new planted trees, or shrubs. Let the outside plants of a new shrubbery, towards the sun, be covered about the roots all summer: Turf will be neatest.

What has been said of the act (or method) of planting fruit trees, should be observed of shrubs. În dressing the roots of shrubs, shorten them moderately, prune the heads so as to form them handsomely. Settle the ground to the roots by watering, and leave a little hollow round about them for future watering, if the season should require it. Let the taller plants be tied to stakes, as the wind is apt to disturb them, and hinder their speedy rooting.

The proper disposition of shrubs, where there are many to be planted, should be considered in several particulars; for the beauty and prosperity of a plantation depends greatly upon it.

The distances must be according to the size they usually attain. Some grow off slow at first, but afterwards get large; but still these should be rather considered in a middling way, otherwise the ground will be a long time naked. Some sorts will require not more than a three feet distance, others four, five or six; but as they are small, when first planted, and perhaps much of a size, the future height and spread are frequently not considered. See Sect. 19.

The situation, to accommodate them as well as may be, according to their tender or hardy nature, should be attended to; not to plant evergreen shrubs, or the more delicate deciduous sorts, on the outside towards the N. or N. E. and as there may be an irregularity in the ground, the lower parts and deeper soil will be more suitable to some, and the higher and shallower may do very well for others.

Tender shrubs should not only be sheltered for protection, but be planted in a dry spot open to the sun: Some things will live abroad in a dry and poor soil, that would seldom survive a winter in a rich

and moist one. The more towering sorts must be placed behind, and the less so before them, gradually declining to the low growing ones, in a sort of thea trical order: This is necessary in a shrubbery, and indeed all plantations, but more so in the disposition of plants in clumps, keeping the centre high, and falling gradually towards the edge. Thus the stems, and naked parts of the higher plants are hid by those before them, and the whole appears to the eye a full scene of verdure.

The season of shrubs flowering and leafing is a material point to provide for, by a proper distribu tion, that there may be a sprinkling of decoration every month, in every part. And in this business, an equal mixture of the evergreen, and deciduous sorts, is necessary to be observed. See Sect. 19.

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As to the proportion of this mixture, it will depend upon taste, and the opportunity of procuring the one sort, or the other; but the circumstance may direct (in a measure) whether the plantation of shrubs be about the house, or at a distance from it. In the former case, more evergreens should be made use of, as in sight in winter: generally speaking, perhaps, one evergreen, and two deciduous shrubs, or one and three may form an agreeable shrubbery at all times.

A regularity in planting shrubs is not necessary as to lines, but is rather to be avoided, except just in the front, where there should always be some low ones, and a border for flowers, chiefly of the spring, as summer ones are apt to be drawn up weak, if the shrubbery walks are not very wide. The flowers should be of the lowest growth, and rather bulbous rooted. Towards the edge may be planted aconites, snow-drops, crocusses, primroses, violets, polyanthuses, hepaticas, wood anemonies, daffodils, cowslips, &c. In open shrubberies an edging of strawberries is proper

and the hautboy preferable, on account of its superior show when in flower; but in these situations the wood strawberry is more commonly planted, as it will produce fruit with less sun and air than any other sort.

The management of a plantation of shrubs comes next to be considered. It should be kept clean, or much of its beauty is lost. Let it be frequently hoed and raked, to give it a fresh appearance, and prevent the growth of moss, which spreads apace from the ground up the stems of plants, and thus injures them much. The usual time for pruning and digging about shrubs is spring; but autumn (and early in it) is better, if the plants are well established in the ground, and especially when old and full of roots. The pruning should not be late, (October best) as some sorts are apt to lie down; these, however, might be left to spring, or only shortened in part: They should constantly be kept free from suckers and luxuriant wood. See pruning of shrubs. An autumn dressing is particularly to be recommended as lessening the work of spring, the hurry of which season sometimes occasions shrubberies to be neglected too long, and to be but partially attended to.

The suckers, or young plants, found in digging and dressing about shrubs, are often left carelessly on the ground, but if likely to be wanted, ought to have their roots buried as soon as possible: Why should they be suffered to wither, because they may recover?

For hedges about a plantation, (i. e. for the divisions of it) the laurel, yew, and holly, are the principal evergreens; the former as a lofty and open fence, the second as close and moderate in height, and to be cut to any thing, the last as trainable by judicious pruning to an impregnable and beautiful fence. Deciduous divisions are best made with the sinall leaved

elm, or the hop hornbeam, as they are tonsile, and of a peculiar neat foliage to the very bottom. If a lofty hedge is wanted, the beech makes a good one.

Old walls and pales are somewhat unsightly, and if covered with plants are rendered agreeable. The evergreens to be recommended for hiding them, are the laurel, phyllyrea, alaternus, pyracantha, yew, box, and laurustinus; but if the aspect of the wall be N. let them be planted late in spring. Ivy, boxthorn, and other climbing shrubs, answer the purpose: the white and yellow striped Ivy are beautiful. If a mere summer covering be desired, and the wall is high, hornbeam, (rather the hop) and witch elm, do very well when planted close: lilacs, or even black currants, also may do, and will soon come to a cover: But whatever is planted for the purpose, let it be kept regularly trimmed, and trained close as may be to the wall. The gable end of a building may be covered with a pear-tree, or a vine, for though the vine should not bear, it will answer its prime end, and looks well when in full leaf.

SECTION X.

OF FOREST TREES.

PLANTING of forest trees, in some extent or other, may be an object with some young gardeners; and those who have a taste this way, and ground to exercise it on, will amuse themselves in a very respectable manner by so doing. Let the work be set about with all speed and resolution; for every year

lost to planting is to be lamented, both in a public and private view.

What if forest trees produce nothing for the table, or no immediate profit, they afford, in their raising, planting, and nursing, present entertainment of a very grateful kind: they may ever after be viewed as objects of satisfaction, and posterity will have reason to praise the work, and the planter.

Plantations of forest trees do very much ornament a country, and there are some grounds peculiarly situated to become objects of delight in this respect, which could not be better employed. A place without trees being destitute of one of the most useful materials for buildings, utensils, &c. is in truth to be lamented as unfurnished and forlorn. The demand for wood is perpetual, and the consumption is great; and therefore a provision for generations to come, by planting of forest trees, must afford the sincerest (because most disinterested) gratifications of mental pleasure.

Though every one has not ground to form plantations of any considerable extent, yet if it were only a single tree here and there, i. e. to do what little might be in this way, it would shew a worthy spirit, and make a man an honourable benefactor to society. Corners of fields might have little clumps conveniently planted, without much expence of fencing. A few trees might be planted in, or rather just without, hedge rows; but these should be chiefly oaks. It is a practice with some, to plant trees in hedges when first made; but they are commonly too small, and so the quick-choaks them, and they never thrive.

But the planting of forest trees is profitable as well as pleasing and respectable; and a young planter may live to reap much reward from his labour, or he may leave a valuable inheritance to his