The plantation must be carefully formed to suit the building it is to shelter and ornament. As the villa and ornamental cottage form the largest portion at present of edifices that claim a pleasure garden, I shall therefore confine my observations to grounds attached to these dwellings. As such houses are generally built on situations too flat to admit of much variety, the first study should be to find how and where we can break the level by throwing up elevations, so as to answer the double purpose of obscuring private walks, and screening other parts from the wind.

But it requires considerable ingenuity to hinder these elevations from having the appearance of artificial ones, which would make them as ridiculous as a circular lake on a lawn. As the removal of earth is attended by the expense of labour only, this is one of the most advantageous manners of laying out money in the formation of a shrubbery, since five feet lowered in one part, and raised above, will give a slope or bank about double that height. A considerable effect will thus be obtained; for in a flat country a small elevation gives a great command of prospect, and adds itself considerably to the beauty of a landscape, especially when planted with lofty growing trees, as larches and pines. An undulating appearance may be given to level ground by judiciously planting the trees and shrubs.

The too general error of planting close to the dwelling-house should be avoided; for although such a plantation may have a pretty appearance in the infant state, a few years' growth will cause it to cast a gloom over the apartments, and keep off a free circulation of air. Besides, as plants give out a noxious air in the evening, it should be more particularly guarded against in this moist atmosphere.

The training of trees to the walls of houses is also objectionable, as they cause damps, harbour insects, and collect leaves and other substances that become offensive by their putrefaction, whilst the view of the plants themselves cannot be enjoyed from the windows. However, all offices, out-houses, and unsightly buildings, may be covered with vines, and ornamental climbers.

However small the plantation be, those abrupt terminations which mark the limits must not be permitted. The shrubbery should harmonize with the surrounding scenery, and appear to blend with it into one.

The plants which stand nearest the dwelling must be of the dwarf

kind, and of the most beautiful sorts. The trees, also, should be selected so as to correspond with the style of building. The villa shows best when surrounded by light ornamental trees, such as the birch, the acacia, the sumach, the laburnum, and cypress; and a clump of poplars may sometimes be introduced, so as to break the line with good effect. The cottage may have more rustic trees; while to the castle belong the oak, the ash, and the pine: the mansion admits of all at their proper distance, and in suitable situations.

One of the most important things in planting is to attend particularly to the shades of green, especially where the view from the house or lawn catches the trees. Flowers, which Pliny calls the joys of the trees, continue but for a short period in comparison to the duration of foliage; therefore the picture should be formed by judiciously contrasting the greens. Even the effect of perspective may be considerably increased by the proper arrangement of hues. Trees whose leaves are grey or bluish tint, when seen over or between shrubs of a yellow or bright green, seem to be thrown into the distance. Trees with small and tremulous leaves should wave over or before those of broad or fixed foliage. The light and elegant acacia has a more beautiful effect when its branches float over the firm and dark holly or bay-tree. In some situations the bare trunk of trees may be shown; in some it should be concealed by evergreens and creepers. Vines, also, may be suffered to embrace it, and form natural festoons where the extent of ground will allow of wilderness scenery. In all situations nature may be assisted, but should never be deformed by clipping; for ingenuity ought to be employed to disguise art, not to expose it.

The beauty of plants cannot be displayed when they are too much crowded; as they are then drawn up into unnatural shapes. Therefore the oftener open spaces can be admitted, the more will the shrubs exhibit themselves to advantage, and the more cheerful will be the walk; for it becomes insipid and gloomy when confined for any distance. The winds also claim our attention. Care must be taken so to arrange the position of the trees, that only those gales which are most congenial to the growth of particular plants should be allowed access to them.

The undulating appearance of a plantation will be considerably assisted by a gradual progression from the lowest shrub to the highest

tree, and again, from the highest to the lowest. But as some shrubs will not flourish under certain trees, their respective situations demand consideration. These shrubs may indeed exist under such unfavourable circumstances, but their unhealthy appearance will never be pleasing. Where the shade of any tree is too powerful for laurel or privet to thrive, ivy may be planted with advantage, if it be desirable to cover the ground with evergreen.

In proportion as the shrubbery or plantation recedes from the dwelling, it should become more rural in its character, more especially if the house be in the cottage style. Here climbers, and such plants as require the support of others, are to be introduced. The most delightful groups in a pleasure-ground are generally those where nature, freeing herself from the shackles of art, depends only on her own assistance for support. Her beauty is chiefly to be seen there where her various creations combine spontaneously, and without restraint.

The means by which these plants raise themselves up, so as to offer their flowers to the sun, are as various as they are curious, and they seldom blossom whilst trailing on the ground. The ivy and bignonia ascend by the help of little fibres, which fix themselves to the bark of trees or crevices in walls so tightly as to render their disengagement a difficult thing to be accomplished without injury to the trunk or building they are attached to. The honey-suckle, like the hop, twines itself spirally around the trunk or branches of trees, and often clasps them so closely as to make an impression on the hardest timber. Others, as the vine and passion-flower, rear themselves by means of corkscrew tendrils, which hold so fast that the strongest winds seldom disunite them from their support. Some plants climb by means of a hook in their leaf-stalk, or have a kind of vegetable hand given them, by which they are assisted in mounting, as the pea and several others.

To return from this digression.-The sombre, gloomy walk of yew, cypress, or holly, should lead to the spot from which there is the most beautiful prospect, or to the gay parterre, where Flora has diffused her flowery beauties; as the contrast, particularly if sudden, adds greatly to the cheerfulness of the terminating view.

Bad taste is seldom more conspicuous than when we see trees or plants marshalled in regular order, and at equal distances, like beaux

and belles standing up for a quadrille or country dance. Where the situation will permit, four or six lilacs should be grouped in one place, and as many laburnums in another, so as to give effect in various parts by a mass of colour.

The guelder rose should appear as if escaping from the dark bosom of evergreens, and not a plant should be set in the ground without adding to the harmony of the whole. A shrubbery should be planted as a court or stage dress is ornamented, for general effect, and not particular and partial inspection. Boldness of design, which seems to be more the offspring of nature and chance than of art and study, should be attempted; but though boldness is what the planter should aspire to, all harshness, or too great abruptness, must be avoided, by a judicious mixture of plants whose colours will blend easily into one another.

The most beautiful shrubs should occupy the most conspicuous and prominent places. For instance, a projecting part of the plantation should be reserved for the purple rhododendron, the flaming azalea, and other bog plants. Here it must be observed, that unless proper soil be provided for these American plants, the cost of the shrubs will be lost, as they will soon decay when not placed in earth congenial to their nature. With these shrubs may be planted the hardy kinds of heath, as the same soil suits both species. With respect to evergreens, considerable judgment is required in order to relieve their uniform appearance during winter. This may be done by skilfully arranging different kinds, and those with variegated leaves, or such as retain their brilliant berries during the cold months.

However, a well planted shrubbery depends not so much for its beauty on the expense or rarity of the plants it contains, as on the selection of trees and shrubs which succeed each other in blossoming throughout the year, or whose various-coloured fruits grace them for the longest duration of time. We shall, therefore, not dwell upon those plants alone that are the ornaments of the summer season, but also point out some that will contribute to the gaiety of morning and evening of the year; so that the gloom may be banished at all times as much as possible from the grove, and nature's repose shortened between the plaintive good-night of autumn and the cheerful goodmorrow of spring.

(To be continued.)

ARTICLE IV.

REMARKS UPON THE PROPAGATION OF PLANTS.

BY A LONDON NURSERYMAN.

3. Offsets.-Bulbous and tuberous-rooted kinds of exotics are most commonly raised this way, or else by seed; but seedlings being so much longer than offsets before they arrive at a state for flowering, occasions this mode of propagation to be seldom resorted to. The bulbous genera, such as Ixia, Gladiolus, Morcea, Antholyza, &c., after they have done flowering, should be suffered to dry till the following October, when they must be taken out of the pots, for repotting in fresh soil; this is the time for increasing by offsets, which, after they are divided and taken from the main or principal bulb, may be potted in small separate pots, in a mixture of equal parts of loam, decayed leaves, and sandy peat; the pots being previously well drained by broken potsherds. After they are potted they must be set in a cool frame, requiring only to be protected from frost and heavy rains. The smaller bulbs may remain here all the season, but the larger ones, and those likely to produce flower-stems may, after the pots are well filled with roots, be taken and placed in a convenient place in the greenhouse, where, if kept regularly watered, they will flower well.

4. Layers. Many kinds of exotics, as Punica, Nerium, Jasminum, Myrtus, &c., succeed best by this mode of propagation. In April or May choose for this purpose some pliable young branches of the desired kinds, properly situated for laying; let them be brought down gently and inserted into the pot of the parent plant, or, where this is not conveniently practicable, into other pots, filled with the same kinds of compost, and placed near enough for this purpose. Secure them firmly down with wooden pegs, and cover them about an inch and a half with soil; then lay a little mulch or some mowings of short grass on the surface to preserve the moisture; refresh them with water when required. Some of the shoots thus laid will be effectually rooted the same summer, or by Michaelmas, and fit for repotting into separate pots as directed for cuttings; such as are not, must be permitted to remain till the following spring.

5. Inarching, or Grafting by approach.-Citrus, Puniça, and