In pldntations of trees alone, to plant thick is, we ap prehend, a great error, because it leaves so much to the risk of future management ; and even should this be be stowed, the first and second thinnings are of no more use than as faggot wood; but where trees and undergrowths are mixed together, any degree of proximity may be admitted between the plants, because the trees will always overtop the low growths ; and if thinning is attended to, the low growths will be of as much value during the first ten years as in the other case. The best general rule is, to put in the trees at such distances, as that, when so far advanced 4. The species of tree. Were the imitation of natural woods to be the object in all cases, the variety in the plants would be limited to three or four native species. as a greater number are seldom found wild in Great Britain, within the limited extent of forest scenery, which would enter into the composition of a country residence. But if the style of nature be imitated in their arrangement, the variety may be much greater, without interfering with ge neral effects. Nature disseminates her plants by scatter ing their seeds, and the offspring rise round the parent in masses or breadths, depending on a variety of circum stances, but chiefly on the facility which these seeds affot d for being carried to a distance by the wind, the rain, and by birds or other animals. So disseminated, they spring up, different sorts together, affected by various circumstances of soil and situation ; and arrive at maturity, contending with other plants and trees, and with the browsing of ani mals. At last, that species, which had enjoyed a maximum of natural advantages, is found to prevail as far as this maximum extended, stretching along in masses and an gular portions of surface, till circumstances changing in favour of some other species, that takes the prevalence in its turn. In this way it will generally be found, that the number of species, and the extent and style of the masses in which they prevail, bear a strict analogy to the changes of soil and surface ; and this holds good, not only with re spect to trees and shrubs, but to plants, grasses, and even the mossy tribe.
With this principle of distribution, any number of spe cies may be admitted into improved grounds ; commencing with the rare sorts near the house, as the centre of art and refinement. and ending with the common ttees of the coun try, at such distances as the extent and style of the whole as to require thinning, they will have attained such a mag nitude as to be of use, as poles or timber ; and to fill up the intervals with undergrowths, which may be removed or not at pleasure.
8. The fences, in imitative planting, are to be considered as only temporary ; and therefore, as a general rule, the cheapest fence the local situation will afford will be the best, regard being had, that they shall endure till the trees, shrubs, and growths shall, in the given soil and exposure, attained a sufficient age to protect themselves against the injury of sheep and cattle. The present improved state of the manufacture of iron offers a very desirable accom modation in this respect, affording the best guards for sin gle plants and groups ; and iron hurdles, or hurdles indeed of any sort for masses, have a light and temporary ap pearance, highly congenial to the idea of their speedy re moval. The lines of the fences conforming to the irregu lar shapes of the masses will not be disagreeable to the eye, if those of the thickets arc arranged with any re gard to apparent connection ; for any objects, whether lines or forms, however deficient in beauty of them selves, acquire a degree of interest, and even character, when connected and arranged in such a way as to Form a whole. .
When a plantation is finally to be composed both of trees and under-growths, thorns, sloes, hollies, barberries, and briars, may, in many cases, prevail in the margin, which, when the fence is removed, will form a picturesque phalanx, and protect the whole. Partial inroads, formed by cattle, will only heighten the variety and intricacy of such masses.
7. So much depends on the future management of plan tations, that we cannot avoid expressing our deep regret that so little attention is generally paid to the subject. To consider that as finished which is only commenced, is a common failing; but in no part of landscape gardening of more unhappy consequences, both in regard to future beau ty and use, than in the article of planting. A plantation is too often allowed to grow up like a field of corn, and, like it, at the end of a few years, is fit only to be swept down in a body. The beauty, grandeur, and effect of thick plan tations of trees in a neglected state, is reduced inversely as their progress to maturity ; for their side branches rot and drop off, the light is seen through a rank of naked stems, whose " inglorious heads," as the poet remarks, serve only to '' blot the fair horizon." Thinning and pru ning are the obvious means of averting these bad conse quences, where the plantation consists of trees alone, or in the greater part ; and the planter, front what has been al ready advanced, will effect this with a joint view to the va lue of the timber, and the picturesque disposition of the 1.1 ees. But we consider it greatly preferable not to depend entirely on thinning and pruning, but to follow the sugges tion given above, of " mixing a few trees with a great many under•growths." It would be a happy circumstance for both useful and ornamental planting, if this suggestion were considered as a general rule, and with that of " plant the hills and leave bare vallies," the essential part of plant ing would be included in the two maxims.
This material is of so captivating and interesting a de scription in the different characters in which it occurs in nature, that no view can be reckoned complete in which it does not compose a feature. It forms a part of every gar den in the ancient style, in the various artificial characters which it there assumes of oblong canals, ponds, basins, and jees-d'eaux ; and in modern improvement, such is the va lue attached to its effect, that no place is deemed perfect without a river or lake ; and such is the indiscriminate de sire of obtaining them, that nature has heen too frequently disregarded in their form and situation. Of the characters which water assumed under the geometric style, we can only observe, that their names convey, in a great degree, an idea of the forms. Their situations were near the man sion ; and their marginal accompaniments of masonry, turf walks, and hedges, were determined by the architectural forms and lines of the capital feature in the scene. The choice, from the most intricate and curious fountains to the plain oblong canal, depended on the splendour of the gene ral design ; very little on natural situation. The supply was generally obtained from some concealed reservoir. In landscape gardening, the object is to imitate lakes, rivers, or rills, and their accompaniments ; and of each of these natural characters, we shall remark the leading circum stances in the originals and the imitations.