Thefe, however, are defirable when they can be moved without exceffive expence of carriage, and without injury to the roots.

1

MINUTE THE SIXTEENTH,

MARCH 30. A view may fometimes be improved, at an eafy expence. A few remaining

trees, of one line of an avenue, had a bad effect, from the windows of a principal room, to which they nearly pointed, but not directly, their stems being feen diftinct; and, of course, produced the bad effect of a straight line of trees.

THIS defect was remedied by a single shrub -a well furnished plant-about ten feet high, which covers the fteins, while the tops take the form of a group; the idea of a line being loft, in the general effect. 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 fhrubs have been drawn up tall, and rendered naked at the bottom, by being

crouded

crouded in a nursery, or a crouded plantation, it is almost impoffible to prune them, into forms which will please 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 spreading fucker, in the fame pit, and placing it in front, and fo as to fill up the central vacancy: the two affording, in this combined form, a well furnished plant: a venial fraud, which may frequently be practifed with advantage.

MINUTE THE EIGHTEENTH,

APRIL 1. In PRUNING SHRUBS, at the time of tranfplanting, much may be done towards the future appearance, as well as the future fuccefs of the plant. This is not to be effected by lopping off the ends of the twigs, in general, and thus giving the fhrub the form of a cabbage; but by taking out the inferior branches, close to the ftem or the thicker boughs; and even taking out fome of thefe, fo as to make breaks in the outline ;-will often give additional feature and elegance to the plant; while, by thus reducing the top, the roots are rendered the better able to fend up a fupply of fuftenance, to the parts which are left standing.

VOL. I.

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MINUTE

MINUTE THE NINETEENTH.

APRIL 2. In tranfplanting fhrubs which throw up SUCKERS, thefe fhould be carefully laid afide, and placed in a nursery quarter, to acquire roots, and become a fupply of plants, in future, at a small cost. Also, from neglected shrubs, which afford natural LAYERS, wherever the boughs touch the ground, each rooted twig fhould be fedulously collected.

MINUTE THE TWENTIETH.

APRIL 2. IN TRANSPLANTING top-heavy Evergreens, as Virginia Cedars, Junipers, Arbor-vitas, &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 faftened to it, by means of foft bandages, gains a feafonable firmnefs, without any outward appearance of fupport.

MINUTE THE TWENTYFIRST.

APRIL 7. In LINING OUT WALKS, a flight covering of fnow is advantageous, in fhewing the track of the defigner; which may be improved, as occafion may require. Stakes, though proper in lining a plantation, as fhewing at once the effect of the intended fence, or of the marginal fhrubs, may tend to deceive the eye, in the effect of a walk; whereas a track, whether in fnow, or on the furface of broken ground, or given by a sharp inftrument, drawn by a fecond perfon, fo as to ripple the furface of green turf, is in effect the walk; differing only in width, from the real walk when finifhed.

IN wild or fortuitous fcenery, the first devious tract will generally have the best effect. But, in highly embellished grounds, it requires to be lined out, with fcrupulous attention to the beauty and gracefulness, which ought to mark every line, in polished fcenery.

WHEN a walk winds acrofs a lawn, broken by tufts and relieves of fhrubs, it should appear as if attracted by the various beauties of the fcene: it fhould

Bb 2

fhould make boldly towards them, hang to their margins, and feem to leave them with reluctance.

In tracing paths, through plantations of tall growing trees, intended to rife into groves, the trees themselves fhould feem to direct the path, which of course ought not to be determined on, before the trees are planted. In plantations formed of tall transplanted trees, fuch paths may be formed immediately after the trees are planted; otherwife, they should be deferred until the trees are grown up, and the obftructing plants be removed, in the thinnings: the direction of the path being determined (but not formally marked), by evergreen underwood, as Holly, Privet, Box, or cuttings of Laurel; and a narrow pathway, no matter how intricate, may wind in wind in among the young plants, for the purpose of rendering the plantation itself commodious, in viewing, thinning or pruning the plants. A path three feet wide is fufficient for this purpose.

NARROW paths 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 floping channel being struck with a fpade on either fide: this, and pruning off the boughs which fhoot towards the path, affords the required accommodation,