tranf-
' lated and publiflied, under the name of Sir Harry

* Beaumont, a particular account of that inclofure
' from the Colledlion of the Letters of the Jefuits.

* I have looked it over, and, except a determined

* irregularity, can find nothing in it that gives m.e

* any idea of attention being paid to nature. It is

* of vaft circumference, and contains 200 palaces,

* befides as many contiguous for the eunuchs, all

* gilt, painted, and varnifhed. There are raifcd

* hills from 20 to 60 feet high, flreams and lakes,
' and one of the latter five miles round. Thele

* waters are pafTed by bridges : — but even their
' bridges muft not be ftraight — they ferpentine as

* much as the rivulets, and are fometimes fo long as

* to be furnifhed with refling places, and begin and

* end with triumphal arches. Mcthinks a ftraight
' canal is as rational at leaft as a meandering bridge.

* The colonades undulate in the fame manner. In

* Ihort, this pretty gaudy fcene is the work of
' caprice and whim, and, when we re fled on their

* buildings,

.222 ^ Rural Ornament.

* buildingSj prefents no Image but that of unfub^

* ilantial tawdrinefs. Nor is this all. Within this
' fantaftic Paradife is a fquare town,' each fide a

* mile long. Here the eunuchs of the Court, to

* entertain his Imperial Majefty with the buftle and

* bufinefs of the capital in which he refides, but

* which it is not of his dignity ever to fee, a6t mer- '

* chants and all forts of trades, and even defignedly

* exercife for his royal amufement every art of

* knavery that is praclifed under his aufpicious go-

* vernment. Me thinks, this is the childifh folace
' and repofe of grandeur, not a retirement fromi

* affairs to the delights of rural life. Here, tooi
' his Majefty plays at agriculture : there is a quarter
' fet apart for that purpofe : the eunuchs fow, reap,

* and carry in their harveft, in the imperial pre-

* fence : and his Majefty returns to Pekin, per-
' fuaded that he has been in the country *.

* Having

* * The French have, of late years, adopted our ftyle in
' gardens, but, chufing to be fundamentally obliged to mors

* remote rivals, they deny us half the merit, or rather the ori-

* ginality of the invention, by afcribing the difcovery to the

* Chinefe, and by calling our tafte in gardening le gout

* J^iiglo-Chinois. I think I have fhewn that this is a blunder,

* and that the Chinefe have pafTed to one extremity of abfur-

* dity, as the French, and all antiquity, had advanced to the

* other, both being equally remote from nature ; regular for-
' mality is the oppofite point to fantaftic Sharawadgis. The

* French, indeed, during the fafhionable paroxyfm of philc-

« fophy.

History. 223

* Having thus cleared my way by afcertaining

< what have been the ideas on gardening in all

* ages, as far as we have materials to judge by, it
' remains to fhew to what degree Mr. Kent in-
« vented the new fryle, and what hints he had re-

< ceived to fuggeft and condud his undertaking.

* We

' fophy, have farpafT.'d us, at leaft In meditation on the art.
» I have perufed a grave treatife of recent date, in which the
" author, extending his views beyond mere luxury and amnfe-

* ment, has endeavoured to infpire his countrymen, even m
' the gratification of their expenfive pleafures, with benevolent

* projefts. He propofes to them to combine gardening with

* charity, and to make every ftep of their walks an aft ot gene-

* rofity, and a lefTon of morality, Inftead of adorning favoL>

* rite points with a heathen temple, a Chinefe pagoda, a Gothic
« tower, or fiaitious bridge, he propofes to thein at the firft;

* refting place to ered a fchool, a little farther, to found an
' academy, at a third diftance a manufafture, and, at the ter-
' mination of the park, to endow an hofpital. Thus, fays he,
« the proprietor would be led to meditate, as he faunters, on

* the different ftages of human life, and both his expence and

* thoughts would march in a progreffion of patriotic atSls and
' refleclions. When he was laying out fo magnificent, chari-

* table, and philofophic an Utopian villa, it would have coll

* no more to have added a Foundling hofpital, a Senate-houfe,
' and a burying-ground. If I fmile at fuch vifions, Itill one

* muft be glad, that in the whirl of fafhions, beneficence (houid
•* have its turn in vogue ; and though the French treat the
-* Virtues like every thing elfe, but as an objeift of mode, it is
< to be hoped that they too will, every now and then, come
' into fafhion again. The author I have been mentioning
" reminds me of a French Gentleman, who, fome years ago,

* maJe

224 Rural OrnamEnT.

* We have ken. what Moor-park was, whert

* pronounced a ftandard. But as no fucceeding
' generation in an opuknt and luxurious country
' contents itfelf with the perfedion edablifhed by

* its anceftors, more perfect perfedion was ftill

* fought y and improvements had gone on, till

* London and Wife had ftocked our gardens with
' giants, animals, monfters f , coats of arms, and

* mottos, in yew, box, and holly., Abfurdity

* could go no farther, and the tide turned. Bridg-

man,

* made me a vifit at Strawberry Hill. Ke was fo complaifant

* as to commend the place, and to approve our tafte in gar-

* dens — but in the fame ftyle of thinking 'vitli the above-cited

* author, he faid, " I do not like your imac^inary temples and
*• fiftitious terminations of views : I would h?.ve real points of
*' view with moving objeds ; for inftance, here I would have
" — (I forget what) — and there a watering place." " That
*' is not fo eafy (I replied) ; one cannot oblige others to
*' affemble at fuch or fuch a fpot for one's amufement — how-
*' ever, I am glad you would like a watering-place, for there
*' happens to be one : in that creek of the Thames, the inha-
** bitants of the village do actually water their horfes : but I
•* doubt whether, if it were not conveuient X.o them to do fo,
*' they would frequent the fpot only to enliven my profpefl." —

* Such Gallo-Chinois gardens, I apprehend, will rarely be

* executed.

* f On the piers of a garden gate not far from Paris I ob-

* ferved two very coquet fphinxes. Thefe lady monfters had

* ftraw hats gracefully fmart on one fide of their heads, and

* filken cloaks half veiling their necks ; all executed in ftone.*

History. 225

' man, the next farhlonable defigner of gardens,

* was far more chafte -, and whether from good

* Icnfe, or that the Nation had been ftruck and

* reformed by the admirable paper in The Giiar-

* dian, No. 173, he baniflied verdant fculpture,

* and did not even revert to the fquare precifion

* of the foregoing age. He enlarged his plans,

* diWained to make every divifion rally to its op-

* pofite, and though heilill adhered much to ftraight
' walks with high clipped hedges, they were only
' his great lines ; the reft he diverfified by wilder-
' nefs, and with loofe groves of oak, though ftill

* within furrounding hedges. I have oblerved in

* the garden * at Gubbins in Hertfordlliire many
' detached thoughts, that ftrongly indicate the

* dav/n of modern tafte. As his reformation gained

* footing, he ventured fartiier, and in the royal

* garden at Richmond dared to introduce cuki-

* vated fields, and even morfels of a foreft ap-

* pearance, by the fides of thofe endlefs and tire-

* fome walks, that ftrctched out of one into an-

* other without intermifiion. " But this was not till

Vol. I. Q^ * other

* * The feat of the late Sir Jeremy Sambioke. It had
-'formerly belonged to Lady More, mother-in-law of Sir

* Thomas More, and had been tyrannically wrenched from

* her by Henry \ III. on the execution of Sir Thomas, though
•»' not her fon, and though her jointure from a former huf-

' band*'

126 Rural Ornament.

' other innovators had broke loofc too from rigid

* fy mmetry.

* But the capital ftroke, the leading ftep to all

* that has followed, was [I believe the firft thought

* was Bridgman's] the deftruclion of walls for
< boundaries, and the invention of fofles — an at-

* tempt then deemed fo ailonifhing, that the com-

* mon people called them Ha ! Ha's ! to cxprefs

* their furprize at finding a fudden and unperceived

* check to their walk.

* One of the firfl; gardens planted in this fimple
' though ilill formal fcyle, was my father's at

* Houghton. It was laid out by Mr. Eyre, an

* imitator of Bridgman. It contains three-and-

* twenty acres, then reckoned a confiderablc

* portion.

' I CALL a funk fence the leading ftep, for thefe

* reafons. No fooner was this fimple enchantment
' made, than levelling, mowing, and rolling, fol,

* lowed. The contiguous ground of the park

* without the funk fence was to be harmonized with

* the lawn within ; and the garden in irs turn was

* to be {et free from its prim regularity, that it

* might afibrt with the wilder country without.

* The funk fence afcertained the fpecific garden,

* but that it might not draw too obvious a line of

« diilindiQ^

H I s T o R V. 2:^7

' diftindion between the neat and the rude, the

* contiguous out-lying parts came to be included

* in a kind of general defign j and when nature wa;s

* taken into the plan, under improvements, every

* ftep that was made, pointed out new beauties and

* infpired new ideas. At that moment appeared

* Kent, painter enough to tafte the charms of land-

* fcape, bold and opiniative enough to dare and to

* dictate, and born with a genius to ftrike out a great

* fyftem from the twilight of imperfetl effays. He

* leaped the fence, and faw that all nature was a

* garden* He felt the delicious contraft of hill and

* valley changing imperceptibly into each other,

* tafted the beauty of the gentle fwell or concave

* fcoop, and remarked how ioofe groves crowned

* an eafy eminence with happy ornament, and while

* they called in the diftant view between their

* graceful ftems, removed and extended the per-
' fpe<5live by delufive comparifon.

* Thus the pencil of his imagination beftowcd

* all the arts of landfcape on the fcenes he handled,

* The great principles on which he worked were

* perfpedtive, and light and fhade. Groupes of

* trees broke too uniform or too cxtenfive a lawn ;

* evergreens and woods were oppofed to the glare

* of the champaign ; ahd where the view was lefs

* fortunate, or fo much expofed as to be beheld at

* once, he blotted out fome parts by thick fhades,

0^2 « to

128 Rural Ornament.

' to divide it into variety, or to make the richeft
' fcene more enchandng by referving it to a far-
' ther advance of the fpeftator's ftep. Thus, fc-

* lecling favourite objefts, and veiling deformines

* by fcreens of plantation; fomedmes allowing the
' rudeft wafle to add its foil to the richeft theatre ;
'•he realized the compofitions of the greatefl- maf-

* ters in paindng. Where objeds'werc wanting to
' animate his horizon, his tafte as an architedl could

* beftow immediate termination. His buildings,
"This feats, his temples, were more the works of

* his pencil than of his compafles. We owe the

* reftoration of Greece and the diffofion of archi-

* tecture to his fl-:ill in landfcape.

' But of all the beauties he added to the face of

* this beautiful country, none furpafled his manage-

* ment of water. Adieu to canals, circular bafons,

* and calcades tumbling down marble fteps, that

* laft abfurd magnificence of Italian and French

* villas. l\hc forced elevation of catarads was no
' more. The gentle ftream was taught to fer-

* pentize feemingly at its pleafure, and where dif-

* continued by different levels, its courfe appeared
' to be concealed by thickets properly interfperfed,

* and glittered again at a diftance where it might

* be fuppofed naturally to arrive. Its borders

* v/ere fmoothed, but prefcrved their waving irre-
' gularity. A few trees fcattered here and there

* oa.

H I s T o R y. 11^

' on its edges fprlnkled the tame bank that aecom-

* panied its meanders ; and when it difappeared

* among the hills, fhades defcending from the

* heights leaned towards its progrefs, and framed

* the diftant point of light under which it was loft,

* as it turned afide to either hand of the blue
' horizon^

•'Thus, dealing in none but the colours of

* nature, and catching its mod favourable features,

* men faw a new creation opening before their eyes.
' The living landfcape was chaftened or poliQicd,
*'not transformed. Freedom was given to the

* forms of trees -, they extended their branches
f unrellri^led, and where any eminent Oak, or

* mailer Beech, had efcaped maiming and furvived

* the foreft, bufh and bramble was removed, and

* all its honours were reftored to diftinguifh and
^ fhade the plain. Where the united plumage of

* an ancient wood extended wide its undulating
' canopy, and flood venerable in its darknefs, Kent

* thinned the foremoft ranks, and left but fo many

* detached and fcattered trees, as foftened the ap-
•* proach of gloom, and blended a chequered light
f with the thus lengthened l]iadows of the remain-

* ing columns.

* Succeeding artifls have added new mafler-

' flrokes to thefe touches : perhaps iiTiproved or

0^3 * brought

2JO Rural Ornament.

* brought to perfeflion fome that I have named,

* The introduction of foreign trees and plants,
' which we owe principally to Archibald Duke of
' Argyle, contributed eflentiaiiy to the richnefs of
' colouring fo peculiar to our modern landfcape.

* The mixture of various greens, the contrafl of
' forms between our foreft trees and the northern
' and Weft Indian firs and pines, are improve-

* ments more recent than Kent, or but little known

* to him. The weeping Willow and every florid

* fhrub, each tree of delicate or bold leaf, are new

* tints in the compofition of our gardens. The
' laft century was certainly acquainted with many

* of thofe rare plants we now admire. The Wey-

* mouth pine has long been naturalized here j the

* patriarch plant ftill exifts at Longleat. The

* light and graceful Acacia was known as early ;

* witnefs thofe ancient ftems in the court of Bed-
' ford Jioufe in Bloomfbury-fquare i and in the
' Bifnop of London's garden at Fulham are many

* exotics of very antient date. I doubt therefore
' whether the difficulty of preferving them in a

* clime fo foreign to their nature did not convince

* our anceftors of their inutility in general j unlefs
'the fbapelinefs of the lime and horfe chefnut,

* which accorded fo well with efbablifhed regu-

* larity, and which thence and from their novelty

* f^rew in fafhion, did not occafion the negleft of

* tne more curious plants.

'But

History. 231

' But juft as the encomiwms are that I have be-

* flowed on Kent's difcovcrics, he was neither

* without afliftance or faults. Mr. Pope un-

* doubtedly contributed to form his tafte. The

* defign of the Prince of Wales's garden at Carl-

* ton houfe was evidently borrowed from the Poet's

* at Twickenham. There was a little of affefted

* modeft-y in the latter, when he faid, of all his
^, works he was moft proud of his garden. And

* yet it was a fingular effort of art and tafle to im-

* prefs fo much variety and fcenery on a fpot of

* five acres. The pafTing through the gloom from
' the grotto to the opening day^ the retiring and

* again alTembling fhades, the dufky groves, the

* larger lawn, and the folemnity of the termination
' at the cyprefTes that lead up to his mother's

* tomb, are managed with exquifite judgement ;

* and though Lord Peterborough afTifled him

* To form his quincunx and to rank his vines,

« thofe were not the moft pleafmg ingredients of

* his little perfpedive,

^ I DO not know whether the difpofition of the

* garden at Roufham, laid out for General Dor-

* mer, and in my opinion the mofl engaging of all
^ Kent's works, was not planned on the model of
^ Mr. Pop?'s, at lead in the opening and retiring
•. n^ades of Venus 's Vale. The whole is as elegant

0^4 ^ and

aja RtTRAL Ornament.

* and antique as if the Emperor Julian had rele(5te4
' the mod pleafing foHtude about Daphne to enjoy

* a philofophic retirement.

* That Kent's ideas were but rarely great, was
' in fome mealure owing to the novelty of his art.

* It would have been difficult to have tranfported

* the flyle of gardening at once from a few acres to

* tumbling of forefts : and though new fafliions

* like new religions, [which are new fafhions] often-

* lead men to the moft oppofite excefles, it could
^ not be the cafe in gardening, where the cxperi-
' ments would have |been fo expenfive, Yet it is
< true too that the features in Kent's landfcapes
^ were feldom majeftic. His clumps were puny,

* he aimed at immediate effedb, and planted not for

* futurity. One fees no large woods fketched out

* by his diredlion. Nor are we yet entirely rifen

* above a too great frequency of fmall clumps, ef-
' pecially in the elbows of ferpentine rivers. How

* common to fee three or four beeches, then as

* many larches, a third knot of cyprefles, and a

* revolution of all three ! Kent's laft defigns were

* in a higher ftyle, as his ideas opened on fuccefs.

* The north terrace atClaremont was much fuperior
' to the reft of the garden,

* A RETURN of fome particular thoughts was
^ common to him with other painters^ and made

Mii:j

History, 13^

' his hand known. A fmall lake edged by a

* winding bank wich fcattered trees that led to a
f feat at the head of the pond, was common to,
' Claremont, Elher, and odiers of his defigns. At
f Elher,

♦ Where Kent and Natih-e vied for Pelham's Io\'-e,

* the profpe£ts more than aided the Painter's ge-
( nius — they marked out the points wliere his art
^ was neceffary or not; but thence left his judgement

* in poffeflion of all its glory.

' Having routed profefied art, for the modern
« gardener exerts his talents to conceal his art,
' Kent, like other reformers, knew not how to
f Hop at the juft limits. He had followed Nature,

* and imitated her fo happily, that he began to
^ think all her works were equally proper for imi-

* tadon. In Kenfington garden he planted dead

* trees, to give a greater air of truth to the fcene

* — but he was foon laughed out of this excefs.
^ His ruling principle was, that Nature abhors a

* ftralght line. His mimics, for £ very genius has his

* apes, feemed to think that fhe could love nothing

* but what was crooked. Yet fo many men of

* tafte of all ranks devoted themfclves to the new
' improvements, that it is furprizing how much
' beauty has been ftruck out, with how few abfur-
f dities. Sdll in fonie lights the reformation feems

' to

234 Rural Ornament.

* tvO me to have been pufhed too far. Though an

* avenue crofllng a park or feparathig a lawn, and

* intercepting views from the feat to which it leads,

* are capital faults, yet a great avenue * cut

* through woods, perhaps before entering a park,

* has a noble air, and

Like footmen ri]nning before coaches
To tell the inn \v«iat Lord approaches,

* announces the habitation of fome man of dif-

* tinftion. In other places the total banilhment

* of all particular neatnefs immediately about a

* houfe, v/hich is frequently left gazing by itfelf

* in the middle of a park, is a defed. Sheltered

* and even clofe walks in |b very uncertain a cli-
' mate as ours, are comforts ill exchanged for the

* few pidlurefque days that we enjoy : and when-

* ever a family can purloin a warm and even fome-

* thing of an old-fafhioned garden from, the lanJ-

* fcape defigned for them by the undertaker in

* faOuon, without interfering v.idi the pidure, they

* will

' * Of this kind one of the mofl noble is that of Stanftead,
' the feut of the Earl of Halifax, traverfing an antient wocd
' for two miles and hounded by the fea. The very extenfive
' lawns at that feat, richly inclofed by venerable beech woods,

* and chcouered by firgle beeclies of vail fize, particularly
' when yoa ftand in the portico of the temple, and furvey tl.e

* landfcape that walies itfelf in rivers of broken fea, recall

* fi::h exad pidlures of Claud Lcrrain, that it is diffictdi to
' COJiccivc th.il iiC oid not paint ilu'iii from thi? very fpot.'

History. ^35

f will find fatisfaflions on thofe days that do not in-
f vite ftrangers to come and iee their improve-

* ments.

* Fountains have with great reafqn been
5 baniihed from gardens as unnatural ; but it fur-
f prifes me that they have not been allotted to their

* proper pofitions, to cities, towns, and the courts

* of great houles, as proper accompaniments

* to archite6ture, and as works of grandeur in

< themfelves. Their decorations admit the utmoft

< invention, and when the waters are thrown up
• ' to different ftages, and tumble over their border,

' nothing has a more impofmg or a more refrefhing

< found. A palace demands its external graces
« and attributes, as much as a garden. Fountains

* and cyprefies peculiarly become buildings, and

* no mai> can have been at Rome, and ken.

* the vaft bafons of marble dafned with perpetual

* cafcades in the area of St. Peter's, without re-
' taining an idea of tafte and fplendor. Thofc in

* the Piazza Navona are as ufeful as fublimely con-
^ ceived,

' Grottos in this climate are recelTes only to
« be locked at tranfiently. When they are regu-
« larly compofcd within of fym.metry and architec-
f ture, as in Italy, they are only fplendid impro-
« prieties. The moft judicioufly, indeed moft for-
tunately,

?j6 KuRAL Ornament.

* tunatfly, placed grotto is that at Stourhead, where
L* the river burlts from the urn of its god, and paffes

* on its courie through the cave,

* But it is not my bufinefs to lay down rules for

* gardens, but to give the hiftory of them. A

* fyflem of rules pufhed to a great degree of refine-

* ment, and coUecled from the bed examples and

* pradlice, has been lately given in a book intituled,

* Obfervations on Modern Gardening. The work

* is very ingenioufly and carefully executed, and in

* point of utility rather exceeds than omits any

* neceflary directions. The author will excufe me

* if I think it a little excefs, when he examines that

* rude and unappropriated fcene of Matlock-bath,
^ and criticifes Nature for having beftowed on the

* rapid river Derwent too many c.afcades. How

* can this cenfure be brought home to gardening ?
' The management of rocks is a province can fall
' to few direftors of gardens -, ftill in our diftant

* provinces iuch a guide rnay be necciTary.

* The author divides his fubjecl into gardens,

* parks, farms, and ridings. I do not mean to

* find fault with this divifion. Direclions are re-

* quifite to each kind, and each has its department

* at many of the great fcenes from whence he drew

* his obfervations. In the hiftoric light, I diftin-

* guiPa them into the garden that conneds itfelf

* with

History. Ij";? -

* with a park, into the ornamented farm, and into

* the foreft or favage garden. Kent, as I have

* fhewn, invented or eftablifhed the firfl fort.

* Mr. Phih'p Southcote founded the fecond or fenne
^ ornee*y of which is a very juft defcription in the

* author I have been quoting. The third, I think,

* he has not enough diftinguifhed. I mean that

* kind of alpine fcene, compofed almoft wholly of

* pines and firs, a few birch, and fuch trees as

* aflfimilate with a favage and mountainous country.

* Mr. Charles Hamilton, at Pain's-hill, in my

* opinion, has given a perfecSt example of this mode

* in the utmoft boundary of his garden. All is

* great, and foreign, and rude -, the walks feem

* not defigned, but cut through the wood of pines ;

* and the ftyle of the whole is fo grand, and con-

* duded widi fo ferious an air of wild and unculd-

* vated extent, that when you look down on this
^ feeming forefb, you are amazed to find it contain

* a very few acres. In general, except as a fcreen

* to conceal fome deformity, or as a Ihelter in win-

* ter, I am not fond of total plantations of ever-
' greens. Firs in particular form a very ungraceful

* fummit, all broken into angles.

* Sir Henry Englefield was one of the firfl
' improvers on the new ftyle, and feleded with

* fmgular tafte that chief beauty of all gardens,

* At Woburn Farm in Surry,

5 profpe6^

238 Rural Or na me ntt.

* profped and fortunate points of view : we tire of

* all the painter's art when it wants thefc finifhing
' touches. The faireft fcenes, that depend on

* themfelves alone, weaiy when often feen. The
' Doric portico, the Palladian bridge, the Gothic

* ruin, the Chinefe pagoda, that furprize the

* ftranger, foon lofe their charms to their i'lirfeited

* maft(r. The lake that floats the valley is dill

* more lifelefs, and its Lord feldom enjoys his ex-

* pence but when he fliews it to a vifitor. But

* the ornament whofe merit foonefl fades, is the

* hermitage or fcene adapted to contemplation.

* It is almoft comic to fet afide a quarter of one's

* garden to be melancholy in. Profpect, animated

* profpedl, is the theatre that will ahvays be the.

* moil frequented. Profpetls formerly were facri-

* ficed to convenience and warmth. Thus Bur-

* ieigh flands behind a hill, from the top of which

* it would command Stamford. Our anccftors,

* who refided the greateft part of the year at their

* feats, as others did two years together or more,

* had an eye to comfort firft, before expence.

* Their vaft manfions received and harboured all

* the younger branches, the dowagers and antienc
' maiden aunts of the families, and other fariiilies

* vifited them for a month together. The method

* of living is nov/ totally changed, and yet the fame

* fuperb palaces are ftill created, becoming a pom-

* pous folitude to the owner, and a tranfient enter-

* tuinment ;o a few travellers. * If

History. -39

* If any incident aboliHies or retrains the mo-
' dern ftyle of gardening, it will be this circum-

* llance of foiitarinefs. The greater the fcene, the

* more diflant it is probably from the capital, in

* the neighbourhood of v/hich land is too dear to
' admit confiderable extent of property. Men tire
'* of expence that is obvious to few fpedators.

* Still there is a more imminent danger that

* threatens the prefent, as it has ever done all taftc
' — I mean the purfjit of variety. A modern

* French writer has, in a very afteded phrafe, given

* a juft account of this, I will call it, diflemper.

* He lays, r ennui du beau amene le gout du fingulier,
' The noble fimplicity of the Auguftan age was

* driven out by falfe tafte. The gigantic, the

* puerile, the quaint, and at laft the barbarous and

* tlie monkifh, had each their fLicceflivc admirers.

* Mufic has been improved, till it is a fcience of
^ tricks and flight of hand : the fobcr greatnefs of

* Titian is loft, and painting, fmce Carlo Marattr,

* has little more relief than Indian paper. Borro-
' mini twifted * and curled architecture, as if it was

* fubjeft to the change of fafhions like a head of hair.

* If we once lofe fight of the propriety of landfcape

* in our gardens, we fnall wander into all the fan-

* taftic Sharawadgis of the Chinefe. We have

* difcovered the point of perfedlion. We have

* In particular, he inverted th3 volutes of the Ionic order.

* given

240 Rural O r n a m e S' t.-

* given the true model of gardeijing to the world :

* let other countries mimic or corrupt our tafte ;
' but let it reign here on its verdant throne, origl-

* nal by its elegant fimplicity, and proud of no

* other art than that of foftening Nature's har(h-

* nelTes, and copying her graceful touch*

* TrtE ingenious author of the Obfervations on

* Modern Gardening is, I think, too rigid when he

* condemns fome deceptions, becaufe they have

* been often ufed. If thofe deceptions^ as a

* feigned fteeple of a diftant church, or an unreal
' bridge to diiguife the termination of water, were

* intended only to furprize, they were indeed tricks

* that would jiot bear repetition j but being in-

* tended to improve the lattdfcape, are no more to

* be condemned becaufe common, than they would

* be if employed by a painter in the compofition
' of a pifture. Ought one man's garden to be

* deprived of a happy objecl:, becaufe that obje(5t

* has been employed by another ? The more we

* exaft novelty, the fooner our tafte will be vitiated.

* Situations are everywhere fo various, that there
' never can be a famenefs, while the difpofition of
' the ground' is ftudied and followed, and every
' incident of view turned to advantaj^e.

o

*-In the mean time, how" rich, how gay, how
* piclurcfque the face of the country ! The demo-

* lition

History. ^41

^ litiori of walls laying open each improvement,

* every journey is made through a fucceflion of

* piftures ; and even where tafle is wanting in the

* fpot improved, the general view is embelliflied

* by variety. If ii6 relapfe to barbarifm, forma-

* litJ^, and feclufion is made, what landfcapes will
' digrrlify every quarter of Our illarid, \vhen the

* daily plantations that are making have attained

* venerable maturity ! A fpecimen of what our
' gardens will be, may be feen at Petworth, where

* the portion of the park neareft the houfe has been

* allotted to the modern ftyle. It is a garden of

* oaks two hundred years old. If there is a fault

* in fo aUgufb a fragment of improved nature, it is,
^ that the fize of the trees are out of all proportion

* to the fhrubs and accompanimeilts. In truth,

* fhrubs fhould not only be referved for particular

* fpots and home delight, but are pafled their
' beauty in lefs than twenty years.

' Enough has been done to eflablifh fuch 1

* fchool of landfcape, as cannot be found on the

* refl; of the globe. If we have the leeds of a
' C!aud'e br a Galpar amongft Us, he muft come

* forth. If wood, water, groves, vallies, glades,

* can infpire or poet or painter, this is the country,

* this is the age to produce them. The flocks,

* the herds, that now are admitted into, now graze
' on the borders cf our cultivated plains, are ready

Vol. I. R * before

Hf^l Rural Ornament,

* before the painter's eyes, and group themfelves

* to animate his pidure. One misfortune in truth
'' there is, that throws a diiHcuky on the artift. A
' principal beauty in our gardens is the lawn and

* fmoothnefs of turf: in a pidure it becomes, a

* dead and uniform fpot, incapable o{ cbiaro /euro,
' and to be broken infipidly by children, dogs,

* and other unmeaning figures.

* Since we have been famiharized to the ftudy of

* landfcape, we hear lefs of what delighted our
■* fportfmen anceftors, a fine open country. Wilt-

* fliire, Dorfet(hire, and liich ocean-like extents,

* were formerly preferred to the rich blue profpefts

* of Kent, to the Thames-watered views in Berk-

* fhire, and to the magnificent fcale of Nature in

* Yorklhire. An open country is but a canvas on
^'- which a landfcape might be defigned.

* It w^as fortunate for the country and Mr. Kent,
' that he was fuccecded by a very able rnafter ;

* and did living artifts come within my plan, I

* fhould be glad to do juftice to Mr. Brown ; but

* he may be a gainer, by being referved for fomc
' abler pen.

* In general, it is probably true, that the pof-

* feflbr, if he has any tafle, mud be the bell de-
' figner of his own improvements. He fees his

* fituation

H I s T 0 R V* K 243"

' ficuadon in all feafons of the year, at all times of

* the day. He knows where beauty will not clafli

* with convenience, and obferves in his filent walks
« or accidental rides a thoufand hints that muft

* efcape a perfon who in a few days (ketches out a
^ pretty picture, but has not had lelfure to examine

* the details and relations of every part.

* Truth, which, after the oppofitlon given to
' moft revolutions, preponderates at laft, will pro-
' bably not tarry our ftyle of garden into general
« ufe on the continent. The expence is only

* fuited to the opulence of a free country, where

* emulation reigns among many independent par-
'' uculars. The keeping of our grounds is an
< obflacle, as well as the coft of the firft formation.

* A flat country, like Holland, is incapable of
' landfcape. In France and Italy the nobihty do
« not refide much, and make fmall expence, ac

* their villas. I fliould think the little princes oC

* Germany, who fpare no profufion on their palaces
•f and country houfes, moft likely to be our imi-

* tators ; efpecially as their country and climate
« bears, in many parts, refemblance to ours. In
« France, and ftill lefs in Italy, they could with

* difficulty attain that verdure which the humidity

* of our clime beftows as the ground- work of our

* improvements. As great an obftacle in France

* is the embargo laid on the growth of their trees,

^ R a *As,

^44 kuRAL Ornament.

'As, after a certain age, when they would rife to
' bi'Ikj they are liable to be marked by the crown's
' fiirveyors as foyal timber, it is a curiofity to fee

* all old tre(\ A landfcape and a crown-furveyor

* are incompatible.'

DIVISION*

Principles. 245

DIVISION THE SECOND.
PRINCIPLES OF THE RURAL ART.

section the first.
General Principles.

ARTS, merely imitative, have but one prin-
ciple to work by, the nature^ or a£lual
ilate, of the thing to be imitated. In works of
defign and invention, another principle takes the
lead, which is tafte. And in every work, in which
mental gratification is not the only objed, a third
principle ariles, iitiliiy, or the concurrent purpofe
for which the produflion is intended.

The Rural Art is fubjed to thefe three prin-
ciples : to nature, as being an imitative art -, to
utility, as being produdlive of objedts, which are
ufeful, as well as ornamental j and to tafte, in the;
choice of fit objecls to be imitated, and of fit pur-
R 3 pofe*

246 Rural Ornament.

pofes to be purfued ; as alfo in the compofition of
the feveral obje6ls and ends propofed, fo as to pror
duce the degree of gratification and ufe, bed fuited
to the place, and to the purpofe for which it is
about to be ornamented : thus, a Hunting Box
and a Summer Villa,— an Ornamented Cottage and
a Manflon, require a different Jfyle of ornament, a.
different choke of objedls, a different tajie. Nor
can tafte be confined to nature and utility, — the
place and the purpofe, alone -, the objed of the
Polite Arts is the gratification of the human mind,
and the ftate of refinement, of the mind icfelf,
muft be confidered. Men's notions vary, not only
in different ages, but individually in the fame age :
vvhat would have gratified mankind, a century ago,
in this country, will not pleafe them nowj while
the Country Squire and the Fine Qentleman of
the prefent day require a different kind of gratifi-
cation : neverthelefs, under thefe various circum-
ftances, every thing pay be natural^ and every
thing adapted to the place \ the degree of refinement
conflituting the principal difference.

We do not mean to enter into any argument,
about whether a ftate of rufticity, or a (late of fe-
fihement, whether the forefl, or the city, be the
ftace for which the Author of Nature intended the
human fpecies : mankind are now found in every
ftate, and in every ftage of favagenefs, rufticity^,

civ ill-

Principles. 247

civilization, and refinemciit ; and the particular
llyle of ornament we wifli to recommend is, that
■which is beft adapted to the ftate of refinement
that now prevails in this country ; leaving indi-
viduals to vary it> as their own peculiar tafles may
diredl.

Before we proceed farther, it may be neceflary
to explain what it is we mean, by nature^ and natural.
If, in the idea of natural ft ale ^ we include ground^
'ujater^ and 'Wicdy no fpot in this ifland can be faid
to be in 2. ft ate of nature. The ground, or the fur-
face of the earth, as left by Nature (or the con^
vulfions of Nature), remains, it is true, v/ith but
few alteranons ; yet, even here, (efpeciaily among
rocks and fteep acclivities, the nobleft features in
the face of Nature), we frequently find the hand of
Art has been at work. Again, though rivers may
ilill run in the channels, or nearly in the channels,
into which Nature direfled them ; yet 'ix'j/d'rj, taken
generally, have been greatly controuled by human,
art. And, with refpeft to wood:, we may venture
to fay, that there is not a tree, perhaps not a bufli,
now ftanding upon the face of the country, which
owes its identical ftate of exiftence to Nature alone,
Wherever cultivation has fet its foot, — wherever
the plow and fpade have laid fallow the foil, — Na-
ture is become extinft ; and it is in neglefbed or
lefs cultivated places, in moraffes and mountains, in
R 4 forefts

^4? Rural O k n amei^t,

forefts and parochial waftcs, we are to feck for
anything near a ftatc of Nature ;— we mean i,ii this
country. And who \vould look for the fcandard of
tafte, whp expefl to find the lovely mixture of wood
and lawn, fo delightful to the human eye, in the
endlels v/ocdi of America ? We may therefore
conclude, that the objedts of our imitation are not
to be fought for in uncultivated Nature. The
inhofpitable heaths of W eftmoreland may als-onifh
for the moment^ may be the pleafmg amjafl ment
of a fummer's day, and agreeable objects in their
places 3 but are they chjecls of imitatkn under the
window of a drawing room. ? Rr.ther let us turn
our eyes to well foiled, well wooded, v.ell culti-
vated fpots, where Nature and Art are hiappily
blended i leaving thofe who are admirers of Art,
merely imitative, to contemplate Nature on
canvas ; and thofe who wilb for Nature, in a ftate
of total neglefV, to take up their refidence in the.
A^oods of America,

Far be it from us to, rebel againfi: the J,aws of
Nature, or to queflion, in any wife, the perfeftion,
of the Deity. A ftatc of nature, in the eye of
Omnifcience, is undoubtedly a.ilace of perfedion.
But, in the littlensfs of humain cohCcpdoD, fome-
thing is wan.ced, to bring dov.n natural objects ta
the level of human cornprehej.ficn. What cbjefl;
in nature is in a ftate of human ■perfe^lion ? Even

HI

Principles. 549

in the fineft woman, a female critic will difcover
faults : and, in the ha[V.lfomeft horfc, a buyer will
point out what, in the numan eye, appear as imper-
feBions. Did ever a landfcape painter find a
fcene, purely natural, which might not have been
improved by the hand of Art, or which he did
not afbually improve by a ilroke of his pencil ?
A ft: ikir.g feature may ibmctimes be caught, where
little addition is wanted ] but in a rich pi6turable
view, which will bear to be placed repeatedly un-
der the eye, a portion of lawn is requifite *, and,
in the wilds of nature, we know of no fuch thing.

There-

* Mr. Gray, vvhofe letters to Dr. Warton, dcfcribing
the natural fcenery of the North of England, have been acid
out as models of their kind, corroboi-ates our idea.

* Juft beyond this, opens one of the fvveeteft landfcapes that

* art «.ver attempted to imitate. The bofom of the mountain

* fpreading here into- a broad bafon, dii'covers in the midft

* Grafmere Water : its margici is hollowed into fmall bays,

* with bold eminences, fon;e of rock, fome of jh/t turf, that

* half conceal and vary the figure- of the little lake thev com-

* mand : from the fnore a low promontory puihes itfelf far into

* the water, and on it Hands a white village, with the parilh-

* church riling in the midit of it : hanging inclofures, corn-
*, fields, and meado-ixis green as emerald, with their trees, and

* hedges, «.nd cattle, fill up the whole fpace from the edge of

* the water ; and juft oppofue to you is a large farm-houfe, at

* the bottom of a fteepy/«oo/^ /rtiu;«,embofomedin old woods,

* which ciimb half v.ay up die mountain fide, and difcover

' aboi's

t5o Rural Ornament.

Therefore, our idcz of f:aturalj Is not confined
to }iegle<^ed nature J but extends to cultivated nature,
to nature touched by art, and rendered intelligible
to human perception : and we venture to recom-
mend, as objecfts mofh worthy the ftudy and imi-
tation of the artifbs, fuch pajfages in nature^ as give
the highefl degree of gratification to cultivated
minds in general : paiTages like the following —
no matter whether produced by accident or d£/ign — •
no matter whether it occur in a foreft or a park —
or whether it occupy the corner of a common, or
fill up a confpicuous quarter of an ornamental
ground: — a lofty wood hanging on a bold afcent j
its bfoken margin flowing negligendy over the
bofomof the valley, lying broad and bare beneath,
and falling gently \o the brink of a river, winding

gracefully along the bafe. We further beg

leave to add, in this place, that if a pafiage like
this — efpecially if the vale be occupied by cattle,
and the whole fcene enlivened by/ the pre fence of
the fun, and animated by the fleeting fliadows of
clouds, fweeping its varied Iqrface— is incapable
of conveying a degree of gratification to the mind

of

* above them a broken line of crags, that crown the fcerie.
' Not a i!nc:;le red tile, no flareing Gentleman's houfe, or gar-

* den wall-, break in upon the repofe of this little unfufpeded
' paradiie j but all is peace, ruihcity, and happy poverty^ in

* its neateftj moft becoming attire.'

Grnfs Letters to Dr. Warton, p. 1 8 1 =

Principles. 251

of any of our readers, we have no hope of enter-
taining fuch a mind, in this part of our per-
formance.

SECTION THE SECOND.

THE SITE.

BY the Site we mean, not only the place itfelC
but likewife fo much of the Jiirrounding country as
may fall immediately within the view, and unite
with the near grounds,

If the place be already fuited to the furrounding
country, and to the particular purpofe for which
jt is intended, the afTiftance of art is not wanted,
die bufmefs of the artift is precluded. If it be
marly in this flate, the touchings of art are only
required. But if the place be greatly deficient,
as places In general are, then it is the duty of the
artifl " to fupply its defeds, to correfl its faults,
and to improve its beauties,"

Every place confifcs either o{ ground alone, or
of ground and water, or of ground and wood, or of
ground, water, and wood,

SECTION

^5? Rural Ornament.

SECTION THE THIRD.

GROUND.

BY Ground, is mCfint, that portion of furfacej,
which is inciuoct! v^ichin the place to be improved i
whether that fuirace be jwampy lazvn^ roughety
hjrcken grcundy or rock ; and whether it be a bii'I^ a
Vi-ikvy a^/V/z;?, or a compolition oifuudlsj dips, and

Mr. Gilpin, in his excellent Oljervations on-
tt?e IVyCy (Jc. (page 62) gives a fublime defcription
of what ground ought to be.— r" No.thing," fays
he, " gives lb juft an idea of the beautitul Iweilings
of grouiidj as thofe of water, where it has fuiHcient
rpom to undulate rjid expand. In giound winch
is compofed of very refradory in,atc rials, you are
prelcnted often with harfb lines, angular infertions,
and difagreeable abruptnelTes. In w.iter, whether
in gentle or in agitatq^ motion, all is eafy, all is
f)ftcned into kilM' -, and the hills and the vallies
pj.iy into each other, in a variety of the mofl:
beautiful forms. In agitated water, abruptnefles
i,ndecd there are, but yet they are fuch abrupt-

nefies

Pri^jciples. 15J

neftes as, in fome part or other, unite properly
with the fiirface around them ; and are on the
whole peculiarly harmonious. Now, if the ocean
in any of thefe jfwellings and agitations coiihi be
arrefted and fixed, it would produce that pleafing
variety, which we admire in ground. Hence, it
is common to fetch our images from water, and
apply them to land : we talk of an undulating
line, a playing lawn, and a billowy furface -, and
give a much ftronger and more adequate idea by
fuch imagery, than plain language could poffibly
prefent."

The exertions of aft, however, are here inade-
quate, and the artiil ought not to attempt to create
a mountainj a valley, or a plain ; and fhould but
rarely meddle, even with the fmaller inequalities
of grounds. The rock Hands equally above the
reach of human art, and to attempt to make or
unmake it is abfurd. Rough ets and broken grcimd
may generally be reduced to lawn, or hid with
wood i and a Jwamp may be drained, or covered
with water ; while la-xm may be varied, at pka-
fure, with wood, and fometimes with water.

SECTIOZ.-

254 Rural Ornament.

SECTION THE FOURTH,

WATER.

THIS is either Jea, lake, pocli rivers rivulef^ of
ill.

rill.

A BROAD lake and k copious river are too gfcat
for human art to cope with : neverthelefs, the mar-
gin, and the bank, may be ornamented, and die
furface of the water difclofed to advantage. Rivu-
lets are often in themfelves delightful, and, where
broad waters are wanted, may be turned to great
advantage by art. Stowe * affords a proof of what
may be accomplifhed even with a rill. If the bale
of the valley be broad, a lake may be formed s if
narrow, a river.

In countries where natural waters abound, art
may improve, but ihould not attempt to create :
but in places naturally deficient in water, the artiit-
may frequently call forth the creative powers with

fuccefs.

* Stowe, the feat of the Marquis of Bvckincham, In
Buckinghamfhire.

Principles. 255

fuccefs. In any fituation, however, art muft mif-
carry, if Nature has not furnillied a fufficient fup-
ply of materials : ccnfined Jiagnant pools are always
difgufting : Jiews, indeed, may often be necelTary ;
but, like the kitchen garden, they ought not to be

SECTION THE FIFTH.

WOOD.

OVER this element of the rural art the power
of the artift is abfolute ; he can increafe or diminifli
at pleafure : if the place be over-wooded, he can
lighten it with lawn, or with water : if too naked,
he can fupply the deliciency by Planting.

In forming ornamental Plantations, two
things are to be confidered, xh.t /pedes of plantation,
and thc/pecies of tree.

The different fpecies of plantation are the Woody
the Grove, the Coppice or Ihitket, the Border or
Skreen, the Majs Clump or Tuft, the Group, and the
Single Tree,

Woods,

Q-S^ Rural ORtJAME^it,

Woods, Groves, and extenfiva Thickets, arc
more particularly adapted to the fides of hills, and
elevated fituations : detached MnffeSj Groups, and
Single Trees, to the lower grounds. A iiaked hill
gives art idea of bleaknefs ; as a valley filled with
wood does that of danknefs. The Shrubery de-
pends more on the given accompaniments, than
on its own natural fituation.

Much depends upon the difpofition of the fe-
Veral didincl woodineffes (whether accidental or
deiigned) with refped to each other ; and much
alfo on the relpeclive outlines, particularly thofe
of the larger kind. The Atmofphere and the
Earth are equally bountiful, in affording the rural
artift fit fubjeCls for ftudy. 'The margins of feas
and lakes give us, hi ihe'w bays and promontories,
an ample choice of outline ; while the blue ex-
panfe, fcattered with fummer's clouds, difcovefi
infinite variety, both of figure and difpofition.

In the choice of trees, four tlyngs are oblervable :
the height J the fcrnjy the ccloury and the iife. Tbh
is more cffential to a good choice, than may ap-
pear at firft Gght J nothijig heightens the idea of
ornament, efpecially in the eye of the owner, more
than utility ; nor, on the contrary, does any thing
tend to throw a damp on the gratification, more
than does the worthk-ffnefs of the objedl before us.

Imme^

Principles. 257

Immediately under the eye, the gaudy Shrub, and
the ornamental though ufelefs Exotic, may be ad-
mitted ; but for more diftant objeds, arid irt lefs
cmbellifhed fituations, the Timber tree ought to
prevail. We fhould endeavour to make fuch a
choice, as will gratify the prefent age, and benefit
the futurd.

In mixing trees, there Is, In refpe^t oC heigh f, a
general rule : the tailed Ihould be made to occupy
the central parts, defcending gradually to the
Margin : but, with rcfpe6l to colour, all precept,
perhaps, would be vague -, the tints ought to be
^s wild and various as the evening fky, tinged by
the fctting fun.

For farther remarks on this fubjedl, (ec the
l^llowing Minutes in Practici.

SECTION THE SIXTI^,

NATURAL ACCOMPANIMENTS.

THE moft judicious mixture of wood and
lawn appears dull and unintere.ting, when unac-
companied by animated nature. Whatlprighciinefs

Vol. I. S and

258 Rural Ornament.

and elegance are added to the plain, in the playful
attitudes and racings of the horfe -, — and how much
additional grandeur the vale receives in the feat-
tered herd !— How ftrikingly beaudful the bofom
of a hill enlivened by the pafturing flock !— .What
gaiety is given to park fcenery, in the airy aftion
of the fawn J — and how peculiarly delightful the
fequeftered lawn, while the hare is prefent ! Even
the fquirrel gives a chearfulnefs to the grove :
while the plumy tribes difperfe an agreeable ani-
jnation through the whole fcene.

SECTION THE SEVENTH^

FACTITIOUS ACCOMPANIMENTS. "

UNDER this head, we arrange Fences j Walks^
Roadsy Bridges, Seats, and Buildings,

Tnr Fence, where the place is large, becomes
neceflary j yet the eye diflikes conftraint. Our
ideas of liberty carry us beyond our own Ipecies :
the imao-ination feels a diflike in feeing even the
brute creation in a ftate of confinement. Befide,

a. tall

Principles. 259

a tall fence frequently hides, from the fight, objects
the mod pleafmg j not only the flocks an4 herds
themfelves, but the furface they graze upon.
Thefe confiderations have brought the unjeen fence
into general ufe.

This fpecies of barrier, it mufl: be allowed, in^
curs a degree of deception, which can fcarcely be
warranted, upon any other occafion. In this in-
ftance, however, it is a fpecies of fraud which we
obferve in nature's pra(5lice : how often have we
feen two diftincl herds feeding, to appearance, in
the fame extended meadow j until coming abruptly
upon a deep-funk rivulet, or an unfordable river,
wc difcover the deception*

Besides the /unk fence, another fort of unfeen
barrier may be made, though by no means equal
to thai i efpecially if near the eye. This is con-
ftrudled of paling, painted of the imnftble green.
If the colour of the back ground were permanent,
and that of the paint made exaclly to correfpond
with it, the deception would, at a diftance, be com-
plete ; but backgrounds, in general, changing
with the feafon, this kind of fence is the lef«
eligible.

Masses and Tufts of woodinefs, fcattered pro-

tnifcuoufly on either fide of an unfeen winding

S 2 fence,

t66 Rural Orwambnt*

ffcncc, afTift very much in doing away the idea or
conftraint. Fpr by this means

The wand'ring flocks that broufc between the (hades.
Seem oft to pafs their bounds, the dubious eye
Decides not if they crop the mead or lawn.

MASfON.

Tut Walk, in cxtenfive grounds, is as ncccf*-
fery as the Fence. The beauties of the place arc
difclofed that they may be feen ; and it is the office
of the walk to lead the eye from view to view ; ift
order that, while the tone of health is preferved,
by the favourite cxercife of nature, the mind may
be thrown into unifon, by the harmony of the fur-
rounding objects.

The direclion of the walk ought to be guided
by the points of view to which it leads, and the
nature of the ground it pafTes over : it ought to be
made fubfervient to the natural impediments—
the Ground, Wood, and Water — which fall in its
way, without appearing to have any diredlion of
its own. It can feldom, with propriety, run any
diftanccjin a ftraight line ; a thing which rarely occur*
in a natural walk. The paths of the Negroes, and
the Indians, are always crooked j and thofe of the
brute creation are very fimilar. Mr. Mafon's de-
fcription of this Path of Nature is happily conceived*

The peafant driving through each ftiadowy lane
His team, that bends beneath th' incumbent weight

Of

PaiNCiPLis. ait

Of laughing Ceres, marks it with his wheel ;

At night and morn, the milk-maiJ's carclefs ftep

Has, thro' yon pallure green, from ftile to ftile

Impreft a kindred curve ; the fcudding hare

Praws to her dew-fprent feat, o'er thymy heaths,

A path as gently waving. - ■ Eng.Gard. v. 60,

The Road may be a tiling of necefTicy, as an
approach to the manfion, or a matter of amufe-
ment only, as a drive or a ridej from which the
grounds, and the furrounding country, may be feen
to advantage. It fhould be the ftudy of the artifl
to make the fame road anfwer, as far as may be,
the two-fold purpofe.

Thi Road and the Walk arc fubjecl to the fame
rule q( Nature and UJe, The direction ought to be
natural and eafy, and adapted to the purpofe in-
tended. A Road of neceffiry ought to be flraighter
than one of mere conveniency : in this, recreation
is the predominant idea; in that, utility. But,
even in this, the dired line may be difpenfed with.
The natural roads upon heaths and open downs,
and the grafiy glades and green roads acrofs forefU
and extenfivc wafles, are proper fubjeds to be
ftudied.

The Bridge fhould never be feen where it is
not wanted : a ufelefs bridge is a deception j de-
ceptions are frauds ; and fraud is always hateful ;
3 3 unlefi

^6'2 Rural Ornament.

unlefs when praftlfed to avert fome greater evil,
A bridge without water is an abfurdity ; and
half a one fiuck up as an eye -trap is a paltry
trick, which, though it may ftrike the flranger,
cannot fail of difgufting, when the fraud is found
out.

• ■ '

- In low fituations, and wherever water abounds,
bridges become u/efulj and are therefore pleajtng
chje^fs : they are looked for, and ought to appear ;
not as objeds of ornament only, but likewife as
matters of utility. The walk or the road, there-
fore, ought to be directed in fuch a manner, as to
crofs the water, at the point in which the bridge
will appear to the greateft advantage.

In the conftru<5tion of bridges, alfo, regard mufl
be had to ornament and utility. A bridge is an
artificial production, and as fuch it ought to appear.
It ranks among the nobleft of human inventions :
the iliip and the fortrefs alone excel it. Simplicity
and firmnefs are the leading principles in its con-
ftru6lion. Mr. Wheatley's obfervation is juft when
he fays, *' The fingle wooden arch, now much in
fafhion, feems to me generally mifapplied. Eler^
vated without occafion fo much above, it is totally
detached from the river ; it is often feen ftraddling
in the air, without a glimpfe of water to account
for it i and the oflentadon of it, as an ornamental

pbjeftj,

Principles. q,6x

object, diverts all that train of ideas, which its ufe,
as a communication, might fuggeft." {0^/. on
Mod. Gard. 73.) But we beg leave to differ from
this ingenious Writer when he tells us, that it is
" Ipoiledj if adorned j it is disfigured, if only-
painted of any other than a dufky colour." In a
ruftic fcene, where Nature wears her own coarfe
garb, " the vulgar foot bridge of planks only,
guarded on one hand by a common rail, and fup-
ported by a few ordinary piles," may be in cha-
rafler ; but amidft a dilplay of ornamented Nature,
a contrivance of that kind would appear mean and
paltry ; and would be an affe6lation of fimplicity,
rather than the lovely attribute itfelf. In cultivated
fcenes, the bridge ought to receive the ornaments
which the laws of architedural tafte allow j and
the more polilhed the fituation, the higher Ihould
be the ftyle and finilbings,

Seats have a two-fold ufe j they are ufeful as
places of reft and converfation, and as guides to
the points of view, in which the beauties of the fur-
rounding fcene are difclofed. Every point of view
fliould be marked with a feat, and, fpeaking ge-
nerally, no feat ought to appear, but in fome
favourable point of view. This rule may not
be invariable, but it ought feldom to be deviate^
frorn.

In

164 EuHAL Ornament.

In the ruder fcenes of negleded Nature, the
fimple trunk, rough ffom the woodman's hands,
and the butts or ftoois of rooted trees, without any
other marks of tools upon them, than th^ofe of the
faw which fevered them from their ftems, are feats
in character ; and, in romantic or reclufc fituations,
the cave or the grotto are admilTible. But where-
cver human defign has been executed, upon the
natural objecbsc of the place, the feat and every
other artificial accompaniment ought to be in
pnifon ; and whether the bench or the alcove be
chofcn, it ought to be formed and finifhed, in fuch
a- manner, as to unite with the wppd, the lawn, and
the walk, which lie round it.

The colour of feats fhould likewife be fuitcd to
lituations : where uncultivated Nature prevails, the
natural brown of the wood itfelf ought not to be
altered ; but, where the rural art prefidcs, white, or
ftone colour, has a much better effed.

Buildings may be admitted into ornamented
Nature ; provided they be at once ufcful and or-
namental. Mere ornament without ufe, and mere
ufe without ornament, are equally inadmiflible.
Nor fhould their ulcs be difguifed i a barn drelled
up in the habit of a country church, or a farm-
houle figuring away in the ficrcenefs of a caftle,
are ridiculous deceptions. A landfcape daubed

upon

Principles. afi5

upon a board, and a painted flecple fluck up in x
wood, are beneath cenfure.

There is another fpecies of ufelcfs ornament,
ftill more ofFenfive, becaufe more coftly, than thofc
comparatively innocent eye-traps ; we mean
Temples. Whether they be dedicated to Bac-
chus, Venus, Priapus, or any other genius of de-
bauchery, they are, in this age, enlightened with
regard to theological and fcicntihc knov/iedge,
equally abfurd.

Wi are far, however, from wifiiing to exclude
architedbure from ornamented Nature. We wiiH
to fee it exercifed, in all its beauty and fublimity,
upon a CHAPEL *, a mausoleum f , a monument J;,
—fcattered judicioufly among the natural orna-

mciiti :

.• Tiie late Sir William Harbord, whofc tafle and jiidge-
znent, upon every occafion, diicovtred a goodnels o. iieart
and a greatnefs of charadter, has given us a niCUci ut Uas kind,
4t Gunton, in Norfolk. The pariOi cnurcii handing in nis
park, and being an old unfigiitly building, he had it taken
down, and a beautiftd temple ^ under the direciion of tne Adarus'>
ereded upon its fite.

f The maufoleum at Caftle-Howard, in Yorkftiirc,, the feat
pf the £arl of Carlifle, is a noble building.

X The temple of Concord and Vidlory at Stowe, erected to
the memory of the great Lord Chatham; i^ a beauiimi mouu*
tnental buildinj^

*>

^6 Rural Orname n t.

ments : not too open or confpicuous, to gi^c them
the air of principals j nor too reclufe, to lofe their
full cRcd:, as fubordinate parts of the whole.

In extenfive grounds. Retreats, more cipe-
cially in the remoter parts, are in a degree requi-,
iite ; and, if they bc/eeny they ought to harmonize
with the views in which they appear; and, of
courfe, the more politlied the fcene, the more or-
rjamental iliould be the Retreat, — whether it be
the Roomj the Portico^ or the more fimple

In fcenes lefs ornamented, buildings of an eco-«
nomical nature may appear, with good effe(5t. Sir
George Warren, at his feat near Fetcham in Surrey,
has turned a temple into a windmill, with great-
fiiccefs. What was before a ufelefs pile of mafonry,
now {lands an emblem of aiSlivity and induftry.
Under the heads of large artificial lakes, water
mills may generally be ered:ed, and with good
effcd. A corn mill, under proper regulations,
and honed management, were ever a blefilng to the
poor in its neighbourhood. Subftantial farm-
houfes, and neat comfortable cottages, fcattered
at a proper diflance, are always pleafing objedls.
The retreat ani tlse porter's lodge, being more'
fufceptible of ornament, may be permitted nearer
the eye.

DIVISION

ApPLICATlO>f. 2,67

DIVISION THE THIRD.
APPLICATION OF THE RURAL ART,

SECTION THE FIRST,

GENERAL APPLICATION.

HAVING thus enumerated the elements, and
fet forth the leading principles of the art, we
now proceed to the execution.

We beg leave to preface this part of our per-
formance with apprizing our Readers, that all which
ean be written upon this delightful art, muft be
more or lefs general. — All that Jcience can do, is
to give a comprehenfive vicju of the Juhjetl ; and all
i^2X'precep Ihould attempt, is to lay down general
rules of praftice. The nature of the place itlelf— ^f
and the purpofe for which it is about to be im-
proved, muft ever determine die particular appli-
cation.

268 Rural O r n a m e n t^

cation. It follows, that a gentleinan who, from
long refidence, is fully acquainted with the former,
and whofe will is a rule to the latter, is the pro-
pereft perfon to improve his own place -, — pro-
vided he be intimately acquainted with the Art—*
as well as with the -place and the purpofe : the three
are equally and eircntially neceflary to be under-
ilood. It would be as great an impropriety, in ^
gentleman, to fet about the execution of a work of
this nature, upon a large fcale, before he had ac-
quired a comprehenfi-vc knowledge of the fubjed:,
ftudied its leading principle from Nature, made
ample obfcrvation upon places already ornamented,
and had eftablifhed his theory by fome a(ftual
praftice, at leiift upon a fmall fcale, — as it would
be, in a profefTional artift, to hazard his own repu-
tation, and rifque the property of his employe r»
before he had ftudied, maturely, the nature of the
place, and had been made fully fenfiblc of the in-
tentions of its owner.

The nature and ftyle of improvement, — tht^
purpofe J— dcpei\ds entirely upon the intention and
tafte of the proprietor, and is, confequently, as va-
rious, as the nature of places themfclves : ncver-
thelefs, improvements in general may be claflcd
under the following heads :
The Hunting Box,
The Ornamented CoTTACKj,

The

Application, 265

The Villa, and

The Principal Residence.

feuT, before we enter upon the detail, it will be
proper to make feme general obfervations.

It is unneceflary to repeat, that wherever Nature,
or accident, has already adapted the place to the
intended purpofe, the afllftance of Art is precluded :
but wherever Nature is improveable, Art has an
undoubted right to Hep in, and make the requifitc
improvement. The diamond, in its natural ftate,
h improveable by art.

In the lower clalTes of rural improvements. Art
fhould be feen as little as may be ; and, in the more
negligent fcenes of Nature, every thing ought to
appear, as if it had been done by the general laws
of Nature,or had grown out of a leri«s of fortuitous
circumftances. But, in the higher departments^
Art cannot be hid j and the appearance of defign
ought not to be excluded. A human produflion
cannot be made perfeclly natural ; and, held out
as fuch, it becomes an impofition. Our art lies iri
endeavouring to adapt the produdlions of Nature.
to human tafte and perception ; and, if much art
be ufed, let us not attempt to hide it. Who con-
fiders an accomplifhed well drefied woman as in a
ftate of Nature ? and who, feeing a beautiful ground

adorned

^jo Rural Ornament.

adorned with wood and lawn, with water, bridgeSji
and buildings, believes it to be a natural pro-
dudion ? Art feldom fails to pleafe when executed
in a mafterly manner : nay, it is frequently the
defign and execution, more than the produdlion
itfelf, that ftrikes us. It is the artifice^ not the
deftgny which ought to be avoided. It is the labour^
and not the art, which ought to be concealed. A
well written poem would be read with lefs pleafure,
if we knew the painful exertions it gave rife to in
the compofidon ; and the rural artift ought, upon
every occafion, to endeavour to avoid labour i or,
if indifpenfably neceflary, to conceal it. No trace
fhould be left to lead back the mind to the ex-
^enfive toil, A mound raifed, a mountain levelled,
or a ufelefs temple built, convey to the mind feel-
ings equally difgufling.

But though the aids of Art are as eflential to
Rural Ornament, as education is to manners ; yet
Art may do too much : fhe ought to be confidered
as the handmaid, not as the miftrefs, of Nature :
and whether fhe be employed in carving a tree
into the figure of an animal, or in fhaping a view
into the form of a ptlure^ flie is equally culpable.-
The nature of the place is facred. Should this
rend to landJcapCy from fome principal point of
view, afilft Nature, and perfeil it i provided this'
can be dooe without injuring the views from othef

points.

Application. 271

points. But do not disfigure the natural features
of the place j — do not facrifice its native beauties
to the arbitrary laws of landfcape painting.

Great Nature fcorns controul j Ihe will not bear

One beauty foreign to the fpot or foil

She givei thee to adorn : 'Tis thine alone

To mend, not change her features. Mason,

In a piflure bounded by its frame, a perfcd
landfcape is looked for: it is of itfelfa "juhcle, and
the frame muft be filled. But it is not fo in orna-
mented Nature : for, if a fide-fcreen be wanting,
the eye is not offended with the frame, or the wain-
fcot ; but has always fome natural, and often pleafing
obje6t to receive it. Suppofc a room to be hung
with one continued rural rcprefentation, — would
dijlin£l p^lures be expedled ? would corre<5t land-
fcapes be looked for ? Nature fcarcely knows the
thing mankind call a landfcape. . The landfcape
painter feldom, if ever, finds it perfcfted to his
hands j — fome addition or alteration is almoil al-
ways wanted. Every man, who has made his ob-
fervations upon natural fcenery, knows that the
Mirietoe of the Oak occurs almoft as often as a per-
fectly natural landfcape ; and to attempt to make
up artificial landfcape, upon every occafion, is un-
natural; and abfurd.

Ir

iyi Rural Ornament.

It is far from our intention to intimate any thing
the leaft difrefpedtiul to Inmifcape painting : let the
ingenious artift cull from Nature her chpiceft beau-
ties, and let him aflbciate them, in the rttaimer beft
fuited to his own fingle, and permanent point of
view : but do not let us carry his producftion back
again to Nature, and contradt her unbounded
bcaudes within the limits of a piflure frame. If^
indeed, the eye were fixed in one point, the trees
could be raifcd to their full height at command^
and the fun be made to ftand ftill, — the rural artift-
might work by the rules of lighf and Jhadcy and
compofe his landfcape by the painter's law. Bu^
while the fun continues to pour forth its light im-
partially, and the trees to rife with flow progrcflion,
it would be ridiculous to attempt it. Let him
rather feek out, imitate, and aflbciate, fuch stri-
king Passages in Nature, as are immediately
applicable to the place to be improved, without
regard to rules of landfcape, merely human j—
and let him.

in this and all

Be various, wild> and free, as Nature's felf." Mason^

Inftead of facriflcing the natural beauties of the
place to one formal landfcape, let every ftep dif-
clofe frefli charms unfought for. How ftrikingly
beautiful the changes formed by the iflands, and
their refpeclive mountains, in failing through the

Weft

Application. 0.73

Weft Indies! The eye does not catch the fame
view twice : the fcene is ever changing, ever de-
lightful.

We fhould not have offered our fentlments fo
freely upon landfcape, had not a French writer of
fome eminence *, in a work lately publilhed, laid
k down as an invariable rule^ that all ornamental
grounds fhould have a complete landfcape, to be
feen from fome part of the houfe j and to be made
from a perfpedive drawing, previoufly taken from
tlie window of the faloon, or the top of the manfion.
The work, in other refpedts, has, neverthelefs, great
merit, and is in fa£t an ingenious Effhy on Englijb
Gardening. The Frenchman's vanity, however,
will not fuffer him to make this acknowleds-ement :
no, it is neither ancient, nor modern, nor
Englifh, nor Chinefe ; and there is fome reafon to
fufpedt, that the Marquis holds out landfcape for
no other purpofe, than to endeavour to give his
wOrk the air of originality j for, in other refpe6ls,
it contains, in effecfl, what Wheatley and Mafon^
Kent and Brown, have previoufly taught and
pradtiled.

Vol. I. t NoTwlTH-

* The Marquis D'Ermenonville, friend of the celebrated
Rouffeau, Vho died at his houfe, and whofe remains were ds*
pofited in his grounds, at Ermenonville.

^74 Rural Ornament.

Notwithstanding, however, the nature of the
place ought not to be facrificed to the manfion ; —
the houfe mufl ever be allowed to be a principal
in the compofition. It ought to be confidered as
the center of the fyftem ; and the rays of art, like
thole of the fun, Ihould'grow fainter as they recede
from the center. The houfe itfelf being entirely a
work of art, its immediate environs fnould be highly
finifhed ; but as the diftance increafes, the appear-
ance of defign fhould gradually diminifii, until
Nature and fortuitoufnefs have full pofiefilon of
the fcene.

In general, the approach Hiould be to the back-
front, which, in fuitable fituacions, ought to lie
open to the park or pafture grounds. On the
fides more highly ornamented, a well kept gravel
walk may embrace the walls j to this the polifhed
lawn and fhrubery fucceed ; next, the grounds
clofely paftured ; and, laftly, the furrounding
country, which ought not to be confidered as out
of the artift's reach : for his art confids, not more
in decorating particular Ipots, than in endeavouring
to render the whole face of Nature delightful.

Another reafon for this mode of arrangement
is, objefbs immediately Under the eye are (^.tn more
diftindtly than thofe at a diftance, and ought to be
fuch as are pleafing in the detail. The beauties of

a flower

Application. 275

& flower can be difcerned on a near view^ only ;
while, at a diftance, a roughct of coppice wood,
and the mod elegant arrangement of flowering
fhrubs, have the fame effeft. The moft rational
entertainment, the human mind is capable of re-
ceiving, is that of obferving the operadons of
Nature. The foliation of a leaf, the blowing of
flowers, and the maturadon of fruit, are among the
moft delightful fubjefts that a contemplative mind
can be employed in. Thefe proceflTes of Nature
are flov/, and except the obje6t fall fpontaneoufly
under the eye of the obferver, the inconveniencies
of vifiting it in a remote part, fo far interfere with
the more important employments of life, as to
blunt, if not deftroy, the enjoyment. This is a
ftrong argument in favor of fhrubs and flowers
being planted under or near our windows, elpe-
cially thofe from whence they may be viev/ed
during the hours of leifure and tranquillity.

Further, the vegetable creation being fubje6l
to the animal, the fhrub may. be cropt, or the
flower trodden down, in its day of beauty. If,
therefore, we wifli to converfe with Nature in pri-
vate, intruders mufl be kept ofl^, — the fhrubery be
fevered from the ground ; — yet not in fuch a man-
ner as to drive away the pafturing ftock from our
fight. For this reafon, the poli(hed lawn ought
not to be too extcnfive, and the fence, which in-

T 2 clofcs

'XjS Rural ORNfAMENT.

clofes if, (hould be fuch, as will not interrupt the
view : But whether it htjeen or unjecn^jujpeiled or
imJuJpeSied^ is a matter of no great import : its
utility in protefting the fhrubs and flowers, — in
keeping the horns of cattle from the window, and
the feet of (hcep from the gravel and broken
gro\ind, — in preferving that neatnefs on the out-
fide, which ought fo correfpond with the finifhings
and furniture within, — render it of fufficient im-
portance, to become even a part of the ornament.

Before any Hep can be taken towards the exe-
cution of the defign, be it large or fmall, a map
or plan of the place, exaclly as it lies in its unim-
proved ftate, fhould be made ; with a corrcfpond-
ing fketch, to mark the intended improvements
upon. Not a hovel nor a twig fhould be touched,
until the artift has fludied maturely the natural
abilities of the place, and has decidedly fixed in
his mind, and finally fettled on his plan, the pro-
pofed alterations : and even then, let him *' dare
with caution."

There is a flrJking limilarity between a neg-
leded fcene in Nature, and a neglefted cottage
beauty j and the mode of improvement is, rn either
inflance, fimilar. If the face unwafhed, and un-
combed hair, be confidered as ornamental, — Art
is not wanted. If ruftic bloom and native fim-

plicity

Application. 277

pliclty be deemed more defirable, — ^wafh the face,
and comb the hair in flowing ringlets, and fuch
ornament will be had in its higheft perfe6lion. If
that elegance of carriage, and gracefulnefs of de-
portment, which flow from education and a refined
underftanding, be thought requifite, Art may be
employed in giving this grace and elegance -, for
thus far fhe may go with propriety. But, if flic
do more, flie does too much.

It would be needlefs to add, that Art may be
employed in concealing, or in doing away, the de-
formities of Nature. But, even in this, Ihe ought
to be cautioufly circumfpect : for, throughout,
there is more danger of doing too much, than too
little ; and nothing fliould ever be attempted,
which cannot be performed in a mafterly manner.

SECTION THE SECONR.

HUNTING BOX.

HERE, little is required of Art, Hunting may
be called the amufemcnt of Nature; and the place
appropriated to it ought to be no farther altered,
from its natural fl;ate, than decency and conve-

T 3 niency

i^-

278 Rural Ornament.

niency require : — With men who live in the pre-
fent age of refinement, " a want of decency is a
want of fenfe."

The flyle, throughout, fhould be majculim. If
Ihrubs be required, they fhould be of the hardier
forts J the Box, the Holly, the Lauruilinus. The
trees fhould be the Oak and the Beech, which give,
in Autumn, an agreeable variety of foliage, and an-
ticipate, as it were, the feafon of diverfion. A fuite
of paddocks fhould be feen from the houfe j and if
a view of difcant covers can be caught, the back-
ground will be compleat. The flable, the kennel,
and the leaping bar, are the fadlitious accompani-
ments; in the conflruflion of which fimplicity, fub-
fl:antialnefs, and conveniency, fhould prevail.

SECTION THE THIRD.

ORNAMENTED COTTAGE.

NEATNESS and fimplicity ought to mark the
ftyle of this rational retreat. Oftentation and fhow
fhould be cautiouily avoided ; even elegance fhould
not be attempted s though' it may not be hidj if it
cflcr itfelf ipontaneoufly.

Nothing,

Application. ^79

Nothing', however, fhoiild appear vulgar, nor
fliould fimplitity be pared down to baldnefs ;
every thing whimfical or expcnfive ought to be
ftudioufly avoided ; — ^^chaftenefs and frugality (hould
appear in evei-y part.

Near the houle, a ftiidied neatnejs may take
place J but, at a diitance, negligence fliould rather
be the characleriftic.

If a tafle for botany lead to a coUeftion of na-
tive fhrubs and flowers, a fhrubery will be requi-
fite ; but, in this, every thing fliould be native.
A gaudy exotic ought not to be admitted ; nor
fliould the lawn be kept clofe fliaven j its flowers
fliould be permitted to blow j and the herbage,
when mown, ought to be carried off, and applied
to fome ufeful purpofe.

In the artificial accompaniments, ornament fhould
be fubordinate ; utility muft prefide. The build-
ings, if any appear, fhould be thofe in adlual ufe in
rural economics. If the hovel be wanted, let it ap-
pear } and, as a fide fcreen, the barn and rick yard
are admiffible j while the dove houfe and poultry
yard may enter more freely into the compofition.

In fine, the Ornamented Cottage ought to

cjchibit cultivated Nature, in the firft flage of re-

T 4 finement.

28o Rural Ornament.

finement. It ranks next above the farm houfe,
The plain garb of rufticity may be fet off to ad-
vantage i but the ftudied ornaments of art ought
not to appear. That becoming neatnefs, and thofe
domeftic conveniencies, which render the rural life
agreeable to a cukivated mind, are all that Ihould
be aimed at.

SECTION THE FOURTH,

THE VILLA.

HERE, a ftyle very different from the pre-
ceding, ought to prevail : It ought to be elegant^
rich, or grandj according to the ftyle of the houfe
icfelf, and the ftate of the furrounding country ; the
principal bufinefs of the artiil being to connect
thefe two, in fuch a mamier, that the one (hall not
appear naked or flareing, nor the other defolate and
inhofpitable.

If the houfe be llatel)^, and the adjacent country
rich and highly cultivated, a fhrubery may in-
tervene, in which Art may ihew her utmoit fkill.
Jiere, the artiil may even be permitted to flay at

landjca^i :

Application. 281

land/cape : for a place of this kind being fuppofcd
to be fmall, the intention principally ornamental,
and the point of view, probably, confined fimply
to the houfe, fide fcreens may be formed, and near
grounds laid out, fuitable to the beft diftance that
can be caught.

If buildings, or other artificial ornaments, abound
in the offscape, fo as to mark it iLrongly, they
ought alfo to appear, more or lefs, in the near
grounds : if the diftance abound with wood, the near
grounds (hould be thickened, left baldnefs fhould
offend J if open and naked, elegance rather than,
richnefs ought to be ftudied, left heavinefs fhould
appear.

It is far from being any part of our plan to cavil
unneceiTarily at artifts, whether living or dead j
we cannot, however, refrain from exprefling a
concern for the almoft total neglect of the prin-
ciples here laid down, in the prevailing pradice of
^ late celebrated artift, in ornamentina the vicinas:es
of villas. We mention it the rather, as Mr. Brown
feems to have fel thefajhion, and we are forry to
find it copied by the inferior artifts of the day.
Without any regard to uniting the houfe with the
adjacent country, and, indeed, feemingly without
any regard whatever to the ofl^scape, one invariable
plan of embelliftiment prevails 5 namely, that of

ftrip-

c8 2 Rural Ornament.

ilrlpping the near ground, entirely naked, or almoH:
fo, and furrounding it with a wavy border of fhrubs,
and a gravel walk j leaving the area, whether large
or fmaD, one naked Iheet of greenfward.

In fmall confined fpots, this plan may be eli-
gible. We dillike thofc bolRered flower beds,
which abound in the fuburbs of the metropolis,
where the broken ground fomctimes exceeds the
lawn : neverthelefs, to our apprehenfion, a fimple
border, round a large unbroken lawn, only ferves
to fhew what more is wanted. Simplicity in gene-
ral is pleafing j but even fimplicity may be carried
to an extreme, fo as to convey no other idea than
that of poverty and baldnels. Belides, how often
do we fee in natural fcenery, the holly and the fox-
glove fiourifhing at the foot of an oak, and the
primrofc and the campion adding charms to the
hawthorn, fcattered over the paftured lawn ? And
we conceive that fingle trees, footed with ever-
greens and native flowers, and tufts, as well as
borders of ihrubs, are admiflible in ornamental^ ss
well as in natural fcenery.

The fpecies of flirub fhould vary with the inten-
tion. If the principal intention be a winter retreat,
evergreens, and the early-blov/ing fhrubs, fhould
predominate -, but, in a place to be frequented in
iiimmer and autumn, the deciduous tribes ought
fhiefly to be planted. section

Application. 283

SECTION THE FIFTH.

PRINCIPAL RESIDENCE.

HERE, the whole art centers. The artift has^
here, full fcope for a difplay of tafte and genius.
He has an extent of country under his eye, and
will endeavour to make the moft of what nature
and accident have fpread before him.

Round a Principal Refidence, a gentleman may
be fuppofed to have fome confiderable eftate, and ,
it is not a (hrubery and a ground only, which fall
under the confideration of the artift : he ought to
endeavour to difclofe to the view, either from the
houfe or forne other point, as much as he conve-
niently can of the adjacent eftate. The love of
poffefTion is deeply planted in every man's breaft ;
and places (hould bow to the gratification of their
owners. To curtail- the view by an ardficial fide
fcreen, or any other unnatural machinery, fo as to
deprive a man of the fatisfaclion of overlooking
his own eftate, is an abfurdity which no ardft ought
to be permitted to be guilty of. It is very dif-
ferent, however, where the property of another in-

(rudesi

284 Rural Ornament.

trudes upon the eye : Here, the view may, with
fome colour of propriety, be JDOunded by a woody
fpreen.

After what has been faid under the head Gene-,
RAL Application, little remains to be added, here.
Indeed, it would be in vzui to attempt to lay down
particular rules : different places are marked by
fets of features, as different from each other, as are
thofe of men's faces. Much muft be left to the
ikill and tafte of the artift j and let thofe be what
tliey may, nothing but mature ftudy of the natural
abilities of the particular place to be improved, can
render him equal to the execution, fo as to make
the mofl of the rnaterials that are placed before
him.

Some few general rules may, ncverthelefs, be laid
down. The approach ought to be conduced in
fuch a manner, that the flfiking features of the
place fhall burft upon the view at once : no trick,
however, fliould be made ufe of: all Ihould appear
to fall in naturally. In leading towards the houfe,
its dire6iion fhould not be full/ in front, nor exactly
at an angle, but fhould pafs obliquely upon the
houfc and its accompaniments -, fo that their pofition
v/ith refped to each other, as well as the perfpec-
tlve appearance of the ' houfe itfelf, may vary at
every ftcp : and, having fhewn th ; front, and the

prin-

Application. 285

principal wing, or other accompaniment, to ad-
vantage, the approach fhould wind to the back
front, which, as has been already obferved, ought
to lie open to the park or paftured grounds.

The improvements, and the rooms from which
they are to be feen, fhould be in unijon. Thus,
the view from the drawing room lliould be highly
embellifhed, to correfpond with the beauty and ele-
gance within : every thing, here, Ihould ht feminine
—elegant — beautiful — fuch as attunes the mind to
politenefs and lively converfation. The break-
fafting room Ihould have more mafculinc objefts
in view: v/ood, water, and an extended country
for the eye to roam over ; fuch as allures us, im-
perceptibly, to the ride or the chace. The eating
and banqueting rooms need no exiericr allure-
ments.

There is a harmony in tafle as in mufic :
variety, and even wildnefs upon fome occafions,
may be admitted ; but difcord cannot be allowed.
If, therefore, a place be fo circumftanced as to con-
fift of properties totally irreccncilcable, the parts
ought, if polTible, to be feparated in fuch a manner,
that, like the air and the recitative, the adagio and
the allegro, in mufic, they may fee off each other's
charms by the contrail.

DIVISION"

286 Rural Ornament t.

DIVISION THE FOURTH.
PRACTICAL REMARKS

ON

ORNAMENTED PLACES.

HAVING attempted, in the foregoing pages,
to lay down fome general principles of
the Rural Art, and having endeavoured to convey
fome general ideas, concerning the application
of theie principles, we now proceed to illuftrate
them farther, by fuch pra<5lical remarks as have
occurred to us, on examining the different places
which have more particularly engaged our attention.

SECTION THE FIRST.

P E R S JM E L D,

FORMERLY the featvof Mr. Morris, near
Chepflow, in Monraouthfhire, — a place upon

which

Rema-rks on Places. 2S7

which Nature has been peculiarly lavilTi of her
favors, and which has been fpoken of, by different
writers, in the moll flattering terms, — was our firft
place of fludy.

Persfield Is fituated upon the banks of the
river Wye, which divides Gloucefterfliire and
Monmouthfhire, and which was formerly the
boundary between England and Wales. The
general tendency of the river is from North to
South ; but, about Persfield, it dcfcribes, by its
winding courfe, the letter S, fomewhat comprefied,
fo as to reduce it in length, and increafe its width.
The grounds of Persfield are lifted high above the
bed of the river, fhelving (from the brink of a
lofty and fteep precipice), towards the South Weft.

The lower limb of the letter is filled with
Perfe-vjoodi which makes a part of Persfield; but
is, at prefent, an impenetrable thicket of coppice-
wood. This dips to the South Eafl, down to the
water's edge ; and, feen from the top of the oppo-
fite rock, has a good effed:.

The upper limb receiv^es the farms o^ Uanccfi
rich and highly cultivated : broken into inclo-
fures, and fcattered with groups and fingle trees :
two well looking farm houfes, in the center, and a
neat white chapel, on one fide : altogether, a lovely

little

il2t Rural Ornament.

little paradifaical fpot. The lowlinefs of its fitiid-
tion (lamps it with an air of meeknefs and humility y
and the natural barriers which furround it add that
of peacefulnefs and fecurity. Thefe picVurefque
farms do not form a low flat bottom, fubjeft to be
overflowed by the river 3 but take the form of at
gorget, rifing fullefl: in the middle, and falling, on
every fide, gently to the brink of the Wye ; except
on the Eaft fide, where the top of the gorget leans,
in an eafy manner, againft a range of perpendicular
rock ; as if to fliew its difl^, with advantage, to the
Walks of Persfleld.

This rock flretches acrofs v/hat may be called
the Ifthmus, leaving only a narrow pafs down into'
the fields of Llancot, and joins the principal range
of rocks at the lower bend of the river.

To the North, at the head of the letter, Hands an
immenfe rock (or rather a pile of immenfe rockj5
heaped one upon another), called Windcliff j the
top of which is elevated as much above the grounds
of Persfield, as thofe are above the fields of
Llancot*

These feveral tocks,. with the wooded precipices
gn the fide of Persfield, form a circular inclolure,-
about a mile in diameter, including Perfe-wood,-
Llancot, the Wye, and a fmall meadow, lying at
the foot of Windcliff. The

Remarks on Places. 289

The grounds are divided into the upper and
lower lawns *, by the approach to the lioule : a
fmall irregular building ; (landing near the brink
of the precipice ; but facing down the lower lawn :
a beautiful ground, falling ' precipitately every way

* into a valley which fhelves down in the middle /
and is fcattered with groups and fingle trees in an
excellent ityle.

The view from the houfc is foft, rich, and
beautifully picburable : — the lawn and woods of
Persfield, and the oppofite banks of the river :—
the Wye, near its mouth, winding through ' mea-

* dows gre^n as emerald,' in a manner peculiarly
graceful : — the Severn, here very broad, backed by
the wooded and highly cultivated hills of Glou-
cefterfhire, Wiltfhire, and Somerfetfhire. Not one
rock enters into the compofition : —The whole view
confifts of an elegant arrangement of lawn, wood,
and water.

The upper lawn is a lefs beautiful ground, and
the view from it, though it command the ' culti-

* vated hills and rich vallies of Monmouthfhire,*

Vol. I. U bounded

* Mr. Wheatley fays, the park contains about three hun-
tired acres : but we think the two lazvus cannot contain Co
much ; and if the hanging wood at the bottom of the lower
■lawHi with the face of the Precipice and Ferfe-wcod be added,
they contain a great deal more.

^9^ Rural Ornament.

bounded by the Severn, and backed by the
Mendip -hills, is much inferior to that from the
houfe.

To give variety to the views from Persfield, to
difclofe the native grandeur which furrounds it, and
to fet off its mod ftriking features to advantage,
walks have been cut through the v/oods, — and on the
face of the precipice, — which border the grounds to
the South and Eaft. The viewer enters thcfe
walks at the lower corner of the lower lawn.

The fird point of view is marked by an alcove,
from which are fcen the bridge and the tov.n of
Chepfiow, with its caftle fituated, in a remarkable
manner, en the very brink of a perpendicular rock,
wafhed by the Wye : and, beyond thefe, the Severn
fioews a fmall portion of its filvery furface*

Proceeding a little farther along the walk, a
view is caught, which the pencil might v/ell copy, as
a complete land fcape : The caftle, with the fer-
pentine part of the Wye below Chepftow, intermixed^
in a peculiar manner with the broad waters of the
Severn, form the middle gf-ound; which is backed by
diilant hills : the rocks, crowned with wood, lying
between the alcove and the cafde, to the right; and
Caftlehill farm, elevated upon the oppofite banks
of the river, to the left — form the fide fkreens.

Ihis

Remarks on Places. igi

This point is not marked, and muft frequently be
loft to the ftranger.

The grotto, fituated at the head of Perfe-wood,
commands a near view of the oppofite rocks : — ■
magnificent beyond defcription ! The littlenefs of
human art was never placed in a more humiliating
point of view : — the caftle of Chepftow, a noi^Ie
forire/s, is, compared with thefe natural bulwarks,
a mere houfe of cards.

Above the grotto, upon the ifthmus of tbe
Perfefield fide, is a fhrubery : — ftrangcly mif-
placed ! an unpardonable intrufion upon the native
grandeur of this fcene. Mr. GiLPik's obfervations
upon this — as they are upon moft occafions — are
juft. Fie fays, ' It is pity the ingenious Embellifher
' of thefe fcenes could not have been fatisfied with

* the great beauties of Nature which he com-

* manded. The fliruberies he has introduced in

* this part of his improvements, I fear will rather

* be efteemed paltry.' ' It is not the ftirub

* which offends : it is the formal introdu^ion of it.

* Wild underwood may be an appendage of the

* grandeft fcene : it is a beautiful appendage. A

* bed of violets or of lillics may enamel the ground

* with propriety at the foot of an oak ; but, if you
' introduce them artificially in a border, you intro-

* duce a trifling formality, and difgrace the noble

U 2 * objed

^^t Rural Ornament.

* objed you wilh to adorn.' — Gilpin otj tie Wye,
p. 42.*)

The walk notv leaves the wood, and opens upon
the lower lawn, until coming near the houfe it en-
ters the alarming precipice facing Llancot; wind-
ing along the face of it, in a manner which does
great honour to the artift. Sometimes the frag-
ments of rock, which fall in its way, are avoided,
at other times, partially removed, fo as to conduct
the path along a ledge carved out of the rock j
and in one infbancc, a huge fragment, of a fome- ,
what conical fhape, and many yards high, is per-
forated ; the path leading through its bafe. This
is a thought which will hand down, to future times,
the greatnefs of Mr. Morris's tafte : the defiffn
and the execution are equally great : not a mark
of a tool to be ^ttn j all appears perfectly natural.
The archway is made winding, fo that, on the ap-
proach, it appears to be the mouth of a cave ;
and, on a nearer view, the idea is flrengthened, by
an allowable deception j a black dark recefs, on;
the fide next the cliff, which, feen from the en-
trance before the perforation is difcovered, appears
to be the darkfome inlet into the body of the
cave.

From

* This ffirubery was not introduced, as a place of
vi2\v ; bitt merely as a pleafure-ground, or flower-garden.

Remarks on Places. 293

From this point, that vaft inclofure of rocks and
precipices, which marks the peculiar magnificence
of Persfleld, is feen to advantage. The area, con-
taining, in this point of view, the fields of Llancot
and the lower margin of Perfe-wood, is broken, in
a manner peculiarly pifturefque, by the graceful
winding of the Wye ; here wafhing a low grafify
fliore, and there fweeping at the feet of the rocks, —
which rife in fome places perpendicular from the
water : but in general they have a wooded offset at
the bafe 3 above which they rife to one, two, or
perhaps three or four hundred feet high ; expofmg
their ample fronts, filvered by age, and bearded with
ivy, growing out of the wrinkle-like feams and
fifTures. If one might be allowed to compare the
paltry performances of art with the magnificent
works of nature, we Ihould fay, that this inclofure
refembles a prodigious fortrefs, which has lain long
in ruins. It is, in reality, one of nature's flrong-
holds ', and, as fuch, has probably been frequently
made ufe of — Acrofs the ifthmus, on the Glou-
cefterfhire fide, there are the remains of a deep
intrenchment, called to this day the Bulwark ; and
tradition ftill teems with the extraordinary warlike
feats, that have been performed among this roman-
tic fcencry.

From the perforated rock, the walk leads down

tq the cold bath (a complete place), feated about

U 3 the

-9+ Rural Ornament.

the midway of the precipice, in this part lefs deep:
and, from the cold bath, a rough path winds down
to the meadow, by the fide of the Wye, from
whence the precipice, on the Persfield fide, is feen
with every advantage : the giant fragments, hung
with fhrubs and ivy, rife in a ghaftly manner, from
among the underwood, and fhew themfelves in all
their native favagenefs *.

From the cold bath upward, a coach road (very
fteep and dimcult) leads to the top of the cliff, at
the upper corner of the upper lawn. Near the top
of the road, is a point which commands one of the
moll pleafing views of Persfield. The Wye, fweep-
ing through a grafiy vale, which opens to the left :
Llancot, backed by its rocks, with the Severn im-
mediately behind them, appearing, in this point of
view, to be divided from the Wye, by only
a fharp ridge of rock, with a precipice on either
fide: and, behind the Severn, the vale and wooded
hills of Glouceflerihire.

From this place, a road leads to the top of Wind-
cliff — aftonifhing fight ! The face of nature pro-
bably

* There is another way down into this meadow : a kind of
winding ftaircafe, furrowed out of the face of the precipice,
behind the houfe, and leading down into a walk, made on the
fide of the river ; but being at prefent out of repair, the de-
fcent, this way, is rendered very difhcult, and fomewhat dan-
gerous.

l^EMARKS ON PlaCES. 295

bably affords not a more magnificent fcene ! Llan-
cot in all its grandeur -, the grounds of Persfield j
the caille and town of Chepftow ; the graceful
windings of the Wye below, and its conflux with
the Severn : to the left, the foreft of Dean : to the
right, the rich marfhes and pifturefque mountains
of South Wales : a broad view of the Severn,
opening its fea-like mouth i alfo the conflux of
the Avon, with merchant fliips at anchor in King-
road, and vefl!els of difi-erent defcriptions under
fail: Auft-ClixT, and the whole vale of Berkeley,
backed by the wooded fwells of Glouceflierfnire ;
the view terminating in clouds of difl:ant hills,
rifing one behind another, until the eye becomes
unable to diflinguifh the earth's billowy furface
from the clouds themfelves *.

Were we to fuggeft the farther improvement of
this place, it would be to feparate xh^Jiiblime from
the beautiful i fo that in viewing the one, the eye
might not fo much as fufpedl that the other was near.

Let the hanging walk be conduced entirely along
the precipices, or through the thickets, fo as to

U 4 dif-

* The waters of the Severn and Wye, being principals in
thfife views, and being fubjeifl to the ebbings and flowings of
the tide, which, at the bridge of Chepftow, rifes to the almofl
incredible height of forty or fifty feet ; it follows, that the
time of fpring tide and high water is the propereft time for
going over Persfield.

49^ Rural Ornament.

difclofe the natural fcenery, without once dilcover-
ing the lawn,, or any other acquired Ibfcneis. Let
the path be as rudt? as if trodden only by wild
beafts and favages, and the refling places, if any,
as ruftic as poflible.

Erase, entirely, the prefent fli ruber}", and lay
out another, as elegant as nature and art could ren-
der it, before the houle, fwelling it out into the
lawn, towards the ftables ; between which and the
kitchen garden make a narrow winding entrance.

Convert the upper lawn into a deer paddock,
fufFering it to run as wild, rough, and foreft-like, as
total neglio-ence would render it.

The viewerwould, then, be thus condufted : He
would enter the hanging ivalk by a fequeftered path,
at the lower corner of the lavv^n*, purfuing it through
the wood to beneath the grotto i and round the
head land, or winding through Perfc-wood, to the
perforated rock and the cold bath -, without once
conceiving an idea (if poflible) that art, or at
lead that much art, had been made ufe of, in
difclofmg the natural grandeur of the furround-
ing objefts ; which ought to appear as if they pre-

fented

* A young plantation, below the entrance into the lower
liwn, has been placed ai it were for tiwt parpofe.

Remarks on Places. 297

fented themfclves to his view, or at mofl:, as if
nothing was wanted, but his own penetration and
judgement, to find them out. The walk fhould,
therefore, be conduced in fuch a manner, that the
breaks might be natural, yet the points of view
obvious, or requiring nothing but a few blocks or
ftones to mark them. A ftranger, at leaft, wants
no feat here ; he is too eager, in the early part of
his walk, to think of lounging upon a bench.

From the cold bath he would afcend the Iteep,
near the top of which, a commodious bench or
benches might be placed : the fatigue of afcending
the hill would require a refting place ; and there are
few points, which afford a more pleafmg view than
this; it is grand, without being too broad and
glaring.

Fr.om thefe benches he would enter the forefi
part. Here the idea of Nature in her primitive
ftate would be ftrengthened : the roughnefles and
deer to the right, and the rocks in all their native
wildnefs to the left. Even Llancot might be fhut
out from the viev/, by the natural fl:irubery of the
cliff. The Lover's Leap, however (a tremen-
dous peep), might remain -, but no benches, nor
other work of art, fliould here be fcen. A natural
path, deviating near the brink of the precipice,
would bring the viewer down to the lower corner

of

2 9? Rural O r n a m £ n t.

of the park J where benclics flioiild be placed in a
happy point, ib as to give a full view of the rocks
nnd native wildnencs, and, at the fame time, hide
the farm lioufes, fiekls, and other acquired beauties
of Llancot.

Having fatiated himfelf with this favage fcene,
he would be led, by a ftili ruftic path, through the
labyrinth — when the fhrubery, the lawn, with all
its appendages, the graceful Wye and the broad
filver Severn, would break upon the eye, with
every advantage of ornamented nature: the tran^
fition could not fail to ilrike.

From this foft fcene, he would be fliewn to the
top of Windcliff, where, in one view, he would
unite the fublime and beautiful of Persfield.

SECTION THE SECOND.

STOW E.

THE next place we w:nt over, previoufly to
the compofition of the foregoing part of this work,
was Stowe, ne?.r Buckingham, the feat of Earl
Temple, now the Marquis of Buckingham :

a place

Remarks on Places. 2.99

a place which, on many accounts, claims an early
attention *.

Stowe is a creation of art; a contraft to Pers-
field. It was among the firlt places which were
formed on the principles of modern tafte j and
might be faid to give birth to the profession ; as
being the feminary in which the genius of the great
profeflional Artift, Brown, was unfolded.

Stowe is fituated in a cultivated country, with
a furface fomewhat billowy, but without the ad-
vantage of bold difi-ant views, to give it feature
and effe(ft. The ornamented grounds are ex-
tenfive ; containing, we were told, near four hun-
dred acres ; defined by a funk fence ; and including
a dip or fliallow valley, through which a rill natu-
rally ran.

Out of thefe (lender materials; by means of this
tame valley, and this trifling ftream ; all that is
beautiful at Stowe has been formed : the reft is
planting and mafonry ; the mere work of men's
hands : fads which prove the excellency of the
art of which we are writing j evincing its infant
powers in a moft extraordinary manner.

Thb

* This place we faw in 0<Slober 1783.

300 Rural O r n a m e n t.

The grounds were origindly outlined by Lord
CoBHAM. The lower, or "old part," was laid
our by Love (to whole hlflory we cannot fpeak).
The upper, or *'new part," by Brown, whole
works, we believe, remain as yet die only public
records of his hiftory ! *

The old part is marked by a lake, or irregu-
lar piece of water, of about ten acres in extent ;
producing in itfelf, and with the wood on its mar-
gin, a pleafing effe6l ; but the cafcade, which is
occafionally played off from this refervoir, is a
trick unworthy of Stowe, and the art to which
Stowe owes the beauties it polTefles. A water-
fall, in a tame fite, is unnatural j and the circum-
ftance of waidng until it be let off, renders it almoft
|-idiculous.

The new part is equally marked by a river^
formed with judgment, and good efFed j as occu-
pying the lowefl ground j winding, naturally, iq
the bottom of the valley.

These

♦ TKe above particulars we had from an intelligent gui(^e,
who had li\'ed forty yeais at Stowe, and who fhewed the gar-
dens fome years for Brown ; adding, that Brown lived
eleven years, as gnr^^/icr and ht.illff' SlX. Stowe : that, during the
latter part of his fervitude, he had the liberty of laying out
grounds for others ; that he made the Duke of Grafton's
^reat water, while he lived zx Siowe ; and that from Stowe hs
•,U-rt to B'iti'iihei'.B.

Remarks on Places. 301

These Waters claim the befl: attention of the
rural artift : they are, indeed, the aimed only llib-
ieclsof ftudy, at Stowe. The Planting having
been done, at different times, by various hands, and
under a varying ftyle of embellifhment, has pro-
bably undergone much alteration, and has acquired
a ftiffnefs of outline, and a heavinefs of compo-
fition.

This heavinefs of ftyle is increafed by a pro-
fufion of Buildings ; thrown acrofs each vifta,
and guarding each glade *. Art has evidently

done too much at Stov/e. It is over wooded and
over built : every thing appears to be facrificed to
Temples ; an elegant arrangement of lav/n, wood,
and water, is feldom to be (hen, in open day-light,
in thefe grounds. We recolleft but one : this is
between the Palladian Bridge and the Gothic
Temple, about halfway up the rife j where a fweet
view of the river, with the lawns and wood on its
banks, is caught : but this view being unmarked,
it muft frequently be pafied unnoticed.

We

♦ Thefe Buildings, we learnt from the fame authority,
are all by Brown ; except the Temple of yenus by Kent
(circumftantial evidence that he had fome fhare in the plant-
ing), and except the Rotunda, and the Temple of Bacchus ^ by
Sir John Vanburgh. Mr. Wulpole, however, mentions
Gibes, as having had a part in thcfe ereflions.'— ^/••^r^. ^'
Painting, Vol. IV. p. g^.

302 Rural Ornament.

We do not mean wholly to decry Ornament.vL
Buildings, in embellillied fcenery. In places of
magnitude, and where the higher degrees of em-
beliifhment are required, efpeciady where a mag-
nificent modern-built houfe forms a principal in
the compofition, Architectural Ornaments
become in a degree requifite. But they fliould
ever appear as Emhellijloments in a Icene, and not
affume the character of Principals ; unlels, per-
haps, in a fequeflercd part of extenfive grounds,
where no outlet to the eye, no offscape, can be
had ; and, there, an ornamental building may ap-
pear, as the Principal of an Interior, with ad-
vantage. With a view to the fludy of this fubor-
dinate department of the Rural Art, no place,
perhaps, is more worthy of the young Artift's at-
tention than Stowe.

In the higher part of thefe grounds j near the
fluted column, ereded, if we recoiled rightly, by
Lady Cobham, to the merits of her hulband,
during his life-time ; we were pleafed to fee Ibme
tufts of trees, (lirubs, and flowers, growing pro-
mifcuoufly j and in the fame natural way, in which
we had long wiihed to fee them, in ornamented
Nature. Thefe clumps are placed en the edge of
the terrace, or unfeen {^ncCj wliich divides the kept
grounds from the adjoining fields, — flocked with
grazing catde. They had, of ccurfc, a doubly .

good

Remarks on Places. 3<^3

good effea ; as being in themfclves ornamental,
and as affifting to mix and affimilate the kept with
the unkept grounds. For the latter piirpofe, how-
ever, they were, at the time we faw them, in too
high keeping: an error which a little neglea
would foon redify.

To detail the view from every Temple would
convey little ufeful information to our readers.
That from the Temple of Concord and Vicloiy
(eredled, we believe, in honour of the great Lord
Chatham) is the moft interefting of the interior
views. It confifcs of a narrow grafly valley or
dell, thickly wooded, on either fide j in a v/ay
which we not unfl-equently fee, in Nature. But
the efFeft is hurt, by two fide viftas opening, in a
formal manner, upon two obelifcal buildings ; from
which, in return, the Temple of Concord is fccn.
This fort of reciprocity of view may often be given
with good effed. But it fiiould ever appear as
an efi^ecl of accident, rather than of defign, and
cannot pleafc when introduced in a forced or for-
mal manner.

The eye having dwelt awhile, with pleafure, in
this hollow glade, fomething unnatural in the
flielving of the ground was perceived. On ciofcr
examination, and ftill clofer enquiry, this beautiful
dell was found to be a work of art : not fet about,

however.

304 Rural Ornament,

however, v/ith the Intent to produce an artlficia!
valley, but an artificial river 1

This mifcarriage is not brought forward, here,
in detriment to the profefTional character of Mr.
Brov/nt. Every novice, in every art, is liable to
commit errors ; and one miftake, in the courfe of
an extenfivc pradice, is but a fingle blot in writing
a volume. We produce it as a leiTon for young
artiits. \Vater can fcldom be retained with ad-
vantage, in upland fituations ; even where the fub-
ftratum is retentive. In places where this is ab-
forbent, and where the neighbourhood affords no
materials to correcV the defect, it is in vain to at-
tempt it.

Mr. Brown, however, on difcovering his error,
had great merit in the manner of corre6ling it.
Sloping away the bank of the fher, and thus form-
intr a valley, inftead of returning the excavated
materials to their former ftate, fbewed, in a fa-
vorable light, his talent for expedient. In the cafe
under notice, the effect of the grafly dell is infi-
nitely better, than any which a weed-grown canal
could ever have produced -, befide the injury which
water, pent up in that fituation, mull have done to
the grounds that lie below. A man may difcover
as n)uch talent, in making a. retreat, as in gaining a
viclory.

SECTION

Remarks on Places. jo;

SECTION THE THIRD.

FISHERWIGK,

THE Seat of the Marquis of Donegall,
near Lichfield, was the next place which parti-
cularly engaged our attention *.

The natural fituation of Fisherwick is ftill
gentler than thatofStowe i where fome undulatioii
of furface gives a degree of variety to the grounds
themfelves, and where diftances, though feldom
interefting, are fometimes caught. But the fite of
Fifherwick is a flat, without any relief to the eye ;
except fome rifing grounds on the banks of tlie
Tame ; which, however, though beautiful in them-
felves, are not feen from Fiflierwick, with ad-
vantage } and except a gentle fwell of ground,
which rifes behind the houfe, and which has been
judicioufly chofen as the more immediate fite of
embelliOiment.

At the foot of this fwell, ran a confiderable

rivulet, or fmall brook, fevering it from the houfe

Vol. I. X and

* In Nov. 1784, arid June IJ^S.

$66 Rural Ornament.

and park : a flat infertile heath j fuch as we fee In
various parts of this ifland -, and fuch as never fail*
to difguft the eye ; more, perhaps, thari any other
paflage of furface, which the ifland aflbrds.

The embelliflimcnts have been cfFeftcd by
breaking the greenfward of the rifing ground, be-
hind the houfe, with planting ; the boldefl: and
moft beautiful part of it being judicioufly prelerved
in lawn, — fcattercd with groupes and Angle trees.
The further extremity is a continued grove ; and
the point towards the houfe is alfo planted ; ta
hide the kitchen garden, and to give to this con-
fined fite, all the feature and cxprcfiloa ir wat
capable of receiving.

In the dip, between the garden and the park, in*
which the rivulet formerly ran, a broad reach or
WATER is formed ; winding up to a large and well
built ftone bridge, over which the road from
Lichfield paflfes ; and its margins are well wooded :
ckcumfl:ances that unite in giving this Reach of
Water, as jfccn from the Grounds, every piclurable
advantage of a natural River of the firfl; magni-
tude.

Immediately below this Reach, an irregular:
bafon, or lakelet, is formed with the pafling ftream.
This bafon is open, on one fide, to the windows ;

but

Remarks on Places. 307

but is judicioufly backed by planting ; and
produces a beautiful cffcdl, as fcen from the
houfe *.

In the front of the houfe, the lawn fwells out
fully to the park ; from which it is feparated by a
well managed funk fence. This lawn (helves
down, towards the banks of the Tame (deep funk,
unfightly, and unfeen, from the grounds of Fifher-
wick*), and embraces the unwooded margin of the
lower water. It is naked ; except in fo far as it is
broken by an aged ^Sycamore in the principal
front of the houfe, — one or more groupes of Planes
in the Eaft front, — and an irregular mafs of fhrubs,
well placed upon the brink of the funk fence,
againft the park.

The park, containing fome five hundred acres,
is encircled, in great part, by fkreen plantations ;
on the outfide of which is a public road j on the
inner fide, a chain of Oaks and Elms, placed at
fuch a dillance from the paling, as to form a drive
round the park i whofe flatted furface is broken,
and relieved, by large circular clumps ; chiefly of

X 2 Scotch

* This efFett, however, is, in our opinion, much injured, by
a noify cafcade, which is formed between thefe two waters,
under the windows of the library. A pebbled ftream, fhaded
by Alders, or other Aquatics, would, yrt think, have been
more in charader wiih the fitie.

^o8 Rural Ornament.

Scotch Firs ; with Tingle trees interfperfed, to add
to the variety.

The House is a large and fplendid pile of
building, — in the be ft ftyle of modern architecflure ;
and, near the fiimmit of the fweJl, by the fide of
the lawn, and under the fhelter of the more diftant
grove, which have been mentioned, flands a fuperb
Confervatory ; — a confpicuoiis objedt from the
approach, and the only confpicuous building in
the grounds of Fifherwick *.

The principal Approach is acrofs the park,
which it enters at a confidcrable diftance from
the houfe : nevertheleis, its tv/o open fronts are
ieen from the entrance, and are kept all the way
in view from the road^ which, however, does not
lead in a dire<5l line to the houle ; but bends fome-
what to the right of it, to give a fuller view of the
grounds (which in this line of approach lie to the
fight of the houfe), as well as of the fecond or Eaft
front J but arriving near the houfe and grounds, it

takes

* A Conservatory, however, though it may appear ad-
x'antageoufly, as the principal of an interior, is not ornamental,
,in compofition. To render it fit, as a receptacle of tender
plants, too large a furface of glafs is required, to admit of
architedural proportion. We fpeak of the fouth front of this
fpecies of building : the north front, being fufceptible of or-
nament, may be rendered pidiirable in compofuion.

Remarks on Places. 309

takes a bold fweep acrofs the principal front, as
with the intention of pafTing them entirely ; in a
direftion, however, fo oblique, as to reach the
line of front at the offices, adjoining to the houfe j
where, bending fnarply to the right, it enters the
lawn, and terminates at a fuperb portico, in the
principal front.

This approach, though in the main part it is
admirably conducted, has two objeclionable things
belonging to it. The houfe, as feen from the
park gate, at more than half a mile diftance, ap-
pears a confufed mafs of building : not a feature
can be diftinguifhed : it is fome time before the
eye determines whether it is one or two fronts
that are approached. The grounds, too, at that
diftance are indifcriminate ; the whole aflemblage
has the effect of a diftant profpe6l, feen from an
eminence. Befide, the unbroken flatnefs, betweeri
the houfe and the entrance into the park, offends.
Had a few of the maffes of plandng, which are
fcattered over the park, been placed between the
lodges and the houfe, the road winding eafily
through them, until it had reached the firft bend
which has been mentioned, the effed would have
been better. On leaving the fkreen of wood to
the left, the grounds and houfe would, in that cafe,
break upon the eye, in their fulleft fplendor and
in the beft point of view.

X 3 The

Jio Rural Oi^nament.

Its termination is alfo rendered obje<fl:Ionablej
by entering thq lawn : but, at Fifherwick,
this could not eafily be ayoided : the offices occu-
py the third front. The artifice of pafllng the
principal front, and then returning to it, is thq
more venial, as fome elegant pil^fters, placed on
the back part of the portico, and apparently moving
behind the ftately columns in front, as they are
pafled, produce a pleafing effeft. Befide, by this
contrivance, the gate of the lawn is brought near,
the offices, and an unfightly entrance, in the irn-j
mediate front of the houfe, evaded.

A MERE ftate entrance may be permitted within
barriered grounds. But many are the inconve-
niences and embarraffments avoided, by termi-
nating the approach, at an UTiguarded front.

But, perhaps, the moft objedhionable part of
the operations, at Fifherwick, is that of encum-
bering the park with Firs. It may not, hov/ever,
be too late to fet about correding the error. The
Scotch Fir, in genial fituations, is not of long
duration j foon acquires its highefl flate of pro-
fitablcnefs s and it might be right, now, to form
maffes of deciduous trees, various in extent and
outline, in the interfpaccs of the prefent clumps,
•which may be gradually removed, as they be-
come ripe, and as the deciduous trees may rife into
fufficient importance, to appear alone.

Remarks on Places, 311

Of the more highly cmbellilhed grounds of
FiHierwick, it would be difficult to fay too much :
■even in the reclufe parts, we find fubjefts of in-
ftrudlion. A fecluded lawn, in the woody quarter,
between the great water and the park, has a charm-
ing effedt. A lawn amidft extended wood affords
the fame relkfj as a mafs of wood on a wide ex-
panfe of lawn.

This woody quarter terminates at the offices ;
feeing cut off from the lawn before the houfe, by
the road which leads through the ftable yards to
the Weft front; the ordinary approach to the
houfe. And here the walk, jwhich winds through
the fhrubery, feems to terminate : but before it
reaches the extremity, it begins to fink gradually ;
and, in proceeding, dips beneath an archway,
turned under the road ; afcending, as leifurely, on
the other fide of it, until it is raifed to the furface
of the great lawn. By this admirable expedient,
which may frequently be copied with equal ad-
vantage. Ladies are enabled to make the entire
circuit of the grounds, without fetting the foot on
a carriage road j except that in the front of the
houfe; which is highly kept, and the materials
remarkably good.

The planting, too, Is done in a mafterly man-
ner : the trees gre well chofen, well arranged, and

X 4 well

312 Rural Ornament.

well planted ; are every where luxuriant, and
flourifhing. The pianes and American Firs, which
are fcattered in groups and fingle trees, over the
lawns, and efpecially over a flope {helving to the
banks of the I'ame, are fuperiorly elegant.

If we were to cenfure any part of the defign,
with refpefl to planting, it would be, in having
crouded the valley or dip, immediately behind the
houfc, with foreft trees j which, with the water,
added to the natural flatnefs of the fituation^ will
mutually contribute to render phe houfe damp,
and the air unwholefome. Yet, forefceing the
charming effefl which lofty groves (fuch as die
prelent plantations will probably become a century
hence), embracing the houfe, will certainly have,
we admit the propriety of the defign : ai]d a ju-
dicious pofleffor will endeayour to prevent the
bad, without deflroying the good, efFedl.

Indeed, judicious as the interior arrangement
^nd embellifliment of the grounds of Fifherwick
are in general, they have evidently been fecondary
confiderations of the artift. His 2-reat aim has
pbvioufly been to throw the whole place, as (c^n
from the approach, into one grand compofitiop ;
and hp has fucceeded. For in this point of view,
the general affemblage is not only ftriking, as a
paffage in ornamented nature ; but puts on an fir

of

Remarks on Places.- -jij

of magnificence, which Fiflierwick, taken in de-
tail, cannot claim. The park, when crofled in
;he diredion of the approach, appears extenfive i
a fiiite of mradows adjoining to it, and a further
fuite, on the oppofite fide of the Tame, encreafe
the apparent extent of the place. The grounds,
po, as feen from the nearer approach, hanging on
the fwell, and every way endlefs to the eye, con-
tribute to its magnitude and grandeur. But what
adds moft to this idea, and (hov^'s the talents of the
artifl in the moft unequivocal light, is a vifta,
purpofely left, between the groves which occupy
the extremities of the embellifhed grounds, v/ith
an unfeen fence, which lets in the fummit of the
fwell, a rich meadow or pafture ground, with the
heads of fome large trees, which appear at different
diftances, beyond it j thus conveying the idea of an
extent of rich park lands j or of embellillied
grounds, in continuation to thofe which are imme-
diately under the eye. The Houfe, too, (lately
and new, embofomed in afpiring groves, and
backed by fome fine old trees that rife above
them, — contributes not a little to make up an
ASSEMBLAGE, wMch givcs the eye and the mind
great fatisfaftion. But the whole is Brown's.
The grounds, the groves, the waters, ajid the
houfe, are all his c'lvn.

SECTION

514 Rural Ornament.

SECTION THE FOURTH.

THE L E A S O W E S.

THE LEAS.OWES fell next under view*.
This place was laid out by its owner, the cele-
brated poet, Sh^nstone ; who lived and died
here.

It is fituated in a detached part of Shropfhire,
lying between the counties of Worcefter and
Stafford. The fite is more ftrongly featured than
cither of the places laft defcribed. It occupies the
broken fiope of one of the rugged hills that form
a confiderable proportion of the furface of this
country , which abounds, for many miles round,
jvith picturable fcenery : a fpecies of. country fre-
quendy found, in the neighbourhood of mountains,— .
of whofe ftyle it partakes, in the general formation
of its furface j but is on a fmaller fcale, and is lefs
broken than mountain furfaces; being generally
covered with produdive foil ; nof expoljng hare
^ocks, or broken precipices.

The
f In June 1785.

Remarks on Places, 31$

The houfc is feated under the brow of a bold hang
that overlooks the place j but upon a rifing ground^
which is formed by two narrow dells, that unite
below it: thus occupying an elevated fituation,
near the center of the grounds j which it com-
mands, without Handing too high and flaring.

The approach is on the lower fide of the
grounds, below the houfe ^ but there being no inn
or accommodation near it j and travelling, with a
friend, on horfeback, we left the public road from
Birmingham, before we reached the foot of the
hill J and, quitting our horfes, entered the grounds,
in a more elevated part, — about the midway of the
flope i thus gaining, at once, fome general idea of
fhe fite.

With this firft appearance of the place we were
difappointed. The ground feemed lefs broken,
and the chara(5ter of the fite lefs romantic, than we
cxpedled. Indeed, its charafter, in this line of
approach, is beauty : four or five well turned Limes,
ai^d an elegant Alh, rifing on a gentle fwell, backed^
by a luxuriant grove of young forefl: trees, wel-
comed the eye with a modeft, fimple, beautiful
view.

Falling in v;ith a made path, we were le^
down to the lower corner of a pallure ground i

wherp

J i6 Rural Ornament.

where a bench marks a wider, and more flrongly
featured view : the ground uncommonly fi ne : a
beautiful middle ground between two wooded
fkreens ; backed by a bold fteep, alfo hung with
■u/ood. A group of Scotch Firs, old and ragged,
on the near ground, is a pimple on this fine face, — -
an honeft front.

Every part of a view, as each article of the
fame drefs, fhould be in chara6ter : thefe ragged
iUfavoured Firs, flaring on a rugged point, in a
Focky, ragged, pifturefque fcene, would be in
place.

Following the path, along the bottom of this
jnterefting inclofure, we entered the larger dingle j
a deep rugged gulley, worn by torrents from the
i^ills ; fuch as we fee in every broken, hilly coun-
try : we have crolTed twenty fuch, as this was by
nature, in one morning's diverfion, on the broken
margin of the Vale of Pickering : and fhould pro-
bably have crolfed this, unnoticed, had it not been
fora dirty little obelifque, bearing a Latin infcription,
and a few feats, whjph are fcattered, here and
there, in what, if we recollecft rightly, is named
VirgiVs Grove. This lettered retreat occupies the
bank or brink of the dingle ; acrofs which a dam
being thrown, a rsrfervoir of w'ater and a cafcade
are at onoe foimed : not a flight of ftcps ; but a

tolerable

Remarks on Places. 317

tolerable Imitation of a natural waterfall, — of ten
or more feet in height ; and, below this, a fhorter
fall is feeny without a head of water.

Unfortunately, however, for Art, (he could
not augment the ftream ; which is naturally much
too flender, to give full efFeft to this ingenious
device j facred, we underftood, to Venus. This,
cafcade only plays occafionally ; and we arrived at
an uninterefling moment.

Pursuing a path, down one fide of the water-
lefs channel, we came to a " root houfe" — a ruflio
alcove ; and, pafllng through this, foon found our-
ftlves at the principal entrance : happily defigned !
-well calculated to imprefs the mind with romantic
imagery ; and thofe who are defirous of being
'enchanted, at the Leafowes, (hould certainly enter
here. Indeed, the entire dingle, between this en-
trance and the refervoir, is delightful ; or woulii
JDC, if its native rill were permitted to gurgle in its
own channel -, which, by nature or art, is happily
ftrewed with Hone and pebbles i and overhung
with trees,— that ftretch their crooked arms, from
the high rugged banks which accompany it ; filling;
it with gloom, and an air of folitudc ; which, in
contraft to gayer fcenery, is ever dehghtful to
minds bending willingly to contemplation.

} low

3i8 Rural Ok name nt.

How many pafiages, equally delightful, has Na-
ture furnilhed, in this iHand. All that art can add
are ruftic paths, to render them pervious to humari
footfteps, with fuch refting places as fortuitous cir-
cumftances will ever point out ; as the (helf of a
rock, the trunk of a fallen tree ; or natural coves
in the banks, furniflied with blocks or benches : a
fpecies of rural embellilhment which is procurable
at a fmall expence.

The path, which accompanies this pebbly chan*
nel, leads down to a pool of water, at the iunfVion
of the two delis ; fed by this and a filler rill, which
paffcs occafionally down the further branch. Over
this pool, the church of Hales-owen, backed by a
well broken diftance, produce a picturable view;
and near this piece of water, ftands a meanr
looking building, or ruin, or either, named the
Priory.

Proceeding up the dell, by a path which leads
towards the houie, we ftooped into another ruftic
alcove, formed with the roots of trees, and calked
with mofs ;— above which appeared another dry
cafcadc !

Wishing -to fee the economy and effecl of one
of thefc ingenious contrivances, the perfon who
had the care cf the grounds obligingly indulged

us>-

Remarks on Places. 319

US; and having examined the refervoir — a well
fized horfe pool — and feen the ftopple, we took
our feats in the root hoiife, lad mentioned, —
where

" 'Twas filence all and pleafmg expeftation — "

At length, the water gufiied out from among fome
large roots of a tree, falling five or fix feet perpen-
dicular ; prefenrly we faw it again tumbling down
another predpice (of three or four feet high) — and
another; until my companion was in extacy. And
having made a graceful fwcep at our feet, it hid
its head among fbme roots and well formed rocks.
*' Very pretty upon my word !" And pray is not
the cafcade of tin and horfebeans at Vauxhall very
pretty ? ^are, Did Vauxhall copy after lihc
Lcafowes, or the Leafowes after Vauxhall ?

Leaving our cool retreat, we climbed the fleep :
an arduous talk in a hot day. But the views repaid^
us amply for the toil. The Clent and Wichbury
Hills, Kinver Edge, with other pidurable emi-
nences, form a variety of pleafing compofitions.
This natural gallery abounds with lounging places,
and long infcriptions. The path, however, in the
part which immediately overlooks the houfe and
grounds of the Leafowes, is well conduced ; de-
viating, naturally, and giving variety of view.

But,

J20 R U R A L^ O R N A ME N T.

But, in the farther part of the fame fteep^ and-
lower down the face of it, a ftraight walk, with a'
building at one end (a Temple of Pan, or of any
other deity or demon), and with a formal viila inf
the middle of it, lined out at right angle, in Londort
and Wife's bed manner, appear in a fine hanging
grove, which overlooks the paflure ground we'
firfl entered. This part is probably of more an-
tient date than tlie reft.

Finding ourfelves near our horfes, we difpenfetl
With the proffered difplay of the grand cafcade,
and fet out for Plagley ; leaving the Leafowesy
iiotwithflanding the day was peculiarly favorable
to fiiady groves and purling ftreams, fomewhat
difappointed. For what is it ? An ornamental
farm ? No fuch thirig. What has farnring to do'
with Temples, Statues, Vafes, Mottos, Infcriptions,
Mock Priories, and Ardficial Cafcades ? Yet do
away thefe and who would vifit tht Leafowes :' for
what would it be then ? Why, what it is now
held out to be ; — an ornamental farm ; a lovely
little fpot ! Let the paths and the benches (of
more fimple feats) remain : lay out others acrofs
the farm ; now feemingly much wanted : let the
rills babble in rough ftoney channels (no matter
whether altogether natural, or afTifled by art) ; and
if a head of water be deemed indifpenfable, let it
be applied to the purpofe of turning the wheel of

a corn,

Remarks on Placss. 321

a corn mill ; a natural appendage to a farm ; and
ever a pleafing objedl in reclufe fcenery., Had
poor Shenflone adopted this idea, in the outfet oC
his plan, he might yet ( 1 7 8 5 ) have lived to enjoy his
place ; or, while he had lived, might have been
happy. It was the expenfive l^aubles we have feen,
which threw him on'the rack of poverty ; and pro-
bably haftened the diflblution of an amiable and
valuable man. Strewing pebbles in the channels
of the rills, cutting the paths, and providing a few
fimple feats ; removing the deformities, and (hew-
ing the natural beauties of the place, and the dif-
tances it commands, to advantage, would have
been a comparatively fmall expence, which he
might have coped v.'ith. But does not this view
of the Leafowes fuggeft practical ideas ? how
many places there are, in this ifland, which, with
a fimilar expence, might be rendered equally
delightful.

SECTION THE FIFTH.

H A G L E Y.

THIS has long been celebrated as a fliow place;
and is yet in high repute, if we may judge from
the toncourfe of company and carriages which we

Vol. I, Y found

jii Rural ORNAMttJT.

found at the inn. A king's plate, or a mufiC
meeting, could not have created a greater buftle.

Hagley is fituated only a few miles from the
Leafowes ; in the fame beautifully broken diftridt.
The fite, like that of the latter, occupies the flope
of an extended hill ; but the fcale is larger, and
the features more prominent and ftriking than thofe
of the Leafowes. The principal feature is a bold
headland, or hanging knoll ; fplit by a chafm,
down which a flender rill naturally trickled ; but
which is now interrupted by dams and cafcades ;
and the whole thickly covered with wood, fo that
no broken ground Outwardly appears.

At the foot of this hanging fwcU (lands the
houfe ; from which a ftill bolder fleep is feen, at
a Ihort diftance ; through an open valley or glade ;
formed by the wooded flope of the firil mentioned
hill, on one fide, and by a fhrubery grove, on the
other. The houfe is furrounded by a lawn, of
which the glade forms a part ; and, below the
houfe and lawn, is an extent of meadow.

The firfl view which ftrjk.es, at Hagley, is that
from the houfe, up the glade which has been men-
tioned, and which is fcattered with beautiful Ef-
culufes, and margined with fullgrown tufted forefl
trec5, which clothe the flope, and hang down m
^"^ loofe

Remarks on Places* 323

loofe feftoons, at Its feet ; forming deep and dark
fecefles. The glade itfelf, fweeping round a bold
feftoon of this forcft hang, is loft to the eye : which
now glances acrofs the public road (funk low and
unperceived) to the face of Wichbury Hillj a
fublime paflage of ground ; a temped wave of the
Bay of Bifcay. The part Under view is a clofe
bitten fheep walk, fcattered with groups and fingle
trees, and terminating with a tall well proportioned
obelilk, ftanding on the fUmmit of the hill.
To the right, i grove of Scotch Firs, hanging On
an almoft perpendicular browj and, embofomed
in thefe, a fumptuous colonnade is feen. To the
left, a lofty wood, which crowns the apparent
fummit on that part, and clofes the view : the moft
ftriking compofition of ground, wood, and turf^
we have ever feen; efpecially when the glaring
white building in the firft diftance is covered,
as it may be, with a handfome tree in the fore-
ground.

Why the obelifk fhould pleafe fo fully in this
viev/, is difficult to account for ; but feen, as it is,
terminating the view, and upon the fummit of the
hill, with no other back ground than the clouds,
it certainly adds to the general effeft : — its colour
is that of ftone in the quarry ; its fhape is finely
proportioned : it is lightnefs and elegance itfelf;
pcrfcclly according with the beaudful near-

Y 2 grounds ;

3 24 Rural Ornament.

grounds ; which, by the way, are hurt by a raggedj,
aukward Pear tree, that ought to be removed.

The church (a low building) which flands near
the houfe, at the more immediate foot of the flope,
is inveloped in a deep fefloon of the fore ft trees
that cover this magnificent feature of Hagle)'.

Above the church yard, is a remarkable con-
geries of Limes, near fixty feet high, and fifty feet
arm, with a large Wych Ehn, twenty-one (cet
mrt J and feveral other larj^e old trees.

j^..., vw .^, ,.. *"'0^

A RILL prattling in a paved channel, by the fide
of the walk, which leads up to the cafcade, and
other interior operations, in diis magnificent foreft.
fcenery, is a charming companion in a dry fultry
feafon : unfortunately, too dry for the cafcades of
Hagley: the upper fprings, which feed the reler-
voir, being dried up ! a circumftance we ferioufly
regretted : for, here, the fite is fuch, as may be
fuppofed to produce a natural cafcade ; lofty, fteep,
and ftrongly featured ; a v/ild mountain dingle ;
ftrangely disfigured by a polifhed rotundo, perched
near the top of it -, mixing m the view, as ken
from, the gapefee below, with the ll^iaggy furniture
of this finely favage fccnt : which, if fardier fur-
nifhed with a mountain torrent, would be at once
grand and awful.

If

Remarks on Places. • 325

If art muft needs meddle with natural flreams,
how much more eligible are irregular falls, than
flights of fteps. In wild, romantic, and efpecially
in rocky fituations, Shenftonian cajcades may evef
produce, momentarily zi leait, a pleafing effect.
But let them appear in whatever fituation they
may, if a fufficient fupply of water cannot be com-
manded, to feed a perpetual fall, the reflexions
which follow the idea of playing them off, as raree-
fliows, mufl: ever lower the enjoyment.

Beside the cafcade, the interior of the wood
contains grottos, flarues, and fair buildings i but
the fairer Oaks with which this magnificent ground
may be laid to be loaded, and which prove it to
have worn its prefenr honors for fome centuries
paft, give the mind the fuller fatisfaclion.

The views from the top of the park are grand
and extenflvci and the wood fcene, from Thomjon's
Seati is nobly fine ; but not more fo than we
have feen frequently occur, in flirongly featured
woody countries. The view is much better, in
our eye, a little below; — where Pope's Building is
not feen ; tlie fequefliered lawn which contains it
is enough : a bench is here wanted.

Upon the whole, Hagley, as the Leafowes, has
fallen fliort of our expectation j which had unfor-

Y 3 tunately

326 Rural Ornamejjt.

tunatcly been raifed too high. The obelifk fcene
apart, we would not have rode five miles to have
feen it. The dingle, the wood fcenes, the fequef-
tered lawns, and the fine timber, are doubtlefs all
charming obje(fts ; and, to thofe who have not
been in the habits of viewing llich fcenery, are
worth going ten times that diftance to fbe.

Indeed, throughout, there is a greatnefs oftafte,
which does the noble artift, who embellifhed it,
great honor. It is probable, however, that Lord
Lyttelton was afBfled in his defigns by Mr.
Shenstone, and by other men oftafte and genius,
among whom he lived j and often, no doubt, at
Hagley,

The cafcade, and the clafTical allufions are after
the manner of the Ixafowes : — indeed the two
places are evidently of the fame genus ; their jpsci/ic
difference, confifting in Hagley's being on a larger
fcale, more ftrongly featured, and more fully
wooded, Their embellifhments, as well as the
views from them, arc very fimilar. Their ages,
too, arc fimilar : they are both of them growing
Jeedy. While they flourifhed under the eyes of
their dcfigners, they were probably in better keep-
ing. The Leafowes, however, is now as well kept,
perhaps, as it ought to be j and there is nothing
^rikingly negligent at Hagley. They h^ve both

of

Remarks on Places. 327

oC them reached that flate of maturity, when a
ix)lifhed neatnefs is lefs required, than it is during
the early bloom of embelliflied places.

SUCTION THE SIXTH^

E N V I L L E,

FROM Hagley we proceeded to Enville, the
feat of the Earl of Stamford, in the fame pic*
turable diftrid j leaving with reluflance a lovely
vi^w of Shropfliire, as feen from the inn garden at
Hagley ; one of the moft pleafmg views this diftrift
had afforded us,

Enville, in fituation, is fimilar to Hagley anci
the Leafowes, The immediate fite is the precipi-
tous face of an ej^tended hill, broken into furrows,
and watered by rills j of which there are two, as at
thp Leafowes, that unite near the houfc, at the foot
of the flope. The fite of Enville is the ftecpcfl,
moft lofty, and largeft of the three : containing
feveral hundred acres, divided chiefly into (heep
walk and coppice wood, with kept grounds near
the houfe, and with meadows and arable lands
round the church and village, in the plain below,

Y 4 In

323 Rural Ornament.

In viewing thefe grounds, we were led to a
fummer-houfe-like building, at the immediate foot
of the hill. It is fituated upon the head of a fmall
piece of water ; beneath it, is a boat houfe ; over
it, a whiinfical room j with a large painted glafs
window, towards the water. Finding nothing here
to entertain, we fignified a defire to proceed ; but
the guide (blockhead he for not amufing us better,
or we for being in id great a hurry in fo hot a day)
informed us that a perfon had been fent to let off
the cafcade : a piece of information v^hich, after
what we had hitherto feen of cafcades, was no great
inducement for us to delay. Prefently, however,
the window was thrown open ; and the molt bril-
liant fcene we had ever beheld prefented itfelf. A
Shinstonian Cascade, in full flow and fury;
foaming and bellowing, as if the mountain were
enraged: pouring down a river of water, white as
fnow, and apparently fo copious, as to render our
Situation alarming ; left the houfe and its contents
fhould be hurried away with the torrent. Had this
fcene broken upon the eye, abruptly and unawares,
our fenfations might have been excited as ftrongly
as they were, on the firft fight of the rocks of
Persfield.

This houfe fhould contain fomething which
would amufe every one, until the waters were laid on.
The pool Ihould be better covered from the walk,

in

Remarks on Places, 319

jn approaching it, and the lower part of the win-
dow be darkened, fo that no water might be ap-
prehended. If the oppofite end of the room were
firfl: opened, to Jet in a view of the meadows, and
tame country on that hand, it would not onlyjielp
to amufe, but the contraft would alTift in rendering
the caicade fcene the more ftriking.

The fplendour of the water is greatly heightened
by the laurels and darker evergreens, which (Iretch
out their branches from the rugged banks of the
furrow, or fhajlov/ dingle, down which the water
is precipitated : the foam, and the fpray which flies
from it, here mixing with the foliage of the ever-
greens, and there fpreading over ftoney furfaces;
the fteepnefs, the height, and the happy expofure
of this fall i. with the well judged djftance at which
it is placed from the eye j unite in rendering it one
of the moft fublime produclions the hand o( Art
has effected.

Originally, a chapel flievvcd itfelf at the top
of this cafcade, as the rotundo now does over that
of Haglcy. Fortunately, however, it is, at prefent,
hid in wood ; fo that nothing but water, wood, and
apparent rock, now enter into the compofition of
tliis fafcinating fcene. We could have looked on
it long, with rapture, had not reflection brought to
our mind, that the refcrvoir was emptying ! This

mifchievous

23*^ Rural Ornament.

mifchievous idea broke in upon our tranfportSj and
had nearly turned the whole into ridicule ; until
mounting the fteep, examining the channel, and
perceiving that, in fome places, the water rolled
over the dear native rock, a gleam of admiration
returned,

Xifis wonderful piece of machinery (for fuch it
may well be ftyled) receives its rapid movements
from one fmall fountain ] which aHb fupplies a cold
bath, reclufely fituated above the refer voir, which
flores up its treafures, for the liberal purpofe of
beftowing them with greater profufion on the
ftranger who m^y aflc fo fair a boon,.

Crossing the head of the dingle, above the cold
bath from whence the miracle-working water iflucs,
the viewer is judicioufly led to the edge of the
wood, where fome lovely views break abruptly
upon him ; com.pofed of the Clent, Hagley, and
Wichbury hills j — with the finely broken country
about Stourbridge — uniting with the grounds of
HiMLEYj-^the refidence of Lord Viscounty
Dudley.

Reentering the lliade, \vc climbed a fteep
path, through an extenfive trad of coppice,
until we reached the upper fheep walk j a wide
expanfe of naked tuif j favirg fame tufts of hollies

and

Remarks on Places. 331

find a few fcattered trees ; containing fome hundred
acres, fufficiently extenfive to maintain feveral
hundred Iheep.

Towards the center of this fine down, ftands a
white building, — the fhepherd's lodge j — in which
the Ihepherd and his family refide. The principal
part of it, however, is fitted up as a lounging room
and obfervatory, for which it is fingiilarly adapted.
In elevation and expofure, it refembles Bardon hill,
in Leicelterfhire j which hill, it feems, is difcernible
from this place : from whence, and from different
parts of the down, may be feen, on the other hand,
the Wrekin and the Welfh mountains, with the
Malvern hills, and the hills of Gloucefterfhire, Sec.

This building, however, does not appear with
full advantage. It is too large, and too confpi-
cuous, for a fhepherd's hutj and too low and ill
placed, as an obfervatory. A round tower, on a more
elevated part of the down, would command no in-
confiderable portion of the furface of this king-
dom ; and could not fail of being inftruflive, as
well as entertaining, to thofe who make geogra-
phical cbfervation a part of their fludy, and one of
their objeds in travelling.

It would be equally reafonable, in the admirers
of reclufe landfcape, to cavil at the prafbical bota-

nift.

^J2 Rural Ornament.

jpifl, for being gratified and inftruded by the dif-
tinguifning charaders of a plant, as to cenfure the
pradical geographer, — one, whofe favorite purfuit
is to trace the greater outlines of the face of na-
ture, — for being entertained and informed, on
viewing the diftinguilhing features of his native
country. r -

Leaving the upper fheep walk, wc broke
through a frefli part of the wood, into the further
valley ; a lovely well foiled glade ; the fatting
flieep walk ; which aflimilates, in tliis point of
view, with the grounds of Himley j thefe fifter
places happily playing off their charms to each
other.

Below this, in a reclufe part of the coppice, Is
a fmall fequeftered lawn, with a cottage and an
aviary (apparently ill placed) with wild peafowls
in the woods. And, below this, the l.o^Yer ilieep
walk, a plain incircied with wood.

We now climbed the further fide of the valley,
to the upper fhrubery -, where we were more than
recompenfed, byfome {lately Pines, — towering to the
Hcies, and feathered to the grafs -, and, from hence,
a kept walk and a border of fnrubs led us down to
the lower fnrubtry : delightful fpot ! The Pines^
here, are not only clothed to the grafs, butfpread

their

Remarks on Places. ;^23

tlrelr mantles on the ground ! and two fifter Limes
are in full drefs negligees, with trains flowing fomc
yards from their conical outlines * : with a profu-
fion of beautiful Ihrubs, rifing out of the foftefl
turf we everfaw: we had not conceived that grafs
and tree5, alone, were capable of producing fo
much richnefs and elegance. At the lower end of
this flirubery, the houfe is fituated.

What a charming refidence ! No wonder
Lord S. Ihould fpend fo large a portion of his
time at Enville. But he granfies not himfelf
alone. His Lordfhip's liberality is equal to his
tafle. His gratifications are heightened by thole,
even of the mereft ftrangers, who feek enjoyment
in his place : giving orders that nothing may be
omitted, which can afford them gratification.

From what we could gather, on the fpot, En-
ville was originally defigned by Mr. Shenstone.
The Calcade and the Chapel are fpoken of, with
confidence, as his ; but much has been done by
others. Mr. Grey, Lord Stamford's brother,
has, of late years, done a great deal, and with good
eflecl.

But

* This ftriking appearance, perhaps, has bern produced by
the lower boughs that reft upon the ground, havir.^ rcceiv«d
from it additional nourifument.

3J4 Rural Ornamen^.

But the high date of prefcrvation, in which it
is at prefcnt feen, and which fets ofF the defign to
great advantage, is probably due to the attentions
of Lord Stamford, himfclfj and to the afiidui-
ties of his prefent gardener j a man in years, and,
we underftand, of high reputation in his profeflion ;
and who has probably executed much of what now
appears with Ibch admirable cffedl*

In returning from Enville, we made our way by
HiMLEY i a place laid out on a very extenfive
fcale, by Brown j but we had only juft time
enough to fee fo much of it, as to determine us to
take fome other opportunity of examining it with
due attention.

It is Ibmewhat remarkable, that, within the
compafs of a few miles, there fhould concenter
four places of fo much celebrity as Himlcy^
Enville, Hagley, and the Leafowes.

Gbneral Observations.

"WHAT practical ideas have we collefled In'
this lictle tour ?

At the Leasowes we have learnt, that a few
common paths, judiciouHy condu(5ted, and a few

ordi-

UiMARKs ON Places. 335

ordinary benches, judicioufly placed, go a great
way towards embellishing a farm. Removing
the more ftriking deformities, difclofing hidden
beauties, whether in the fite or the ofFscape, and
niewing them to the beft advantage, in fuitable
walks, and rcfting places, will generally make up
the fum of required embellifliments ; efpecially in
a place where much fortuitous wood abounds.

There, too, we faw the delightful effea of a
fimple path, leading through a recluse dingle ;
and the abfurdity of attempting a cascade in a
tame fituation i and, generally, that the nature
OF THE place IS facred.

At Hagley we have fcen the charming efFed
of a rich grafly glade, deeply indented by the
margin of a hanging wood ; and that a sheep
walk, broken by mafles, and diverfified by de-
tached groups, is a fuitable firft diftance to luch a
view.

We have alfo feen, in the fame view, that an
Obelisk may be fo formed, and fo fituated, as to
be fufFerable in Rural Ornament. We are of
opinion, however, that the fcene in which it appears
fhould, in fome degree, be polifhed, and that the
fky,' alone, fhould be its background. The idea

of

33^ Rural Ornament.

of fimple nature, in a ftate of negledl, mufl ever
be done away, before polllhed architecture can
appear with good effcd. And we are of opinion,
that the obeliils: at Hagley pleafes, in {landing
forth boldly, yet modeftly, and declaring, that the
fcene in which it appears, is not merely fortuitous,
but is confelledly a work of taile.

But the Temple of Theseus, thrufcing its
proud portico into a ruflet Iheep walk, and from
out of a thicket of mean looking firs, on the con-
trary, difpleafes: not only as being out of place j
but as holding out an oftentatious difplay of art, in
a place where art was little wanted, and where it
has been little ufed. Had this temple fhewn its
fumptuous columns, in the face of the Ihrubery,
which forms one confine of the beautiful glade,
tlie foreground of this interefting view, — in a
part where tafle has done much, and where it
ought to do its befb, as being immediately under
tiie windows of the houfe, — it would have ap-
peared in place and chara6ler. What a charming
efreil a tafieful pordco v/ould produce, in the
flirubery of Enville ! If Lord S.'s intentions are
to pull down the prefent building, for the pur-
pofe .of erecting fuch a fuitabie accompanimenl
ru his Spruces and Limes, we could forgive him*

It

Remarks on Places. ^37

It ftrikes us, forcibly, that all buildings fliould
be in unifon with the immediate fite, in which they
are feen: a principle, however, which does not
appear to have been anywhere carried into prae^
tice; nor have we met with it^ in theory: this
Temple of Theseus is praifed by various writers.

At Enville, we have feen the grand efted of
an ARTIFICIAL cascade, where the fite is favor-
ablci and where nature has furniihed the ground-
work. Much, however, of the fafcinating power of
thcfe fplendid deceptions, may arife from their
hovelty, and were they common, they might no
longer continue to pleafe. But we are of opinion,
that twenty fuch as that of Enville, fcattered over
the face of this kingdom, where natural falls are
rare, would not pall the eye, nor really offend the
feelings, even of men of the fined tafte j while, to
men in general, they would be fources of high
delight.

At Enville, too, we have feen, that, by mean*
of coppice wood and Iheep walk, a hilly brokea
country may be rendered highly ornamental, with-
out excefllve coft. The coppices and fheep walks
of Enville are laid t6 pay as much, now, as they
did, when let off to farm tenants.

Vol. L Z Wi

L»

Jj8 Rural Ornamemt.

Wild peafowls are a beautiful accompani-
ment, in extenfive grounds.

But a cottage, buried in extenfive woods, h
out of place. Cottagers are fecial beings. A her-
mit's cell, efpecially if it were occupied, would be
more in character.

An aviary of foreign birds appears to be
equally ill placed, in fuch a fituation : exotic birds
are apt accompaniments to exotic plants j and a
Ihrubery, rather than a fequeftered dell, feems to be
the moft natural fituation for an aviary.

In the polished grounds of Enville, we have
feen what elegance and beauty may be produced,
by trees and fhrubs, judicioufly difpofed, in grounds
gracefully outlined, and on lawn highly kept.

Upon the whole, it is evident, from a view of
fhefe three places, that a site, naturally bold and
pifturable, may be rendered ornamental, at a fmall
cxpence, comparatively with that which is requi-
fite to the embellifliment of a place, whofe ground
is tame, and whofe features arc inexpreffive. How
little has been done at Enville ! how much at
Fisherwick ! and how much more at Stowe I
Brown's talent feems to have been peculiarly

adapted

Remarks on Places. ' 339

adapted to the embellifhment of tame fices ; giving
a degree of charader and exprefllon to ftill life*
Shenstone's forte, on the contrary, lay in fetting
off the flronger features of Nature, to advantage.
It is pofTible, however, that education, rather than
natural genius, led them into thefe fcparate walks.
Be this as it may. Brown's has been the moft la-
borious, and, upon the whole, the moft ufeful,
part. A country, abounding with natural advan-
tages, wants little afTiftance of art. Bur, where a
large eftate, and a principal refidence, lie in a fitu-
ation unfavored by Nature, or disfigured by for-
tuitous circumftances, an art which can create
beauties, and hide or do away deformities, becomes
highly valuable.

Z a DIVISION

34<? Rj/RAL Ornament.

DIVISION THE FIFTH,

MINUTES

1 N

PRACTICE,

TO the foregoing remarks on places, that have
been improved by different Artifts, we add
fome obfervatians and refletllons that have arifen
out of our own experience, in places of different
natural characters.

These places we were led to, in purfuing a

PLAN FOR PROMOTING AGRICULTURE } which WaS

firft brought forward, about fifteen years ago, and
which has fince been extended to the manage-
ment of woodlands, and of landed property
in general : thus uniting, in the fame defign, th^
feveral branches of Rural Economy.

The execution of this plan has been the leading
object we have kept in view, fince the time it was

Minutes in Practice. 34a

/irft propofed j and we have, at length, the fatis-
faftion to find, that the mofl difficult part of our
labor is paft. The survey of the established
PRACTICES of England has been made. Thofe
of the Eajlern, the Northern^ the Weftern^ and the
Central parts of it, are before the Publick *, That
of the more Weftern counties is now nearly ready
for the Prefs, and the materials relating to that of
the Southern counties, are colledted, and will be
prepared for publication, with all convenient dif-
patch.

SECTION THE FIRST,

MINUTES INTHE MIDLAND COUNTIES,

THE firfi: of thefe places, in point of time,
which engaged fufficient attention to give rife to
written remarks, on Rural Ornament, was a
fmall place in the Midland Counties •\^

Z 3 PESCiVIPTION

* See the lift of Publications, at the clofe of thefe Volumes,

f See the Advertifement to the fecond Volume of the
Rural Economy of the Midland Counties; alfo the
Subjcdl Planting, in the iirH Volume of that Work.

342 Rural Ornament,

Pescription of the Site.

This fmall place is fituated in a rich cultivated
country, whofe furface is fufficiently billowy to
admit of beauty j with an offscape, though not
ilriking, fqfficiently interefting to accord with th^
gentlenefs of the fite. The country is in a Itate of
inclofurCj and much of it in high cultivation; with
a few woods fcattered thinly over it : a fpecies of
country which is very common, in the richer
diftrids o( this kingdom.

Such Minutes, made at this place, as relate
more particularly to useful plantations, and
t}}e MANAGEMENT OF WOODLANDS, appear in the
Rural Economy of the Midland Counties,
publilhed in 1790 i fuch as relate to Rural Or-
nament, and are conceived to be fufficiently inte-
refting to bear the public eye, are inferted here,

!^inute the First,

1785. November 3. In ftudying the nature
of this place, with refpedt to Rural Ornament,
fome general ideas of practice have arifen.

The

Minutes in Practice. 343

The middle grounds and distances are the
firft; fubjedl of ftudy. The beauties and defor-
mities,— the pleafing and unpleafing objedts, —
which the more dillant parts of the fite and the
furrounding country exhibit, or are capable of ex-
hibiting, to the houfe, or other PRINCIPAL PLACE
OF VIEW,— are the data. As in this cafe, for

inftance, — — — — , , , . — , &c.

Sec. are the obje»5ls on the middle grounds, and in
the diftances, which require to be expofed to view ;

• , , , &c. thofe which ought

to be fcreened. Thefe are the unalterable
DATA in the middle grounds and distances.

But there may like wife be unalterable data
within the nearer grounds, or more immediate
environs of the houfe j fuch as buildings which
cannot with prudence be removed j or objects
more defirable than thofe which they hide, and
which, of courfe, fliould be relerved for inferior
points of view,

BsFORE any ftcp can be undertaken, with pru-
dence, the feveral data, whether in the diftances,
or on the near grounds, fhould be accurately afcer-
tained, and their relative fituations, with rcfpedt to
each other, be faithfully delineated ; efpecially if
the near grounds be much wooded. For the fame
fcreen may cover a defe(5l, as well as a defirable
Z 4 objed^j

344 Rural Ornament.

objeft ; a fad which it may be too late to have
afcertained, when the fcreen is removed. A map.
of the place to be improved, with every knoll,
water, and building, and with every mafs, groqp^
and fingle tree, accurately marked upon it, is
eiTential to common prudence. If, from fome ele-
vated fituation, the more diftant objefts can be feen,
and lines be drawn upon the map, there fpread out
horizontally, to the feveral furrounding data, a de-
gree of certainty will be obtained.

The defired diftances being let in, their refpec-
tive near-grounds require to be moulded to them,
as far as the given materials will allow, fo as to
throw them, when eircumftances will permit, into.
PiCTURABi^ COMPOSITIONS ; or, at Icaft, into
PLEASING VIEWS. Whcrc offenfive parts are to be
hid, by frefh planting, much may be done, at the
lame time, towards uniting the near-grounds with
the diftances, fo as to harmonize the compofitions.

If the near-grounds are naked of wood, and the
views, in confequence, too broad, — malTes of
planting thrown in, fo as to- divide them into fepa-
rate compofitions, — each a picturable eyefuLj,
•^ — fuch as the eye can compafs and repofe upon
with fatisfaftion, — may be produ6tive of great
improvement, at a fmajl expence,

^\. BREAK'

Minutes im Practice. 345

A BREAK of this kind, rifing at the angle of a
houfe, aptly divides the views from the feparate
fronts. If, at the fame time, it can be made to
Jiide a deformity, as it may in the inftance under
notice, and lay open two well featured diftances,
efpecially if they happen to be " of various view",
its operation will, of courfe, be ftill more fortunate.

If the angle of a houfe, requiring fuch a breaks,
happen to be the angle of approach, the planting
fhould be formed at fuch a diftance, as to admit
of the road to pafs between it and the houfe ; and
to be contrived in fuch a manner, as to fcreen the
buildings, until they break upon the eye, at once j
thus efFefling a two, three, or fourfold purpofe.
If, on the contrary, the angle of the building is not
immediately approached, but is Iheathed in the kept
grounds, as in this inftance, the planting may be
brought within a few paces of it ; fo as to bring
. the gayer tribes of fhrubs, within a near view from
the windows.

A BREAK of this intention fhould ever accord,
in difpofition and character, with the diftance, the
accompaniments of the near-ground, and with the
charader, and even furniture, of the room from
which it is feen * ; and, of courfe, ought to have
fide fronts as different as the views which they

aflift
♦ See theSeftlon, prikcipal residence, page 285,

34^ Rural Ornament.

ijflift in forming. For, as far as general principles
are admilTible in works of tafte, the embellifhmentg
of the immediate environs fliould be rendered fub-
fervient to the houfe, th^ more diftant parts of the
(ite, and the furrounding country ; fo as to blend
them, inalmuch as they are capable of being
blended, into one harmonious whole. And the
immediate environs, being moll under command^
are the beft inftrument of union.

Minute the Second,

November 5. In defigning a fcreen for

it is a moot point, whether the plantation Ihould be
formed againft the fence, or be placed at fome
diilance from it. In the firft cafe, the expence of
fencing will be lefTenedj and the incumbrance to
the ground will be lefs. But being thus fixed to
the hedge, it will appear the fame lifelefs objefl
from every point j whereas, in the latter, it will
give variety, at each ftep acrofs the view : and this
holds good, in general. Detached Masses of
Wood, as well as Groups and Single Trees,
give a kind of animation to a fcene : and this may
be the reafon why Brown was fo lavifh of them,
But a fr^^^^of clurnps, as a profufion of fmgle trees,
muft ever disfigure the fcene they appear in.

MINUTE

MiNUT»s IN Practice, 347

Minute the Third.

November 6. The foot of the fwell in — «
is an obvious fite for a Bend of Water. The
fkirts of the hill are naturally formed to give the
water the appearance of winding, with eafe, down
the valley, towards another fite, equally apt for
another curve below ; which two curves, as feea
from the houfe, would have the effeft of a natural
river, efpecially if they were judicioully backed
with wood,

This appears to be the principle on which arti^
ficial rivers Ihould be formed : not to expofc
lengthened canals j but to (liew proper bends, at
fuitable dillances, and in fituations where fuch turns
might naturally be expefted ; after the manner in
which we ever fee a natural river with the beft
cffefl. Such as the winding eftuary of the Severn
exhibits, as feen from May Hill.

River Bends, in a rich view, are as diamonds in
A rich drefs. But artificial river bends, fheathed in
wood, are deceptions. They are fo j the fraud,
however, is of a venial nature. They are no: fo
much intended to impofe upon the viewer the iJea
of a natural river, as to give ardficial waters i::?ir

:uil

^4^ Rural Ornament.

full advantage ; which cannot, in a rich cultivated
fite, be done in any other way, than in the charafter-
of a river.

There are numberlefs fituations in this ifland,
fimilar to that, under view j namely, a dip or fhal-
low valley, with a rill falling down it ; and the
means of turning them to advantage are obvious,
and not expenfive -, as large extents of water are
pot required.

Minute the Fourth.

' November 13. The Rural Artist fees trees
in a different light to the Botanist. The ftiape
of the leaves, the number of petals, and the parts
of fru6lificatIon, are to the artift, confidered merely
as fuch, m.atters of fmall importance ; while, to
the mere botanifl, they are every thing worthy of
his notice. On the contrary, the colour of their
leaves in fummer and autumn, and of their bark in
v/inter -, their times of foliation and diileafingi their
rnanners of fhooting, the fl:ru6twre and denfity of
their heads, the outlines they ufually take, and the
heights to which they aipire, circumftances little
attended to by the botanift, are the properties moft
worthy of the attention of the artift.

minute

Minutes in Practice, 349

Minute the Fifth.

November 18. A Screen Plantation, open
on both fides, ought not to be lefs than two rods
(eleven yards) wide. Timber trees Ihould not be
planted at lels diftance than half a rod, from the
young hedge plants. Flowering fhrubs, however,
may be planted between them j to give beauty
and fullnefs to the fcreen, in the firft years of its
growth.

MiNWTE the Sixti%

November 18. The effe6t of a plantation,
diftant from the point of view, cannot be accurately
judged of, before the ground be broken, or fome,
other obvious diftinction of colour taicc place.

Ir^ lining out the projeflion and recefs, — the
promontory and bayy — of plantation E. the outline
determined upon appeared, on the fpot, to be per-
fedlly fatisfadtory : but now that the grouad is dug,
the planting begun, and the lines rendered diftinfc
from the houfc, the point of the promcntory is
evidently too fharp.

In

35^ Rural OuNAivlBHt.

In a more diftant, more extenfive, and more
fortuitous fcene, where the pidurefque rather thair
the beautiful is required, a fharpnefs and even rag-
gednefs of promontory may be in character i but,
here, art is obvious, and gracefulnefs of oudine is
required.

In lining out plantations at Tome diftance from
the point of view, as four or five hundred yards,
fome confpicuous mark is requifite, and nothing is
preferable, perhaps, to white or light coloured
hurdles ; which are confpicuous and readily moved.

Minute the Seventh.

1786, January 25. In lining out near-^
GROUNDS, the firft ftep is to note the data; — to
mark the given points. In joining thefe points,
place the intermediate marks at equal diftances j
or the eye will be deceived. If the line be long,
trace it repeatedly with the eye> from each ex-
tremity; and having, by thefe repeated tracings,
rendered it familiar ; and having as repeatedly
trod it out, in contrary diredions ; let an afTiftaht
follow with even ftrides, while a third perfon place
marks at every fecond, third, or fourth ftep, ac-
cording to the length and ffexure of the line.

On

•Minutes in Practice. 351

On broken ground, or while fnow lies on grafs-
land, the footfteps of the defigner are fufficiently
obvious, as a guide to the marker ; but on green
turf, it is requifite to fix them, in the inllantj by-
permanent marks.

The line being thus made confpicuous, it
requires to be examined, from every point of view,
and every walk and pathway, which commands it ;
and if it confift of more than one part or divifion,
occafibned by different given points, each part
fhould be made to play into the other, fo as to
render it agreeable to the eye, from whatever point
it may be feen.

In highly polilhed grounds, immediately under
the windows of an elegant room, the fmallefl de-
viation from the line of beauty offends the eye *,

Minute the Eighth.

January 26. In forming mixt Ornamental
Plantations, fome plan of proceeding is requi-
fite

* For further remarks on this topic, fee — "A Review of
THELANDscAPE,adidadicpoem ; alfo ofAn Essay on the
Picturesque; together with Practical Remarks ok
Ru^AL Ornament," — page 221.

552 Rural (5RNAMBiNrf,

!fite to be laid, refpefltng the plants, previoufly to
the commencement of the operation.

The fpecies of plants being dctcl-mined upon,
and the requifite number afcertained, it is proper to
lift them, agreeably to their refpeftive heights of
growth, in this climate * ; in order that the talleft
growers may be plactd in the rear ranks, the
lower towards the front*

To afilft in the due arrangement, whether as
to height or colour ^ colledling twigs or liiiall boughs
from the feveral plants (that is, as many flips as
there are plants of each fpecies), and difpofmg
them agreeably to the intentions of the artifb, pre-
vioufly to any of the plants being put in, will be
found beneficial ; as faving much fuperintendance
and labour, and preventing the plants themfelves
from injury, in being dragged about, from place
tQ place, before their proper fituations are found.

Minute the Ninth.

January 29. In designing, whether in com-
pofition or in detail, anxiety and excelTive poring

over

* For which purpofe a lift of trees and fhrubs, arranged
agreeably to their growths, in this country, will appear in the
fecond Volumt.

Minutes in Practfce. ^^^^

over the fame fubjedl, ferve only to vex and fatigue
the imagination ; rendering that irkfome, which
ought ever to be pleafurable. It will generally be
found, perhaps, that fauntering over the field of
improvement, and bending the mind to fuch fub-
jefls as rife fpontaneoufly, will be more produftive
of pradical ideas, adapted to the nature of the
given place, than any preconcerted plan of ftudy.
Even in the detail, returning repeatedly to the
dubious point, with the mind unbent, will fre-
■quendy unravel the knot, and clear up the doubt,
foonerj than intenfe unremitted application.

Minute the Tenth.

January 31. It not unfrequently happens, that
a pleafing objedt, and one which is unfightly, ap-
pear in the fame line of view from a principal
point j as and .

If the defirable objefl appear in the offscape,
and much above the eyeforcj as in this cafe, the
evil is to be remedied, by hiding the offenfive part
with fiirubs, of a natural growth, fufficiently high,
to operate as a fkreen to the deformity; yet fo
low, when at their fulleft height, as not to hide the
diftant obje(5t.

Vol. I. A a Should

J54 Rural Ornament.

Should the difagrceable objed be in the ofF-
fcape, and the defirable one upon the nearer
ground, tall-ftemmed trees would hide the one,
without (hutting out the others entirely from the
iriew.

Minute the Eleventh'.

February 2. In forming a side skre'itw,'
where a line of tall-grown trees are the giveii
back groundj or rear rank, fome cautions are re-
quired.

It is pafticularly reqiiilite, in this cafe, to lift die
moveable plants that can be commanded for the
purpofe ; not only, according to their natural
growths, but their adlual heights, at the time of
planting ; for, if fome Ihou' of proportion is not
prefervcd, fo as to bring down a (lope from the
tops of the grov/ing trees to the gravel or turf
which (hail embrace the foot of the (kreen, fufH-
cientiy regular not to offend the eye, the defign
muft be marred in the firft ftage of execution.
For, with all the precautions which art can furnifn,
a plantation of this defcription muft remain un-
fightly, for a few years after it is formed. The
tracfplanced trees require to be thinned and lightened

of

Minutes in I^raCtici:. ^SS

of their boughs, fo as to proportion them to the
length and number of tranfplanted roots, or their
fuccefs will be uncertain. And, with every pre-
caution, their progrelS) for a few years, until they
have eftablifhed thcmfelves in their new fituation,
muft neccflarily be flow. Hencej at the time of
planting, their tops, as feen from the principal
place of view, fhould not only appear thin and
unflirnifhed, but (hould rife above the general line
of afcent j in order to allow for the fuperior up-
ward progrefs of the eftablifhed plants, during what
may be termed the naturalization of the ftrangers.

To guard againft the incurfions of the eftablifhed
trees, as well as to check their upward growth,
their roots, on the fide next the planting, fhould be
cut off at a fuitable diftance from their ftems, at
the time of double digging the ground to receive
the frefh plants : and moreover fhould, from time
to time afterward, be prevented from injuring their
weaker neighbours, by over-running the pafturage
of their yet feeble roots; which ought, for fome
years, to be defendedj like wife, from weeds and
other enemies.

A a a MINUTE

35^ Rural Ornament.

Minute the Twelfth.

February 2. In Transplanting young
trees, of eighteen or twenty feet in height, it is im-
prudent to attempt to take up more mold with their
roots, than will with certainty adhere to them, un-
til they are fixed in their new fituation. For that
which falls off in carriage, feldom fails of carrying
with it fome of the finer more valuable fibres i
efpecially if the foil be in any degree tenacious.
Long roots, v/ell furniihed with fibres, and duly
bedded in fertile mold, are better pledges of fuccefs
than heavy balls of fl;ale earth ; which, by rendering
the plants cumbrous, and difficult to be moved,
too frequently caufes them to be bruifed and
maimed, in the operations of removal,

. The fuperfluous mold fliould be difengaged
(with the hands or a fork with round tines), before
the plant be attempted to be lifted out of its place
of growth : and, from this time, until it be placed
in its new fituation, the roots ought not to be
touched with the hands.

: Plants of this fize are befl removed, by means
of a lever or long pole, guarded in the middle with

ropes

Minutes in Practice. 357

ropes of hay or draw, to preferve the bark of the
ftem from injury. This guarded part of the pole
being placed againft the foot of the ftem, the plant,
is pulled down upon it : two men bear up the root
with the pole, while a third fteadies the top, and.
lj:eeps the plant horizontal, until it arrive at its
place of deftination i where, fuftering the top to
rife, it willingly regains its ere£t pofture.

In a dry feafon, it is efTential to common pru-
dence, TO WATER THE PITS BEFORE THE PLANTS

BE SET IN THEM J firft returning fo much of the
beft of the foil as may be judged necefiary to fet
the plants upon. If, on examining the bottom of
a given plant, when it arrives at the pit in which it
is intended to be planted, too much or too little
piold I)as been returned, or if the furface of tKe
mold is not anfwerable to the form of the under
fide of the root, a perfon, attending for the purpofe,
fhould make the neceffary regulation, while the
plant remains fufpended on the arms of the bearers ;
for it is ever mifchievous to a plant, to place and
replace it, in the operation of tranfplanting ; and
fuch unworkmanlike conduft is eyer difgraceful tQ
a planter.

The precautions neceffary to be had in planting,
are, to unite the frefh mold with the foil which has
Jjeen removed with the roots, fo as to form them

A a 3 into

35^ Rural Ornament.

into one uniform mafs, without any porc;s, vacancies,
or interfpaces, between them ; and, in effefting
this, to bed the roots, and particularly the fmaller
fibres, evenly among pulverized fertile foil; leading
them out, horizontally, or fomcwhat dipping, from
the part of the nucleus or bulb of the root, from
which they naturally iflue ; being mindful not to
raife the mold too high before they arc laid down,
nor to force them down, before the mold is high
enough to receive them j fpreading them out wide,
like fronds of fern, and rire above tire; endeavour-
ing to diftribute them equally arriong the mold ; in
order to give them equal fpaces, or range of paf-
turage ; but, in endeavouring to do this, not to
cramp them, or wreft them forcibly from their
natural direction. If a root be longer than the
reft, and too long for the width of the pit, a notch
Ihould be cut in the fide of it, to givt. room for
the root to -lie eafy, and at its full length, not-inore
to afiift in giving ftability and firmnefs to the plaht,
than to enlarge the field of pafiiurage of its roots,
in the firft inftance -, — in the hour of need.

The lower tire of fibres being beddecl, in this
manner, and covered over fully with mold (the;
thicknefs of covering being regulated by the
fituation of the next tire of roots) they fhould be
preficd down firmly ; firft with the hands, and
afterwards with the feet, to prevent any hollownefs

or

Minutes in Practice. 359

or falfe filling, and, in confequence, a fettling of
the mold y which would cramp the upper tires of
the roots therein to be laid ; and, at the fame time,
to give the greatefl firmnefs to the plants, at a time
when much may depend on the undidurbed ftate
of the fibres.

A well rooted plant, put in with due pre-
cautions ; fuch as packing in the frefh mold, by
hand, while the plant is in a fomewhat heeling pof-
ture, fo as to give freedom to the workman, and
additional firmnefs to the filling -, bedding the root-
lets fingly, firmly, and divaricated, among the foil
(fine mold being fcattered over the hands of the
planter, while he keeps each branch in its proper
place) J treading layer after layer, as the pit is
filled in ; and, finally, loading the roots with foil ;—
receives an immediate firmnefs and (lability, which,
in fhcltcred fituations, precludes the neceffity of
fupporters, even to plants of fifteen to twenty feet
high : indeed, well rooted plants, thus put in, feem
to (land firmer — (lifFer — after planting, than be-
fore they were taken up.

With refpecl to the prmiing of the fops, part of
it fhould be done previoufly to the removal ; the
finifhing part being done after planting. Lightening
the heads before tranfplanting (and efpecially
fjiortening the lower boughs of the Pine tribe),
A a 4 renders

360 Rural Orna'ment.

renders the plants better to handle, and fecure^
them from ordinary winds, prefently after removal.
But there is a twofold reafon for completing the
operation after the plants are fet in their new
fituation. The additional top, probably, encreafes
the ading power of the fibrils, to feed in their ne^y
pafture ; and, when the feveral plants are in their
places, the defirable form of the top of each, fo a?
to make it aflimilate with its neighbours, and give
the bed furface which a frefh plantation of this
kind is capable of admitting, may be beft feen.

It may be faid, in general terms, that the top of
a plant fhould not be touched with the pruning
knife, while it is out of the ground 3 faving fuch
part of it as is out of the reach of the pruner, when
ilanding. The principal part of the pruning,
whether of trees or fhrubs, fhould be done before
the plants are taken up -, the finifhing given after
they are replanted, and have begun to work ir^
their new fituation. But the leaders of tall plants
fhould be particularly attended to, while they are
in a horizontal pofition.

Ihe expence of U'anjplanting is confiderable.
Three men moving plants, near twenty feet high,
and as thick as the leg, in the above-defcribed
deliberate manner, and carrying them a hundred
yards, do not move more than fu^ or eight plants

a day.

MiNUT£s IN Practice^ ^61

a day. This (with the previous expence of digr
ging the holes), is not lefs than eightpence or nine-
pence a plant. It is true, by ;^hurrying over the
work, in 3 flovenly way, fomething might be
faved. But the faving, compared with the rifk of
lofing plants of this fize, the lofs of labour, and
the disfigurement of a plantation of this kind, is no
obje6t of con^lderation.

For further Remarks on this Method of Plant-
ing, fee the Rural Economy of the Midland
Bounties, Minutes 146 and 168.

Minute the Thirteenth.

February 6. On Transplanting the Pine
and Fir Tribes, into/'/^w/^/Zo^j, or extended mafles
of wood, the points or leading flioots of their lower
boughs fhould be taken off. Firjiy to check thefe
boughs, and thereby enable the roots to fend up a
better fupply of nourilhment to the leaders and
upper boughs in general. For this purpofe, if
the lower boughs be numerous, they may be
fhortened, even to the innermoft wings or pair of
branches, with advantage : the Spruce Firs of
plantation A. fucceeded perfectly, the lafl feafon,

und^

v-»

62 iCuRAL Ornament.

under this treatment *. Secondly^ to prevent their
encumbering their neighbours; the treatment being
fingularly applicable to the Scotch Pine, in mixed
plantations. In almoft every place, the evil con-
fequences of not attending to this are obvious.
And Lajily^ in the interior of a plantation, the
foonerthe lower boughs die and drop off, the more
valuable the timber becomes,

Bltt of the Pine tribe, (tt out as flandardsy or
in groups, or in the cuter ranks of a plantation, the
lower boughs are their beft ornament. How rich
is their effecl at Berkley, at Enville, and at
FiSHERwrcK. But, even in this cafe, it is not
always necelTary, or proper, to fufFer all the lower
boughs to remain at their full length. If they are
numerous, they will not only carry off too much
fap, and thereby weaken the head of the plant,
but thcmfelvcs become flender, feeble, and take a
bufhy unfightly form ;— whereas, by leaving a pro-
per number of (Irong boughs, in fuitable direclions,
and checking the reft, the plant will at once be in-
vigorated, and acquire variety of outline and
flrength of feature^ as it grows up.

Transplanted Roots can only fend up a cer-
tain fupply of fap, and it is the planter's duty

^ 5ff RvR. EcpN. of the Mid. Count. \^o1. ii F» 35V

MiMuTES IN Practice. 363

to fee that no portion of it be fpent in vain, — that
every drop be applied to the moft iifeful purpofe.
And, further, inafmilth as fingle trees require a
greater quantity of boughs to be left Handing, the
planter, if he even hope for fuccefs, ought to befedu-
loufly attentive to take up, and remove with them,
a quantity of fibres proportioned to the nccelTary
exhauftion ; and the greateft poflible length of root,
to give them liability and firmncfs, in their new
fituation.

Minute the Fourteenth.

February 20. (fee min. 6.) In an attempt to
COLOUR this part of the plantation, — fo as by
rendering the recefs dark, to throw it into fhadow,
and by giving a degree of luftre to the proje<5bion,
give variety at leaft, if not pidturable effect, — wc
perceive that the art of colouring with trees
is attended with a difficulty which we were not
aware of: their v/inter and fummer colours are not
only different, but, in fome valuable fpecies, oppo-
fite. Thus the LimCj in winter, is remarkably
dark, but, in fummer, its leaves are of the lighter
fhade of green ; and the E/cuIus, which is Angu-
larly dark, in fuqimer, has now, a fomewhat pallid
appearance.

HQWr

364 Rural Ornament.

However, there are other fpecles, we find,
which are well adapted to painting. The Larfh^
for inftance, is fingularly light, in winter; and, '\r\
fummer, it wears a lively green. Again, the y^
is uniformly light and elegant : the Planes and the
j^ria are ftilj more fplendid, in both leafons. But
the Evergreens are the n)ofl permanent j though
not altogether fo \ as, at the time of making their
fhpots, they wear a lighter garb, than at other
lealbns. In winter, the Scotch Fir, and the Larch,
are admirably adapted to colouring ; and, in be-
guiling the dreary reign of winter, the fkill of the
artift is beft employed. Hence, the back of the
recefs is already a mafs of Firs, and dark deciduous
trees i the projeciiing point to be made as fplendid
as Larches, Planes, and Arias can render it :
meaning to affimilate and foftcn theni o£F, by der
grees, with the Beech, as a femi-tint or intermC"
diate colour, to the Oak and the Efculus,

But after all, painting with living colours, and
in open daylight, is not only difficult, but in a de-
gree unprofitable; for a beam of the Sun may turn
the whole into ridicule ; by throwing the light
into iliadow, and rendering the Hiadow a mafs qf
iiffht.

•o'

, In plantations diftant from the eye, all colouring
is improper; and in thofe at hand, a fortuitous

alTem-

Minutes in Practice. ^6^

aflfemblage is, perhaps, on the whole, preferable to
any ftudied arrangement.

Nevertheless, in ornamental plantations, in
which plants of different heights are ufed, regard
mufl: be had to that circumftance ; and, in the
more gaudy exotic fhrubery, colour ought not to
be wholly neglefted. In winter, Evergreens mixed
with the crimfon branches of the American^ Cor-
nus, and relieved with the fplendid foliage of the
filvered tribe of fhrubs, have a plcafing effect.

The arranging of plants, however, whe-
ther as to colour or height, is a mofl: tormenting
employment. A Painter has his pallet and brufh
in hand, and his colours in paflive obedience to his
will. He fees his picture at one view, or can nm
his eye over it, v/ith a fingle glance, and can, in a
moment, make or unmake whatever his imagi-
nation di6tates, or his judgment condemns.

But not fo the Rural Artift; his colours are too
unwieldy, to be worked up with his own hands : he
is, of courfe, liable to the mifconceptions -and
aukwardneffes of workmen ; and he cannot correct
an error without injury to his work. Befitie, his
canvas is not fet up before him, fo that he can fee
the whole at once ; nor can he fketch out his whole
defign, in a few hours, or perhaps a few days:

planting

366 Rural Ornament.

planting is a progrefflve bufinefs, and is liable to
feafons and the weather; efpecially if the fite be of
confiderable extent.

For fmall plots, afcertaining and lifting the
plants, and diftributing boughs, in the manner al-
ready mentioned, is perhaps the mofh eligible.
And, for larger plantations, dividing them into
compartments, and proceeding in a fimilar way, is
the mofl- pradicable method we have yet been able
to hit upon. Thus, the number and fpecies of
plants for the whole plantation being afcertained;
the number of each fpecies, requifite for each fepa-
rate compartment, mud be found, and their boughs
be diftributcd.

The diftribution of the marks is beft done, be-
fore the holes are dug, where circumftances will
admit of it j as each fpecies of plants may then
have fpaces afligned them, fuitable to their refpec-
tivc natures and manners of growth j and the fize
of the pits, too, may be adapted to tlie probable
length of root which each fort is known to rife
with ; the wotkman defcribing a circle round the
marking twig, and returning it to the center of the
hole, when it is formed.

Bv calculations of this kind, and by methods of
this fort, ftriftly adhered to, moft of the cmbarraflf-

ments

^Minutes in Practice. 367

ments Incident to forming mixed ornamental
plantations, may be avoided, much labour be
faved, many plants be preferved from injury.,
and the execution be rendered conformably to the
defio-n.

Minute the Fifteen'th.

March 2.4. In transplan'ting large plants,
the fuccefs depends, chiefly, on taking them up
with a good length of root ; which ought not^.
in ordinary cafes, to be lefs than one fourth of thr
height of the plant. It may be difficult, in moft
cafes, to take up twenty feet plants, with roots live
feet long j but, where plants ftand tolerably free,
ihere is none in taking up plants of twelve feet
high, with roots three feet long.

Roots are the natural and bell ftay of a plant ;
and a planter had better bellow ten minutes in
taking up, than five in flaking. It is not necefTary
that balls of earth, of a femidiamerer equal to the
lengtii of the roots, lliould be moved * Thefe may-
be reduced to any fize- Indeed, the more expe-
rience we acquire in tranfplanting, the more anxious
W«becQme for roots, and the lefs fo for balls of earth.

Thefe,

3^5 Rural Ornament.

Thefe, however, are defirable when they can ht
moved without exceflive expence of carriage, and
without, injury to the roots.

Minute the Sixteenth.

March 30. A view may fometimes be im-
proved, at an eafy expence. A few remaining
trees, of one h'ne of an avenue, had a bad effeftj
from the windows of a principal room, to which
they nearly pointed, but not diredlly, their ftems
being fecn diftindt ; and, of courfe, produced the
bad effedl of a ftraight line of trees.

This defc6b was remedied by a fingle fhrub
— a well furnillied plant — about ten feet high,
which covers the ftems, while the tops take the
form of a group j the idea of a line being loft, in
the general effefb. How often may fimilar defects
be hid in this way. Had the width of the defor-
mity been greater, a group, or a tuft of fhrubs,
would have been required.

Minute the Seventeenth.

April i. When flirubs have been drawn up
tall, and rendered naked at the bottom, by being

crouded

Minutes m Practice, 369

crouded In a niirfery, or a croiided plantation, it is
almoft impoflible to prune them, into forms which
will pleafe the eye. A low growing plant, which
has been drawn up tall, and confifts only of a few
fprawling boughs> fpreading out like a fan, has
been improved into a well looking fhrub, by
planting a low fpreading fucker, in the fame pit,
and placing it in front, and fo as to fill up the
central vacancy : the two affording, in this com-
bined form, a well furnifhed plant : a venial frauds
which may frequently be praclifed with advantage.

Minute the Eighteenth,

April i. In Pruning shrubs, at the time of
tranfplanting, much rriay be done towards the fu-
ture appearance, as well as the future fuccefs of
the plant. .This is not to be effeded by lopping
off the ends of the twigs, in general, and thus giv-
ing the fhrub the form of a cabbage ; but by
taking out the inferior branches, clofe to the flem
or the thicker bouglis j and even" taking out fome
of thefcj fo as to make breaks in the outline -, — ^^will
often give additional feature and elegance to the
plant i while, by thus reducing the top, the roots
are rendered the better able to fend up a fupply of
fuilenance, to the parts which are left flanding.

''i'or,. L B b Mi>;uT?

270 Rural Ornament.

Minute the Nineteenth.

April 2. In tranfplanting (brubs which throw
up SUCKERS, theie fhould be carefully laid aiide,
and placed in a nurfery quarter, to acquire roots,
and become a fupply of plants, in future, at a fmall
cofl. Alfo, from neglefted Ihrubs, which afford
natural layers, wherever the boughs touch the
ground, each rooted tv.'ig fhould be feduloufly col-
lefted.

Minute the Twentieth.

April 2. In transplanting top-heavy Ever-
greens, as Virginia Cedars, Junipers, Arbor- vitjps,
&c. for standards, it is prudent to plant a
support with each of them. Not an ordinary
ftake, but a larger and more clubbed truncheon ;
placing the large end downward in the bottom of
the pit, a ftraight part rifing fome few feet above
the furface, and nearly clofe to the ftem of the
plant ; which being fattened to it, by means of foft
bandages, gains a feafonable firmnefs, without any
outward appearance of fupport.

Minute

Minutes in Practice. 371

Minute the Twentyfirst.

April 7. In lining out walks, a flight
covering of fnow is advantageous, in fhewing the
track of the defigner 5 which may be improved, as
occafion may require. Stakes, though proper in
lining a plantation, as fhewing at once the effecSt of
the intended fence, or of the marginal flirubs, may
tend to deceive the eye, in the effecb of a walk ;
whereas a track, whether in fnow, or on the furface
of broken ground, or given by a fharp inftrument,
drawn by a fecond pcrfon, fo as to ripple the fur-
face of green turf, is in effeft the walk j differing
only in v/idth, from the real walk when finiflied.

In wild or fortuitous fcenery, the firft devious
tra6t will generally have the beft effe6l. But> in
highly embelUfhed grounds, it requires to be lined
out, with fcrupulous attention to the beauty and
gracefulnefs, which ought to mark every line, in
polifhed fcenery.

When a walk v/inds acrofs a lawn, broken by

tufts and relieves of Ihrubs, it fhould appear as if

attracted by the various beauties of the fcene : it

B b 2 Ihould

372 Rural Ornament.

Ihould make boldly towards them, hang to their
margins, and feem to leave them with reludlancc.

In tracing paths, through plantations of tall
g]'owIng trees, intended to rife into groves, the trees '
themfelves fhoiild feem to diredl the path, which
of coiirfe ought not to be determined on, before
the trees are planted. In plantations formed of
tall tfanfplanted trees, fuch paths may be formed
immediately after the trees are planted ; otherwife,
they Ihould be deferred until the trees are grown
up, and the obftru6ling plants be removed, in the
thinnings : the direction of the path being deter^
mined (but not formally marked )j by evergreen
underwood, as Holly, Privet, Box, or cuttings of
Laurel -, and a narrow pathway, no matter how
intricate, may wind in among the young plants, for
the purpofe of rendering the plantation itfelf com-
modious, in viewi:>g, thinning or pruning the
plants. A path thi^e feet wide is fufficient for this
purpofe.

NARROwpaths. of this kind render a plantation
commodious,- and are formed at a trifling expence.
The middle of the path is the natural furface of the
ground, a doping channel being llruck with a-
fpade on either fide : this, and pruning off the
boughs which (hoot towards the path, affords the
required accommodation.

Minute

Minutes in Practice. 373

Minute the Twentvsecond.

April 10. Fences in ornamented sc£nery.
For the fecurity of highly kept grounds, the fos§,
accompanied with mafles and tufts of wood, is the
moft eligible ; as giving the eye the lead reftraint,
and as ferving beft to aiTimilate tl>e immediate en-
virons of the houfc, with the contiguous park or
pafture grounds *.

But, in the lower ftyks of ornament, a lefs ex-
penfive boundaiy is preferable : and for the fence
of a plantation, not included within the limits of
the kept grounds, but ftill within diftinft view from
the houfe and its environs, a fimple guard, fufficient
againft pafturing animals, without being offenfive
to the eye, is the only requifite.

That which, after much confideration, we
adopted and executed, here, is a floping ditch and
reclining bank, with a dwarf rail fence, hanging in
the face of it, atfuch a diftance as to prevent cattle
from climbing over it, and fheep from creeping
beneadi itj and with a line of hedgewood on the
inner fide, when its ufe is to guard a plantation.

B b 3 Thf

♦ See the Review of the Landscape, &c. p. 23:.

J74 Rural Ornament.

The face of this fence may either be turned
towards the plantation, or from it. In the former
cafe, it is lefs vifible j but in the latter, it is a
firmer better fence, and incurs a lefs wade of land j
for the flope of the fofs being made eafy, and
fown with grafs feeds, as well as the face of the
bank, which alfo falls gently back, the pafturable
furface is greater with this, than perhaps with any
other fence. By adding a dwarf paling, this fence
becomes efFedlual againll hares, at a moderate ex-
pence.

As a fence againft cattle and fheep, the following
have been the dimenfions, and manner of con-
ftnidion, here. Level the ground, and turn a gauge
turf J drefling it with an even firm angle, as a guide
to the whole work. Behind this turf, lay in mor-
ticed pofts, four feet and a half to five feet long,
placing the lower end of the mortice about eighteen
inches from the angle of the gauge turf, and in
fuch a pofition, as to form with the face of the
bank, when finifhed, the lower point of an equi-
lateral triangle, whofe upper fide is horizontal.
Faften the polls, and carry up the bank, with the
excavated mold of the ditch j forming the face of
the bank with turf; and ramming in the foil firmly
behind it, as the bank is carried up j to prevent its
fettling too flat : and the more efifedlually to pre^
vent this, the upper part of the bank {hould be

built,

Minutes IN Practice. 37^

built, fomewhat more upright, than the foot
v( it i which ought, of courfe, to form, with a ver-
tical line, an angle of 30°. In this manner, the
face of the bank is raifed to about fix feet flope,
allowing Ibme inches for fettling ; the length of
flope, when fettled, being about five feet and a
half J namely, three feet below the level of the
ground, and two feet and a half above.

The rails ^rtjlip in ; the preceding one being
bound by that which fucceeds it : care being had
not to jar the polls, before the bank be firmly
fettled.

When the plantation is up, or the hedge be-
comes a fence, the bank may be thrown down :
the temporary fence having then done its duty.

Nearer the eye, and where a hedge would be
unfightly, the rails and pofts may be repaired,
from time to time, at an expence extremely tri-
fling, compared with that of a wall or paling.

B b 4 SECTION

37^ Rural Or NAMEifi^

SECTION THE SECOND.

MINUTES IN DEVONSHIRE.

THE next inflance of pradice, in the Rural
Art, occurred' in Devonshire; at Buckland
Place, formerly Buckland Priory, the refidencq
of the family of Drake, from the time of the
Circumnavigator, who purchafed it, until the
death of the late valuable polTeflbr, Sir Francis
Drake; — -now a feat of Lord Heathfield.

Description of the District and Site,

The Weflern Diftrict of Devonfhire, in which
this place is fituated, abounds with pidurable
fernery. It forms a fort of vale between the
Dartmore and Cornifh mountains 3 but differs from
ordinary vale diftridts, in the abruptnefs of its fur-
face and the drynefs of its foil ; poffefling, in thefe
refpeds, the diftinguifhing charaClers of an upland
country ; broken, in a ftiiking manner, into ridges
and vallies ; and, in feme places, rifmg in detached

hillocks :

Minutes in Practice. 377

hillocks; thus giving infinite variety o{ p'oimd,
whofc deeper hangs are moftly clothed with wood ;
which frequently mantles down to the margins of
the rivers and eftuaries, with which the diflridt is
happily interfecled.

Bui' the immediate fite under defcrlption, though
furrounded with fcenery of the lafl: mentioned caft,
does not partake of it. The houie, fituated in a
dip or fhallow valley, is befet with well turned
knolls, folding with each other, in a beautiful
manner. . The whole is well foiled, a*nd in a ftatc
of cultivaiion, except the more diftant fwells, which
are deeper than the reft and hung with wood;
over which appears a rifmg knoll of heath, form-
ing a happy ofFscape, to the principal view from
the houfe : altogether, a monajlic fite.

Some fixty years fince, much grove planting
had been done about the houfe : and, during the
laft twenty or thirty years, the whole had been
fufFered to grow up in a ftate of negled j fo that
the houfe might be faid to ftand in a valley of
wood, and to be rendered, at once, unpleafant and
iinwholefome.

Some alterations, however, had taken place,
twelve or fifteen years ago, clofe about the houfe,
Y/ithin the walls of the old garden : the terraces

havii.;r

37' Rural Or n' amen t.

having been thrown down, and the ground formed
and laid out, agreeably to the modern ftyle of
ornament; and in a manner which would have
done the artift credit, had the houfe been modern ;
but, to the remains of the old Priory, terraces and
grafs plots were the belt accompaniments.

Preliminary Remarks.

With thefe data, there was only one line of
procedure. The character of the foreground, as
well as of the diftances, was beauty j and all that
art .could do, with efFed, was to bring the middle
grounds into unifon with them : to break the groves
and fkreens, in fuch manner, as to leave well formed
mafTes of wood, with viftas and grafly glades be-
tween them; fhewing, with the beft effeft, the
beautiful undulations of ground, with which the lite
abounds ; but which were almoft wholly Ihut out
from the houfc.

This has in part been done ; not more with
the view of difclofing the beauties of the place,
than to ventilate it, and thereby endeavour to
counteract the exceffive moiftnefs of its climature :
an extent of orchard ground, fpreading over the
valley below the houle, with fome fences which

disfigure

Minutes in Practice. 375

disfigure one of the boldefl fvvells, ftlll mar the
principal views j and while the prefent purpofe of
the place remains, it might be wrong to remove
them : ornament and utility Ihould ever go hand
in hand, and be ready to accommodate and afiift
each other, as the exifting circumflances of the
place require.

On the fubjecl of Rural Ornament, we find
very few Minutes at this place : our attention
being principally bent towards the fubjeifts of
Rural Economy i particularly towards the im-
provement of the noble, we had almoft faid mag-
nificent Farm, wnich, at prefent, may be faid to
conllituce the place itfelf *. Indeed, the ornamental
improvements being chiefly confined to the di-
viding of continuous fcreens, and an alteration in
the line of approach, the fubjecls of memorandum
were few.

Nevertheless, the difficulties of opening
piflurable -j- viftas, through lines of tall grown wood,
are ever too great, and their impreflions too flrong
on the mind, to pafs away wholly without notice.

Minute

• Seme account of this Farm will appear in the Rural
Economy of the West of England; now nearly ready
for the prefs.

f PicTURABLE, — grateful to the eye, in nature, and ca«
pable pf being reprefented, with good efFefi, in a pidlure.

^8q Rural Ornament,

MlIrtJTE TI^E TWENTYTHIRD.

The practical ideas that grew out of the expe-
rience which this place afForded, turn chiefly on
the proper feafon for this operation ; and on the
extreme caution and continued ftudy reqiiifite to
the due performance of it. Endeavouring, before
the work is fet about, to gain a general idea of the
cfFefb of each opening, from every point of view
which will command it, is the groundwork of
jTuccefs. This may be done, at any feafon ; but
there are only-two, in which the operation itfelf
can be profecuted with full advantage. This is
either in autumn, while the leaves are changing
their colours, or in the fpring, during the progrefs
of foliation. The latter is the moll proper feafon :
for the flrudure, as well as the outline, of each
tree may then be diilindly feen. During fome
days, accordingly as the progrefs of vegetation is
flow or rapid, fcarcely any two trees, even of the
fame fpecies, are exactly of the fame colour :
while one retains its wintry hue, another is forming
coloured buds, a third is in fuller bud, a fourth
burfting, a fifth in pallid leaf, a fixth of^a deeper
tint, 8cc. &c. fo that, at this cridcal jun6lure,
the branches of adjoining trees may, in general, be

ken

Minutes in Practice. 3S1

ieen diftlnftly, how intimately foever they mly be
mixed with each other : of courfe, the outline of
either may be feen, before the other be removed.

Minute the Twentyfourth,

Other ideas, which it was thought right to
memorize, relate to Tufts of Hedgewood, left
(landing on cutting tall-grown Hedges j to break
the meagre monotonous lines of farm fences j in
which, as is common in this'diftrid, no hedgerow
timber appears.

The fapling fhoots from the (tools, or old roots,
of the Ajh run up tall, and take better oudines than
rhofe of the Oak; which, on the high hedge
mounds of Devonfhire, generally fpread too wide,
and take ^ an outline too rotund and fquat : the
fapling groups of the Chejmit^ the Wild Cherry, and
the Mountain Sorb, alfo take defirable outlines j ef-
pecially when Blackthorn, or other flow-growing
fhrubs, happen to Hand on their margins. With
a little attention to the freeing of the bafes of thcfe
iapling .tufcs, while rifmg, their forms would be
more natural, and their cfFed more pleafing.

The

3^2. Rural Orkamekt.

The forms and fizes of thefe hedge tufcs fiiouid
be as various as the circumftances which give rife
to them. Tufts, of every dimenfion, feathering to
the bank ; taller groups, rifing with naked Hems ;
and even fingle ftems, if fuitably furniflied j may
afford variety and richnefs to the fcenery, as well as
that (hade and fhelter, which a newly fallen hedge,
hacked down from end to end, is rendered in-
capable of furnilhing.

Minute the Twentyfifth.

A NARROW Vista, if the outlines are tolerable,-,
fliould be free. A fmgle tree, be it ever fo beau-
tiful, left fianding in fuch a vifta, has a bad effect i
as frittering down, and dividing, that which ought
to be a whole.

Nor can the eye bear a single tree, of an
ordinary form, near a well outlined mafs of wood.

These are truths which experience taught at
this place. The views, in both cafes, were im-
proved, by removing the fmgle trees *.

Minute

• Neverthelefs, when the outline of a group, or of a large
mafs of wood, is ragged and unfightly, a well featured Tree,
ftanding near its margin, may, by engaging the eye, be ad-
vantageous. See MitJ. 3 i ,

Minutes in Practice. 3^S

Minute the Twentysixth.

But the moft interefting idea, we find regiftered,
in attempting to improve the appearance of thi^
place, arole in freeing a grove of full grown Oaks
from the foulneffes with which it was obfcured,
and rendered altogether unintelligible, from the
principal point of view. Having freed its furface,
fufficiently to give a general idea of its figure and
outline, and having difclofed irregular plots of
greenlward on different fides of it, the defired
effea was produced ! though the greater part of
the bafe, on the fide toward the eye, remained
foul. By the help of the plots of ground which
were feen, and by the form of the canopy being
obvious to the eye, the imagination readily con-
ceived the rell, and rendered the whole intelligible.

General Remarks.

From the fum of the experience gained, here,
we have learnt, that the principal r^quifites, in
developing the beauties and brufhing away the
deformities of a place overloaded with wood, arc
circumfpeclion and application. It is true, an eye

habituated

384 Rural Ornament.

habituated to pifturable fcenery, and efpeciall^
one which has been accullomed to produce it, will
dilcover beauties in the midft of deformities, more
readily, than one which is inexperieficed \ yet, in
complicated cafes, the keened cannot decide at
fight.

This may account, in fome meafure at leaft, for
the " monotony and baldnefs," complained of iii
Mr. Brown's manner. Towards the latter part
of his pradice, Mr. B. had but little time to beftoW
on any one of the numerous places he was engaged
in : if obvious beauties (truck him at fight, in the
fortuitous fcenery of the place to be improved, he
no doubt retained them ; but he had not time /<?
fearch for beauties among deforniilics ; nor, if he had
detefted them, had he an opportunity to attend to
their developement : he could not be in every
place, at the time of foliation or difcolouring of the
leaves ; nor had he leifure to ftand, in perfon, to
watch the efied of the fall of each tree, and there-
by determine the fate of the next: and, being thus
unable to unravel the knot, he might fometimes
cut it : While at Stov/.e, BLENKZiiM, and Fisher-
wick, where he had leifure to attend perfonally to
the m.inutia;, he produced a richnefs of feenery^^
which Ihews that ke had great abilities in his pro-
feilioxi.

SECTION

MiNiTTES IN Practice. 385

SECTION THE THIRD.

MINUTES IN PERTHSHIRE*

THE laft place, to which the fame piirfuit led
was Taymouth, the principal refidence of the
Earl of Breadalbane, in Perthshire.

Description of the Site.

TAYMOUTH is fituated in the center of the
Southern Highlands, among the loftieft and mod
iavage of the Grampian mountains -, but in a fertile
and fpacious valley, — the head of Strath Tay,—
the garden of the Highlands.

The upper part of the valley^ above the grounds
of Taymouth, is occupied by Loch Tay, and its
fertile banks J overlooked, on one fide, by the Hin
OE Lawers, and, at the further extremity is fecn,
in a flriking point of viev/, Ben-more ; mountains
which rank among the very firft in the ifland.

Vol. I. C c The

S^^ Rural Ornament.

The bafe of the valley is about a mile In width,
and the culrurable lands, which hang on the lower
margins of its mountain fidss, about a mile more.
Above thefe, lines of green mountain pafture fuc-
ceed i but their greennefs is prefently loft, in the
heath of the mountains on mountains, which rife
on either fide of the valley j efpecially on the
North. /

These Mountains, tiiough often fteep, arcr
feldom broken or rocky ; — except the heads of
the Farragan, Schehallicn, and Glenlyon hills,
which are in the highcfl ftyle of mountain fcenery.
But they are hid, in a great meafure, from the
grounds of Taymouth, by a beautiful hillock, or
minor mountain, Drummond hill, which rifes
fteeply on every fide out of the bale of the valley
(here dilated), and Screens them on the North.

The River Tay, which receives its name from
the Lake, and is, at its efflux, a river of the third
or fourth magnitude of rivers in this illand, takes a
winding courfe through the bafe of the valley,
which hf-S evidently been formed by water : for
although its furface, at prefent, is uneven ; lying in
level ftages, one higher than another, according to
rhe period of time at which each has been formed j
the highefc flrages being not lefs than thirty or
forty feet above the prefent bed of the river ; yet

each

Minutes is Practice. 387

each ftage is of the fame gravelly loam, which
conftitutes the foils of all the " haughs," or river-
formed lands of the Highlands.

But the time and rrianner, in which the high;r
ftages have been formed, feems difficult to be ac-
counted for ; unlefs it were done primevally, when
the mountains and vallies them felves were formed ;
or, during fome extraordinary convulfion, fince that
period. In Glen- lyon, a narrower and longer valley,
there are ftages of land, evidently water-formed,
which cannot be lefs than forty or fifty feet abovfe
the prefent bed of the Lyon *.

The loweft ftages of the lands of Taymouth
rife only a few feet above the water, in the time of
floods ; which, being regulated by the extenfive
furface of the lake, do not rife to a great height.

The PIouse is fituated on the largeft of thefe
lower levels, which is nearly encompafled by the
river ; the buildings ftanding in the centet* of a fub-
peninfula,* which, in oudine, refembles the feftion
of a bell, and which forms part of a deer park that
contains fome hundred acres.

C c 2 Formerly,

* Thefe heights, however, are merely eftimated by the eye,
and mav not be accurate.

j8S Rural Or?;ament.

Formerly, a fiimptuous garden ftretched out
in ftraight lines, from the front of the houfe j vying
with Moor Park in fymmetry and fweetnefs j — if
one may judge from the defcription of the one *,
and a tolerable reprefentation, which has been pre-
ferved of the other. The lines themfelves have
long been erafed j the park now embracing
three fides of the houfe j-^an ancient Chateau,
modernized.

At a Ihort diftance from the North front of the
houfe, rifes a (lately avenue of Limes, — the talleft
and fineft we have feen. But the moft extraor-
dinary circumftance of this avenue (if it may be
fo termed), is its form or ground plot ; which r^
that of the letter Q j occupying the crown of the
peninfula ; the fem.i circular part having, it is pro-
bable, traced the banks of the river, at the time
of forming: a licence this^ which, a century ago,
muft have been audacioufly heretical.

The late Earl of Breadalbane, who pof-
fefled the eftate, and made Taymouth. his prin-
cipal refidcnce during a length of years, made
great alterations in the place j and, confidering
the day in which they were done (near half a

century

*■ See Sir William Temple's Account of Moor Fark»
itopage 216 of thia Volume.

Minutes in Practice. 3%^

century ago, in the early dawn of rational improve-
ments), they remain, among a variety of other
improvements which took place on his extenfive
cflates; proofs of his fiiperior abilities.

The cardinal improvement, which Taymouth
has- received from the liberal hand of its late pof-
feflbr, has been effefled by Planting ; by
cloathing the naked hills which overlooked his
domain, with wood; pardcularly the Steeps of
Drummond, which rife with an afcent, almoft un-
alTailable by the human foot ; yet are now mantled,
from the bale to near the fummit, with woods of
the mofl luxuriant growth : the lower and middle
regions with Oaks, Beeches, and other deciduous
Woods, interfperfed with Larches and Firs j the
upper region with the Highland Pine.

The Southern banks, which rife to the view
from the front of the houfe, take a very different
form : they are compofed of rich well turned
knolls, rifing one behind the other, with dips or
flattened ftages between them -, falling back with
eafy flopes i fo as to form a moft beautiful ftyle
of ground ; fycli as is fc^dom feen Jn mountainous
diftrifts.

The higheft of thefe well foiled fwells had re-
tained its native covering i chiefly Birch J which
C c 3 had

J9'^ Rural Ornament.

had been preferved for the ufe of the tenants of
the eflate : having been the only timbery which, on
this part of the eftate, had efcaped the ravages of
licentious tenantry, and contending clans. On the
lower fvvellsj much pLinting has been done : more,
indeed, than the qualicy of the foil warranted i and
more than piccurable effeft required.

But the mofl flriking alteration which the late
poflfefibr made, at Taymouth, and which now
marks it, perhaps, diftinflly from every other
place, was that of forming terraces along the brinks
of the river banks j whether the feet of thefe banks
are now waihed by the river, or whether it has, in
procels of time, changed its courfe, and formed
oppofite banks; leaving meadowy grounds between
them. In one part, the banks now ftand fome
hundred yards from each other ; a field of feveral
acres occupying the fpace between them ; lying a
few feet above the river, and thirty or more below
the terraces which v/ind on either fide of it.

The mode of forming thefe terraces was fimply
that of planting lines of trees, chiefly**- Beeches,
nearly parallel with the brink of the bank ; wind-
ing as the bank winds, unlefs where the bends are
abrupt ; and there, the trees take a m.ore eafy
Bowing line : of courfe, the width of thefe terrace
r^alks, or lines of fpace between the trees and the

bankj

Minutes in Practice. 39^

bank, varies : thirty feet may, perhaps, be taken as
a mean wiatli. Thele walks have ever been kept
in a (lace of turf, and mown as grafs walks.

The banks, though moftly fteep and rugged, are
hung with wood i which, having rifen above the
eye, the river, its banks, and the beauties they con>
tained, with the oppofite hangs of the valley, and
the mountain diftances which rife behind them,
were, ofcourfe, fhut out from the view.^ Thefe
terraces were become little more than wide grafs
walks, winding under lines of coppice wood, a mile
or more in length.

This, however, was more ftriftly the cafe, on the
North fide of the river. On the fide next the
houfe, the river banks are various in height. The
walk dips, in fome places, down to the lov/er levels,
a few feet above the river ; from which it was
feparated, by a thin line of brufbwood only ;, and,
in two parts, this had been cleared away : fo that,
in thefe parts, the entire furface of the river was
fe€n.

These terrace walks are feparated from the
farm grounds, on the North fide of the river, by a
half funk wall, and a dwarf hedge j— from the park
and paddocks, on the South fide, by a dwarf wall,
with fquare rough ftone pillars, at equal and Ihort
C c 4, dif-

39* Rural Ornament.

diftances. On the outfide of thefe pillars, and this
dwarf wall, is fixed a flight frame of wood, as a
fupport to five or fix ropes, ftretched one above
another, as a fence againft the deer. Tnis fence,
however, taken all together, is very unfightly, and
is infuificient.

At the terminations of thefe terraces, d^andl
ornamental buildings, after the manner of Stowe ;
with others fcattered on the Southern banks of the
valley. They are, in general, in a good tafte, an4
capable of producing as much effefb as ufelcfs
buildings generally are *. A fub-cylindrical tower,
or obfervatory, raifed on the higheft of the Southern
fwells, and partially hid by the wood of Birches,
is by far the mod pleafing of thefe buildings.

The undulating furface which has been de-
fcribed, pardally wooded, and receiving additional
cxprefTion from the tower, a fort, and a temple,
placed on confpicuous parts of it, and the whole
backed by mountain knolls, form an agreeable
view from the front of the houfe. But, unfortu-
nately, the eating room is the only principal room
from -which it is feen. The drawing room and
the library are on the Wefl front ; from which, the

only

* A% RETREATS, fomc of thcfc buUdlngs have their ufe.
Indeed, grounds extenfive as thofe of Taymouth, and in a
climate uncertain as that of the Highlands, require them.

Minutes in Practice. 393

only view was a fqiiare grafsplot, of a few acres,
hedged in by the tal} avenue on one fide, and by
anoth'er line of tall trees, in front ; without any
objed to entertain the eye, except a fingle tree,
tolerably well featured, (landing near the center of
this green ar<^a.

Preliminary Remarks,

Under thefe given circumftances, the leading
ileps of improverpents were evident. Firft, to
break the (kreen which flood immediately acrois
the view from the Weft front, in fuch manner as to
tiifclole to the view from the windows of the prin-
cipal rooms, the beft fcenery which the low fitu-
ation of the houfe, and the circumftances of the
place, were capable of affording. Next, to open
the terrace fkreens, lb as to give additional feature
to the views from the lioufe, and, at the fame time,
to difclofe the houfe to the v;alks, in the beft point
of viewi as well as to difplay the beauties of the
terraces to each other. But moft of all, to fever
thefe fkreens, in fuch parts, as command pi6lurable
compofition : and this moft efpecially where the
river, or the lake, forms a middle ground to
mountain diftances.

During

394 Rural Ornament.

During a refidence of near two months, in the
fummer of 1792, thefe improvements moflly oc-
curred, and, in the fpring and autumn of 1793,
were in fome part executed. "By reaching the
ground, before the foliation of the trees took place,
the fkreens were moft pervious to the eye, and the
cxadl fituation of cne breaks were, of courfc, the
beft feen J and the progrefs of the foliation was the
moil favorable time for catching the beft outlines,
ragged coppice wood is capable of affording.

But thefe orn/-. mental itiprovements being
fecondary to more important objc6lsj namely,
ihofe of afcertaining the prefent ftate of the Rural
E'coNOMY of the Higklands; and of pointing
out the means of their improvement, more parti-
cularly THE improvement OF THE ESTATE OF

Breadalbane* J few minutes were' made on
them, at the time. Neverthelefs, they did not pafs
entirely without notice.

MiN

utb

* Part of the information, collefledin this diftrift, has been
prefented to the Board of Agriculture, as a Report
concerning the Central Highlands. The whole may
hereafter appear, together with fuch minutes in Rural
pcoNOMY, as were made at Taymovth.

Minutes in Practigj. 395

Minute the Twentysev£nth.

1793. May 17. Began to break the teh-
RACE skreens, about a fortnight ago. The gene-
ral efFe6t is equal to expeftation ; but good outlines
are not to be had, from the fortuitous wood of the
Ikreens j and the abruptnefs and raggednefs of the
cleared banks offend, and prevent the river from
being feen, with full advantage.

However, by fhelving the outer brink, fo as 10
bend the turf, with an eafy fwelling flope, from the
level of the terrace, and giving fuicable outlines to
the fide flcreens, — by planting trees and fhrubs of
different heights, to form banks of foliage, like
thofe which are feen in the fortuitous maffes of
park fcenery, — the villas will be made to accord,
at once, with the middle grounds of the vi,ews, and
with the terraces, as immediate foregrounds. The
eye, whether it be employed in the general com-
pofition, or in the place of view from which it is
feen, will be equally gratified ; elpecially, if the
more beaudful of the vegetable tribes be made to
affimilate with the grafiy carpet of the terrace.

MiNUTS

39^ Rural Ornament.

Minute the Twentyeighth.

May 19. Much is to be done by applicationj,
attentive, but not too intenle. By faiintering
leifurely over the fite of improvement ; prying into
each recels, for latent beauties; and penetrating
every pervious part, for more dillant objeds.

In this way, it has been perceived, that the houfe
may be rendered a good object from the North
terrace, and the bank of the North terrace a beau-
tiful feature from tlie houfe. That the diftant
mountain of Lavvers may be difclofed to the draw-
ing room, and that of Benmore, it is hoped, may
be fhewn, in a happy point of view, from the
library. What a profpeft for a fubjeft to con-
template 1 A mountain rifing, at near thirty miles
diftance, his own property, and fituated near the
midway of his eftate ; which reaches from his
houfe to this moujitain, and from this mountain to
the Weflern fea,— fome forty or fifty miles ftill
farther diftant ! No other fubjcft, perhaps, can
enjoy fucli a view. It ought, therefore, to be dif-
clofed, even though fome of the beauties of Tay-
i^oudi fhould be facrificed to the difclofure *.

MlNUT^

♦ On drift examination, however, it was found, that the
Jibrary ftands a fe-ui feet from the line of view. From the
•teriace, it is fcen with, advantage.

MiffuTEs IN PracTics. 397

Minute the Twentyninth.

May 19. One of the pofTeflbrs of this cflate,
fearful that the Tay fhould wear away the ifthmus',
and carry off his caftle, fetched five hundred of his
tenants out of Argylefliire, to afTift in making a
long high pier of ftones, to guard it. Tradition
fays, that meal being fcarce, a famine was brought
on, by this ill planned work, before the poor
fellows could finifli their taflv. Had one half of
the ftones been lodged, in a flat Hoping pile, againft
the bank of the river, at the bend, the work would
have been more effedual, and have been done with
one fourth of the labour ; befides prelerving the
-natural fvveep of the river ; inflead of giving it an
unnatural, and, of courfe, an unfightly turn ; and,
what is ftill more difagreeable, forming a noifome
unwholefome fwamp, between the pier and the
natural banks ; and this, in the immediate neigh-
bourhood of the houfe. It would be worth fomc
hundred pounds to have it undone. A. hint for
thofe who have fimilar works to execute.

MiNU

T«

J9^ Rural O r'n a m e k t^

Minute the Thirtieth.

May 25. It is difficult to open a line op
VIEW, between two objefts (or between an object
and a point of view), which, in the outlet, cannot
be fecn from each other : as in bringing the church
of Kenmore within the view from the drawing room.
A cautious perfeverance, alone, cr.n properly effecfi:
it. The befl affiflancc, perhaps, is to fuppofe a
middle point, and, beginning at each end, trace a
line towards this fuppofed points clearing away
brufhwood and undergrov/th. If, on reaching th^
midway point> the lines happen to take the fame
diredlion, the true line is found : if not, the angle,
they make with each other, will fhow on which
hand the true point lies. Or if trees only obftruft,
and firm ground only intervene, begin at either
obje(5t, and trace a random line, until the obftruc-
tions are permeated, and the required obje6t can be
fcen : and, by this falle line, endeavour to afcertain
the true one.

Minute the Thirtyfirst.

June 2. In breaking through deep fkreens of
tall grown trees, and wlicre good outlines cannot be

had,

Minutes in Practice. J99

had, a handfome fingle tree, left at a fmall diftance
from the mals, engages the eye, and adds to the
general effeft *.

MlN^UTE THE ThIRTYSECOND.

June 2. The narrower the vifca, the larger
and more diftinft the object. Benmore, viewed
through the contracted vifta from the Weft-front
terrace, appears with infinitely more magnificence
and ftrength of character, than when feen from the
lower terrace j where the view being wide, — the
entire willey of the lake, — the mountain appears
proportionally fmall.

Thus, alfo, the tower of the church, feen through
the viftas of the terraces, acquires an importance,
and a degree of pidturable effe6t, which, beautiful
as it is, it does not produce in broad open views.

This appears to be a univerfal law, in vifion j
and, perhaps, accounts for the extraordinary fatis-
fa<5tion which the eye receives from contracted
views i and for the ufe of fide fceens, in landfcape.

Minute

* But otherwife, if the contour of the mafs beplealirg, and
tJie fingle tree ill formed. See page 382.

400 Rural ORNA\iEP?T.

Minute the Thirtythird.

June 9, Every pi(5hirable cornpofitlon has its
proper point of view. If the eye recede too far
from the fide fkreens, or lateral bounds of the
view, it is cramped, and abridged ; if it approach
too near them, it becomes broad and ftarine-i
This is fingularly evident on the principal terrace.
The villas are formed of fuch widths, as to Ihew
the views, at prefent, with the beft eftecl, from the
walk which leads alon» the inner marmn of the
terrace. Viewed from the outer margin or brink>
the compofition is deranged, and the raggednefs
of the bank offends, as being difcordant with the
middle grounds and firil dillances that are every-
where caught. It has a fimilar effeft, though not
caufed by the fame law of vifion, as (landing too
near a pidure.

Hence the expediency of ftrewing tufts of
fhrubs on the outer margin of the terrace, to force
the fpeftator to the proper diftance.

Other uies of breaking the greenfward of the
terrace (in this part of confiderable width), are
thofe of giving fuitablc outlines to the extremities

of

MlNitTES IN Practice.' 461

tif the fkreens, and of thickening them between
the villas; the natural Ikreen, in this part, being
thin, and permitting a partial light ; which would
prevent the full effect of the open views. Thefe
relieves of fhrubs willj alfo, give an immediate
richnefs and fullnefs to the foregrounds of the feve-
ral compofitions J which, without them, would^
for fome years, until the fkreens are fully furnifhed,
have remained too bald and meagre j the openings
being piirpofely made wider than immediate effedl
requires. Befide, they will furnifli an opportunity
of evincing the genial climature of the Highlands ;
in which exotics, of almoft every kind that bear
the open air of this ifland, luxuriate. They will,
at the fame time, give immediate beauty to the
place of view, in the flowering tribes; whole
beauties will begin to fade* and may readily be
brufhed away^ when the Icfs gaudy plants have ac-
quired fufficient richnefs and elegance of oudine,
in the luxuriance of their growth, to fill up, with
due effed, the confpicuous parts of the fcenery, in
which they may hereafter appear.

In designing thefe relieves of shrubs, it has
been a rule, with refpefl to fize, to keep them
within the fulleft limitSj rather than to exceed them.
The broken ground may be readily enlarged, but
not eafily contrafted. Befide, as xhtjhrubs fpread
forward, the flowers will want room on the mar-
Vou I. D d gins j

402 RtTRAL Ornament.

gins J fo that thefe ought to be an annual enlarge-
ment, until the full extent be reached ; when the
flowers ihould be difcontinued : and, finally, the
fhrubs themfelves ITioiild be removed, or thofc of
the fkreens be fuffered to be overgrown, by their
more robuft and taller neighbours: fingle flan-
dards, or groups, being left in the detached tufts,
or the whole cleared away, — as circumftances
will not fail to point our.

Minute the Thirtyfourth.

September i. The fteep wooded face of
Drummond Hill, when looked up to at a fuitable
diftance from its footj has a ftriking effecfb. But
iuch a view of it does not occur on the kept walks
of the terraces 3 nor has there ever appeared to be
any means of producing fuch a one, without re-
moving part of the circular avenue j until this
morning; when a line of walk was ftruck out,
which will be highly advantageous, for viewing the
grandeur of this wooded deep, and which will
afford an agreeable communication between the
Weft-front terrace and the bridge, without pro-
faning this grand remain of antient gardening?
whofe dampnefs and gloom may ftill be enjoyed^
by thofe who prefer its (hade to a more cheerful
communication.

V/hat

Minutes in Practice. 403

What a length of acquaintance is required,
to afcertain the bed advantages of a place. The
fureft guard againft miffing them, is, perhaps, not
to execute, before the eye and the judgment arc
fully fatisfied -until all doubts have vanilhed.

Minute the Thirtyfifth.

September 8. To give limits to the width of
the lawn of the grand terrace, and for the conve-
r^iency of the mowers, ran a wavy path along the
fteep face of the bank (here not lefs than thirty
feet high), a few feet below the brink ; humouring,
the relieves of fhrubs which bend over itj as well
as the natural or fortuitous varieties of the ground.
Its effefts from the oppofite banks are good j and
what was unforefeen, it will, when the brufliwood
below is grown up, add no mean variety to the
folitary lounger. A ftill more ruflet track, at the
foot of this deep rugged bankj wildly deviating on
the margin of the river, would farther add to the
variety.

Minute the Thirtysixth.

October 31. Not being able to fee the real

plants put into the. broken ground of the terraces,

the thought of fetting up false plants, to prove

D d 2 the

464 Rural Ornament.

the dcfign, and to ferve as a guide to the planter,
fortunately occurred. The top wood of the trees
lately fallen, afforded boughs of different heights
and colours • and, in a few days, a full idea of the
effed: which may be expecSled from the living
plants, fome years hence, has been produced.

By means of thefe fajfe pkntsy it was found, thaC
fome of the fegmehts of broken grotind, formed
for the purpofe of thickening the fkreens between
the viftds, were not full enough : there was not
room to bring down the banks of foliage, witli
fufficient flope ; they were too (Veep to pleafe the
eye, aild f6r the growth of the lower Ihrubs, in
front. ''A few feet more, in width, have given;
the required declivity; fo as to be able to pro-
portion the frefh plants to thofe already in their
places, without ofFehding the eye, or cramping
the marginal fhrubs*

Ai^otheK rhaterid advantage gained by this ex-
pedient, is, the planter may now proceed without
hazard. He may either take an exacSt meafure, or
the bough itfelf, as a gauge to the required plant ;
and thus feled, with certainty, that which is fuitable
to the given fituation.

In fetting up thefe falle plants, it was found that,
in order to give them a natural effect, it wa^

requificc

Minutes in Practice. 405

fequifite to lean their heads confiderably outward :
and the fame principle holds good, in forming tufts,
orJDanks gf foliage, with ^.iving plants,

Farther Improvements suggested.

The alterations, mentioned in the foregoing
Minutes, are but the minor part of thofe which
Taymouth required. And it will not be altogether
uninterefting to thofe who have Cccn the plape, or
may hereafter vifit it, to notice, here, fome of the
many improvements, of which we conceive it tQ
l^e ftill further fufceptibje,,

First, The difgufting park fence, which ha$
been mentioned, is required to be removed, and a
fofs to be funk, agreeably to the outline already
drawn ; including an enlargement of the principal
terrace, as a place of view, and to receive a
cohfcrvatory retreat, or morning room, furmjhed
with the moft fragrant and beautiful exonc
plants

*

Second, A removal of the whole, or a principal

part, of the unfightly River Break, mentioned ia

Minute Twentynine, is wanted \ in order to cover

D d 3 the

* See Revi£^ of the Landscape, i^q,. pag? 233,

4o6 Rural Ornament,

the offenfive i'wamp which it has formed, — with
living water j thus uniting it with the prefent courfe
of the Tay, in a broad River Bend, — with or
without an iflet.

Third, The Lines of Terrace Trees require
to be broken, in different parts ; efpecially to
let in the more diftant mountain fcenery to the
houfe i and to be thinned, in other parts, before
their tops are injured, by interfering with each
other.

Fourth, The lines of approach, both from the
Eaft and tiie "Weft, may be altered with happy
cffeft. The propofed lines, in the immediate
view from the hoiife, have been drawn.

Fifth, The deer park may be enlarged with
advantage,— by admitting the truly parkifh paflage
between the prefent lodge and the kitchen
garden ^.

Sixth, Thq beautiful floping grounds, which
rife in front of the houfe, are capable of much im-
provement. There are many ♦* harfh lines and
angular infertions," which require to be foftened -,

an^

* The origin of this admirable idea, hawever, cannot be
claimed by the writer of thefe remarks.

Minutes in Practice, 4^

and much picliirable beauty to be difclolcd : the
lower margins of the hanging woods fliould faU
down in loofe feftoons, at the foot of the flope ;
and the ragged Birch woods of the higher knolls
be thrown into irregular maffes, with graiTy glades
between them, in the foreft ftyle. Much of the
foil is rich, and the turf, where it is cleared, re-
markably fine. In a diftrict where rich foils and
fine turf are fo fparingly fcattcrcd, it were almoi^
criminal to fufFer them to remain encumbered with
rough coppice wood, now no longer wanted.
Utility as well as Ornament requires the well foiled
parts to be cleared from their prefent roughnefles,
and the ftoney and lefs reclaimable parts to be filled
up clofely with wood j thus converting every part
to its proper ufe, and gaining a happy firft diftance
to the mountain ofFscape, which rifes behind it.

Seventh, Carriage roads are much wanted
along the flopes, on either fide of the valley i el-
peciaily for the accommodation of ftrangers. The
extreme parts of the grounds arc too diftanr, and
their accefs too difficult, to be afiailed by the foot,
cfpecially of the delicate.

Lastly, The Houfe, which is not at prefent
equal to the place, or the eftate, on which it ftands-,
feqiiires to be enlarged. A principal front, form-
ing a quadrangle with the prefent houfe and wings,
D d 4 would

40$ Rural Ornament.

would not only command a fine bend of the Tay,
in a ftriking point of view, as well as the beautiful
fcenery laft defcribed, but the mountain view, whicl>
has been mentioned as moft defirable.

With thefe alterations, Taymouth, independent
of the additional charms of contrail, arifing from the
romantic fcenery and favage wildnelTes in its tieigh-
bourhood, might rank ^mong the firft places of
the ifland. In magnificence of fituation, and in
piclurable fcenery of the fofter kinds, it is entitled
to precedency. The fublime, the romantic, or the
more favage features of picburefquenefs, muft not
be looked for from the immediate grounds of
Taymouth j though the laft may fometimes be
caught. As a principal fummer refidence of a
man of fortune (the remotenefs of its fituation
apart), there are few places equal to it. Places ir^
general are but limited parts of the diftri(5ts they
lie in, or command j — are hemmed in, on one fide
or another, v/ith infuperable barriers, or with nui-
fances that cannot be removed ; whereas Taymouth
js a diftri^ within itfelfj and every part may be
j-anged over at pleafure, — whether for exercife
merely, or to enjoy the endlefs variety of view,
which the different parts of it are capable of dif-
plofing.

INDEX.

A.

A CCOMPANIMENTS Natural,

Accompaniments Faftitious, 258.
Alder, as a Hedgewood, 61.

Application of the Rural Art, 267.
Approach, its proper Termination,
274.
Approach, how to conduft, 284.
Approach, at Firt^ierwick, 308.

Art may appear without Difguife,

9.6<).

Art, the Handmaid of Nature, 270.
Artills fliould be guided by the

Nature of the Place, and its

Intention, . - 267.

— ^ — , their Qualifications, 268 .
Architeftural Ornaments, Obfer-

vations on, at Stowe, -02 .

Arrangement of Pans, in embellilhed

Scenery, 2-^.

Arranging Ornamental Plants, 352.
Arranging Plants, Further Remarks,
365.
Am, as a Grove Timber, 147.

Aflemblage, Fine at Fifherwick, 313.
At ho!, Duke of, his Plantations of

Larch, 1^3,

Attendance after Planting, 37.

Avenue, a remarkable one, at Tay-

nnouth, - - 388.

Aviary of Foreign Birds, its proper

Situation, ^jg.

B.

Baldnefs the Extreme of Simplicity,
282.
Banks of Foliage, to form, 354.
Banks of Foliage, Further Remarks
on Forming, 40;.

Beds of Compel, jg.

Bedi of Natural Mold, 1 1

Bends of Water, their Zffea, 347.
Birch, as a Nurfe Plant, 333.

Borders, to form, 35^.

Breaking Wcody Skreens, 395.'

Breaks of Wood, their ufe in harl

monizing Compofitions, 34r.
Bridges in ornamented Scenery, 261.
Brcom, as a Nurfe Plant, 153.

Brown, Mr. his Plan of ornamenting

Villas cenfurcd, 231,

• , Asecdotes refpefting, at

Stowe, ^ ,:ct. 300.

» his MilUke at Stowe, 303.

3 his Aimat Fifherwick, 312.

, his Succefs at FJfherwicTc,

312.

, his Forte as an Artift, 338,

> Reafons for his Partiality

to Clumps, 346^

> Remarks on his Pradlice,

3S4-
Buckingham, Marquis of, his Place,

298.
Buckland Place defcribed, 376.

Budding, Remarks on, 23.

Buildings, General Remarks on, 264.

at Stowe, Remarks on, 302.

, ill placed at Hagley, 324.

, their Effefts in Scenery, 3 35,

, Ihould accord wirh the Site,

337.
Building Timber, Species cf, 45.

c.

Cafcade at Stowe, ^co.

' at Fifherwick, not. 307,

at the Leafowes, 5 16.

, Defcriptionof, at the Lea-
fowes, 3j^^

at Hazley. -25.

Slienifonian, their Effeft,

— at EnviUe, ^ , g

Ca'cadc

INDEX.

Cafcade Shenftonlan, how Grand at
Envilk, "i^^-

Artificial, General Remarks

on, 337.

5-

47.

a6.

38.

Caotions to Young Planters,
Choice of Timber Trees,

Cleaning the Nurftry,

Plantations,

Clumps. Reafons for Brown's Par-

tiality to, - - S4f'-

Cobham, Lord, his Jmprovenipnts at

Stowfc, - - 300-

Colouring with Trees, 3°3-

Combining Shrubs, , 369'

Communications beneath Archways,

their Ufe, 3"-

Coinpofitions, the Mode of Forming,

344-

. -, their proper Cha-

rader, 344»

■ _ Parh Ui its proper

Point of View, 400.

Confervatory, Obfei^ations an, at

F.fherwick, «'• 30*.

Ccnfumption of Timber, 47-

Contraft, its Etfeft in feparate Views,

285.

madmlffible in the fame

View, 385.

. ._ exemplified at Pers&eW,

29S.

Coppices, Seaion of, 18 1.

___— ofKcnt, Method of Rai-

fing, 'S*-

, ^ Raifing them from Seed,

i3»-

. of Oziers, Method of Rai-

fing, JSj.

Coppice Wcods, Species of, U9.

'*^ ::«», Etfcas at En-

' ■■ yiUe, 337-

Com M;U, as an Appendage to an

Ornamented Farm, 3*'-

Ccttage Beauty, the Principle of

Improving, _ '^^^■

Cottage, Ornamented Seftion ( f ,

, ill placed in extenfsve

Woods, 338.

Crabthom, as a Hedgewood, 60.
Cutting Hede;es, Remarks on, 85.
Cutting, PropaSa-inS fro""' ^7-

Defefts,/" Deformities.
Defending Seed Beds, I4»

Young Hedgerows, "C-

Deformities, on hiding, 353'

_, to hide, Further Re-

mai-ks, 3^^-

. — , to do away, 3^4*

Dell, an Artificial one, at Sto-.ve, 304.
D'Ermenonville, Marquis, bis Re-
marks on Landfcape, 273.
Defign may appear, -70.

, Genera! Remarks on, 393.

J Proving it with falfe Plarits,

404.

Defigning Diftant Planutions, Re,

marks on, 349-

Near Grounds, Remarks on,

350-
__, General Remarks on, 352.

Walks, - 37^-

. , Further Remarks on,^ 37^.

, the Cautions req«ifue in, 3S3,

Relieves of Shrubs, 40^-

Firft Diftances, 407»

, a General Principle in, 407.

Devcnihire, Minutes in, 376.

Dingle ^t ihe Leafowes, 3i7'

— of Hagley, 3^4-

Dingles, General Obfervatlons, 318.
Difpofition of Parts in embelliflied
Scenery, ^74-

Doiiegall, Marquis of, his Place,3o5,
Drake, Family of, their Place, 376.
Drilling Tree Seeds, the Method, 14.

147.

6.

80.
3^7-

Elm, as a Grove Timber,
Encouragements to Planting,
Enemies of Young Hedges,
Enville j|efcribe(l,

F.

Faftitious Accompaniments, 25S.
Falfe PUnts, their Ufe in proving a

Defign, 404-
, their Advantage to the

Planter, 405-

Farm, its proper Style of Embellifh-

raent, S'lS-

Ftnses of Woods, General Remarks,

Fencefc

INDEX.

fences In Ornament:^! Scenery, Ar-
ticle of, 258.

in Ornamented Scenery, theif

Vk, 275-
— -— of Plantations defcrlbed, 375.
Fence Woo*, Species oU 58.
, Method and Time of

Planting, 64.

Fern an Enemy to Young Hedges,S i .
Feftoons of Wood, their Effeft, 323.
Firs, on Tranfplanting, 361.

Fifherwick defcribed, 305.

Filherwick, Improvement propofed,
310.
Foreground, its Ufe in harmonizing

Compofitipns, 345.

Furze, as a Hedgewood, 63.

Furze Seed, Method of fowjng, on

Hedge Banks, 75.

G.

feathering Tree Seeds, 8.

General Difpofition of the Parts of

Ornamented Scenery, 274.

^Application, Section of,2 67.

Gibbs, Mr. (^sre employed at
Stowe ? N. 301.

Gilpin, Mr. Extrafts from his Ob-
servations on the Wye, 252.

, his ObfervatJons on Pers-

field, 291.

Glade, a ftrlkingone at Hagley, 323.

Grafting, Remarks on, 23.

Gray, Mr. JExtrads from his Letters,

not, 249.

- Grey, Hen. Mr. his Improvements

at EnviUe, 333,

Grounds, Seftion of, 252.

Ihould be in unlfon with the

rooms from which they

are feen, 285.

— — — , at EnviUe, 332.

, Follfhed, their EfFeft at

Enville, 338.

Pfoups, the.r Efftfts in animating a

Scene, 346.

Groves, Sedion of, 145.

,Mifcellaneou«, 151,

, Giving EfFea to, 3S3.

", Method of Training, 1 49.

Grove Timber, Method of Rai-

fing, 148.

»— — — 5 Timber Threes, Species of.

H.

Haglcy, Remarks on, 311,

Hares, Enemies to Hedges, J5ot

Harmony requifite in Rural Orna-
ment, 28$.

Harmony of Compofition, how at-
tainable, 345.

Flawthorn, as a Hedgewood, 59.

Heathfield, Lord, his Place, 376,

Hedgchook defcribed, 91.

Hedges and Hedgerow Timber, Di-
vilion of, 55.

, Cutting, 85!

f Replanting, 950

, Species of, 58.

Hedgerows favourable to Ship Tim-
ber, 55.

, Method and Time of

Planting,

64.

•, Defending,

7S-

•, Training,

79-

•, Management of.

81.

-, On plafhing,

8,.

Pollards,

lOOo

• Timber, its Effeds on

Land, 56.

jMethod of Plant-
ing, 76.

- , Management of,

96.

• , Traming, 96a

, Pruning and Set-
ting up, 102.

Hedgewoods, Species of, 58.

, Tufts of, 381.

Hiding Deformities, 353.

— • -, Further Remark?, 368.

Highlands of Scotland, their Plant-
ations, 175.

Himley laid out by Brown, 334*

Hiflory of the Rural Art, 193.

Holes, Watering, 357,

Helly, as a Hedgewood, 61.

Hook for Training Hedges 91.

Houfe, the Center of tlic Syftem of
Improvements, 274.

Hunting Box, Seftion of, 277.

I.

Incitements to Planting, 7.

Interiors at Stowe, Subjeds of

S:udy, 30Z.

Kent,

INDEX.

iSo.

2*.

K.

ICent, Mr. built the Temple of

Venus, at Stowe, not. 301.

Ji.tpt Groundi, their Ufe, v]^.

L.

take at Stowe, its Effeft, 300,

j^ndfcape, Remarks on, 271.

i. Painting, its Province^

272.

Larch, as a Ship Timber, 143.

.^^ , its Prevalence in the High-
lands, 178.

1. , its fuperior Qualities, 17S.

• J on Training it for Ship Tim-
ber, 179-

. recommended for the Wafte

Lands of En-lar.d, 179

, its rapid Growth,

Layering, Methods of,

. ; Time of, ' 2S.

Hedges, 5^.

Layers, Collefting for the Nurfery,
370.

Laying out Woodlands, 124.

Leafowes, Remarks on, 314.

Limes, a remarkable Congeries at
Hagley, 324.

, their Efiedt at EnvUle, 333.

; , Avenue of, atTaymouth, 388.

Lining out B llant Plantations, Re-
marks on, 349.

Near Grounds, Remarks on,

350.

Walks, 371-

Lines of View, Remarks on Open-
ing, 393-

Live Hedges, Methods of Raifing,
71-

Love, Mr. an Artitl at Stowe, 300.

Lyttelton, Loid, lais Merits as an
Artift, 326.

M.

Machines, Timber ufed for, 50.
Man-igement of Grown Hedgerows,

85.
. ' of Hedgerow Timber,

96.

Managers of Plantations, a Hint

refpefting, 190,

Manual Operations In Planting, 5.
Manfion, a Principle in the Compo-

fition, 274'

Mafles of Shrubs, their Effeii at

Stowe, 302.

, their Ufe in forming Com-

pofitions, 345.
Attached, t^eir Effeft in Sce-
nery, 346.

, Remarks on, 382.

, Freeing the Outlines of, ,383.

, Remarks on Forming, ■405.

Midland Counties, Minutes in, 341.
Minutes in Midland Diftrift, 341.

. in Devonfhii e,
in Perthfliire,

376.
385.
151.

352.
zU.
292,

Mifcelkneous Groves,
Mixing Ornamental Plants,
Morris, Mr. his Place,
-.. — — , his good Tlfte,

N.

Natural Accompaniments, 257.
Nature and Natural defined, 247.

of the Place, a Cyide to the

Application, 267.

Ne.ir Grounds, proper Inftrument in

harmonizing Compofjtions, 345.

. , Remarks on Defign-

'«g? 350-

Nurfe Plants for Young Timber

Groves, 153.

Nurfery, its Soil and Sitaation, 24.

, the Bulinefs of, 25.

Plantations, their Eligibility^

' ■ 34-

o.

Oak Groves, Method of Raifing,
152.

Oaks, Method of Raifing in Hedge-
rows, 77-
• , Remarks on their Propa-
gation, not. 122,

, the only Hedge Timber, 130.

, the ci;iy Wood Timber, J30.

, on Training for Ship Timber,

, Remarks on Seminating, 174.

Objecls of Imitation in the Rural

Art, 24S.

Obcljft,

INDEX.

Obcliilc, at Hagley, 313.

Obdiiks, Refle£lions on, 335.

©bfervatory, at Enville, 331.

Obfervatorie? , their Ufe, 331.

Ornamental Plantations, Sedlion of,

»S5-

— ^ , Hints on

formings 35 f.

■■ ■ Buildings, Remarks on,

3oi.
Ornamented Cottage, Seftionof, i-]'i.
————— Farm, proper Style of
Embelliftiment, 321.

Ozler, as a Coppice Wftod, 183.
' Beds, Method of makin;:^,

1S5.

P.

t'acking Plants for Carriage, 29.

Paths fequeftered, their Effeft, 403.

Pea Fowls, a beautiful Accompani-
ment in Grounds, 338.

Persfield, Remarks on, 286.

— — — , Improvenoents fiiggefted,
295.

Pines, their Effe£l at Enville, 332.
, Tranfplanting, 361.

Pits, on Watering, 357.

Places, their Intentions are Guides
to the Afiift, 267.

——-, Species of, 268.

— , General Difpofition of the

Parts of, 274.

^ » -, Infinite in Feature, 284..

*— — Practical Remarks on, 286.

^— , Remarks on their Charader,
33S.

— ^-— , Remarks on fludying, 396.

•— , their beft Advantages diffi-
cult to afcertain, 403.

Plan of the PLce requifite, 276.

^, further Remarks, 343.

Planes, elegant Groups of, at Fi(h-
erwick, 312.

Plantations preparing, 30.

■ ' '^ of the Highlands of Scot-

land, 175.

■' , Ornamental, Seftion of,

SS-
- ■• ■ ■ ' diftant, Lining our, 349.

Plantations, Skreen, their proper
Width, 349-

Ornamental, Remarks on

forming, 351.

Plantation, Fence, defcribed, iT%^
Planters, Cauticns to, ^

. Hint rcl'; ^'nng, 190.

Planting, £ncGui..i;-;:iLnts to, 6.

of,

— , Trees and Shrubs, Seflloa

Time of,

, Method of,

- — out Nurfery Plants,

Hedgewood,

Hedgerow Timber,

30^
32.

33-

64.
76.

llZi

, Motives to,

, the Profits of,
, Precautions requifite in,

115.
, a general Remark on the

Pradicc of, 189,
Mafles or Borders, 405.

' ■ I well done at Fiftierwick,
311.
— ■ ■ . Supports, with Standards,
370.
Plafliing Hedges, 89.

Points of View, Remarks on, 400.
Pollards, in Hedges, 100,

, Willow, J 8 3,

Poplar, as a Heclgewood, 6r.

Ponland, the' Duke of, his Planta- I

tions, J 53

Practice, fome general Guides in,

S^-

Precautlons rcquifit to Planting,

115.

Preparing the Nurfery, 25.

Plantations, 30.

PrefervJng Tree Seeds, 9.

Principal Refidence, Sedtion of, 2S3.
Principles of the Rural Art, Divifion

of, 245.

Principle, a general one, in Defign-

ing, 407.

Procuring Tree Seeds, jo.

Propagat ng from Seed, 8,

from Cuttings, 17.

•^— — — from Suckers, 1-.

by Layering, 19.

— — — "V\ tn^dlands from -"^ccds,

173,

Pruning

INDEX.

Pruning Seedling Plants, 25.

Nui (ery Plants, 27.

— — — Plants for tranfplar.ting, 32.

Young Plantations, 38.

— Young HedgeS) 82.

— Fallen Hedges, 91.

and fetting up grown

Hedgerow Timber, 1021

Wood Trees for Sliip Tim-
ber, 140.

Trees and Shrubs fortranf-

planting, _ 359.

• Pines and Firs for tianf-

planting, "Si.

... — — Shrubs for tranfplanting,
369.

Tutting in Seedling Plants, 25.

Quickfets, Method of Planting, 71.

R.

Raifing Grove Timber, J43.

■ Woods, Seftion of, 120.

Wocds from Seed, 127.

Woods agamft Hangs, 136

■ Woods againfl Steeps, 137.

G.-oves of Oaks, 152.

Reach of Water at Fifl-iciAvick, 306.

Reciprocity of Vitw, Obfervations on

at Stowe, 303.

Relieves of Shrubs, their Effect: near

the Wiiiflows, 2S2.

, their Ufe at Stowc,

302.

■ , their Ufes in

I'c irts I f View, 400.

, on Dcfigning,

401.
Replanting Hedges, 95.

Refidencc, principal, St. dion of, 2S34
Retreat-, Remarks on, 266.

, further Remarks, «f. 392.

Rill in a paved Channel, ac Hagley,

3=4-
Ri' cr at Stcwc, its EflVft, 3R0.
— » — Banks, to guard, 397.

Bends, their EiTfCl, 347.

— - — Breaks, en forming, 397.

Rivers artificial, on the Methods of
forming, 347.

natural their beft EfFeft, 347,

Roads, Article of, 261.

RoOms require charafteriftic Views,

285.

Root-houfes, at the Leafowes, 317.

and 3)8«

Rural Art, Hiftory of, 193.

, its Principles, 245.

-— — , -ts Objefts of Imitation*

248.

■ , its Application, 267.-

, its Province and Limits,

267.

> itsObjefts, 272.

exemplified, by rultic

Beauty, 276,

, its Powers, 299,

, its Ufe in Tame Sites,

339'
, fome General Guides in,

343-
— — — , Difficulties of, 361;.

: , Cautions requifite in, 3X3.

iRural Artift, his Qualifications, 268.

s.

Sand Hills, propofed Method of

173-

145.

153-

32.

263-

IS-
14.
14.

8,

9-
10;
la

12.

174.

planting,
Scotch Fir, Obfervations on,

, as a Nurfe Plant,

Seafon of Planting,

Seats, Article of.

Seed Beds, their DimenfionSi

— — — — j defending^

Seedlings, defending.

Seeds, gathering,

• j i^rei'trvingy

, procuring,

, trying.

Seminary, its Situation,

Seminatmg the Oak,

SequeiUred Lawn i, their EfFtdi, 3 1 f.

Sttvingup grown HedgeTirtiber, 102.

Seventy- tour- gun Ship, the Quan-
tity of Timber it takes, Jli.

Shtfp walk afibrds a proper full
Difiance, 335.

, the Efied of at Envillcj

337-
Shen-

INDEX.

Shenflone, Mr. his Place, 3 14.

■ , a Defigncrof Envilk,

333-
•— , his Forte, as an Ar-

tlft, 339-

Shenftonian Cafcade, at Hagley, 325.

■ ,atEnville, 328.

Shepherd's Lodge atEnvilU, 331.
Sherwood Foreft, propofcd Method

of planting, 173.

Ship Timbtr, Species of, 49.

■■ — , on the prefent State as

to Quantity, no

m* , on training the Oak

for, 141.

•"- ,on training the Larch

for,
Shruberies, their L fe.

179.
175.

332-

Shrubs combining.
Shrubs pruning.
Side Skreens, to form,

369.
369.
354-

. their Ufe

In Land-

fcape, 399.

Simplicity allied toBaldnefs, 282.
Single Trees, their EfFcdls on Viftas

and Maflcs, 3S2.
, near the Margins of

Viilas, further Remarks on, 398.
Site, Section of, 251.

, General Obfervations on, 338.

£kreen Plantations, their proper

Width, 249.

Skreens, to form, 354

— — — , breaking, in Devon/hire,

3X0.

, breaking, at Taymouth, 395.

Soilof the Nurfery, preparing, 24.
—^ of Plantations, preparing, 30.
Sorting Plants, 33.

5owingTreeSceds,the Methods of, 13.
•■ on Sandy Soils,

173-

Speechly, Mr. his Letter to Dr.

Hunter, 154.

-• ' -,Obfcrvations thereon, 172

Stamford, Lord, his Place. 327.

Standards, pruning for tranfplanting,

362.
— — — , on planting, as Supports,

370.

Stowe, Remarks on. 298.

Studying the Site of Improvement,

Remarks on, 396.

Studying Places, further Remarks on,

40Z.

Study, requfite to Succefj, 284.

, Filhervvick a proper Place of,

305, &c.

— -, Stowe a proper Place of,

301. and 3«2.

Suckers, propagating from, ij-

, Opinions concerning, 18.

, colleding for the Nurfery,

370.
Supports, on planting, 370.

T.

Taking up Nurfery Plants, 28.

— larj^e Plants, 41. 356. 367.

Tapping the Oak, 41.

Taymcuth defcribed, 385.

— — , Minutes at, ii>.

— , Improvements fuggef-

ted, 405*
, its Advantages of Situ-
ation, 40S.
Thinning Nurfery Plants, 2*.

— . Plantations, 40.

Thiftles Enemies to Young Hedges,

81.

Timber Confumption of, 47.

— — — , Ccnjtdlurcs refj-cfting its

prefent State as to Quantity, no.

required for a Seventy- four

Gun Slip, Jii.

, Species of in Ufe, 48.

Timber Groves, Section of, 145.

, raifing on fandy Soils, 173.

Timber Trees, Choice of, 47.

. Sf>ecies of, Ij8.

Training Trees and Slirubs, 23.

— Hedgerows, 79-

Double Hedges, 83.

— . — — Hedges with naked Stems,
83.

— fallen Hedge?, 91.

— Hedge.ow Timber, 96.

— Seedling Woods, 131

' Wood-., general Remarks
on, 139.
Wood Trees for Sliip Tim-
ber, general Remarks on, 140-

Oaks for Ship Tiniber, 141.

' ■ - th: Larch a? a Ship Timb'.r,

143.

Tr^in-

Index.

Training Grove Timber, 141^,

Tranfplanting Trees and Shrubs, 40.
^— — — — — more fully treated of,

. 356.

■-" — , Expence of, 360.

— Pines and Firs, 361.

■ — > ^with a Length of

Root, 367.

— , pruning Shrubs for,

. . 369-

' Standards^ witli Sup-
ports, 370.

'I'ree Seeds, fovvjng with Corn, 173.

— , gathering, &c. &c. 8.

Trees, their CharaJler, as Objerts of

the Rural Aitift and the Botanirt,

34?.

Trying the Qualities 6f Seeds, ic.

Tufts of Shrubs, their Effeft at
Stowo, 303.

- of Hedgerow Woods, their
ESe€i, 3S1.

tJnderwood, Species of, 119. & 130.
Ufeful Plantations, Divifion of, 109;
Ctenfils, Woods ufcd for, 51.

V.

Vanburgh, Sir John, his Buildings
at Stowe, N. 301

View, a ftriking one at Hagley, 323.

Views require Harmony, 285.

, every Part of, fhould be in

Charafter, 316.

, Efi'efts of, when breaking

abruptfy out of extenfive Woods,

330-
Views, Remarks on opening, 398.
— — , confined, their Effedt, 399.
Villa, Sec"tion of, aSo.

Viita well managed at Fifticrwick,

313-

Viftas openlsg, in Devcnfliire,' 37^.'

'■ — —- , at Taymouth, 395*

— ■ — , narrow. Remarks on, 38S0
— —i on the Width of, 399.

W;

Walks, Article of, 260.
of Communication under

Archways, jii;

,' lining out, 371^

Walpole, Mr. his Paper on Modern

Tafle in Gardening, 1^7^

Water, Seftion of, 254.

— '■ , Leflbn refpefting, at Stowe/

304-

" — , Bends o^ their Effeft, 347,

Watering Holes before planting, 37.
and 357.

Waters, their proper Situation, 304.

c; Finietwick; 306.

Weeding young Hedges, 81.

— — — fallen Hedges, 91.

Weft India Iflandi, their Appear-
ances, 273.'

Weft Devon/hire, Defcription of,
376.

Whateiey, Mr. his Obfervation on
Bridge?, 262.'

Willow Pollards, vot. 183.

Wcod, Stftion of, 255;

Woodland or Ufeful Plantations,
Divifion of.

Woodlands, Species of,
-, laying out,

Woods, Seftion of,

— ■ — , Method of raifing,

, Fencing,

, raifing from Seed,

— — , training Seedling,
— - — , raifing againft Hangs,

, raifing againft Steeps,

Wood Trees training for Ship Tim-
ber, 140'
Woody Waftes, »88/

109.
J 19,
124.
120.
J2i;
126,
127.
i3r
13^
13J

EN0 07 THE FIRST VOLUME,

^