The beauties of this place, as has been already mentioned, depend chiefly on the taste and judgment displayed in laying out the walks, and distributing the trees and shrubs; though the choice of a situation for the pond, and the mount adjoining it is also a matter of some consequence. The trees and shrubs, being comparatively limited in number consist of one of almost every kind that is to be procured in British nurseries, exclusive of those which are common, or not considered ornamental. In selecting these, the more rare kind have been procured, and planted quite young; Mr. Harrison and Mr. Pratt having found, by experience, that the pines and firs should be planted out when not more than of three or four years' growth. When the plants have been in pots, the balls should be gently broken with the hand, and afterwards all the earth washed away from the roots by the application of water. The plant may then be placed on a hill of prepared mould, and the roots stretched out, so as to radiate from the plant in every direction, and afterwards covered with mould. This is the mode adopted by Mr. Barron at Elvaston Castle, of which mode hereafter. A list of Mr. Harrison's very choice collections of Abietinï¾µ and Cupressinï¾µ, has been given in our Arboretum vol. iv. p. 2450., and in this Magazine, vol. xiv. p. 30. These pines and firs are in a most healthy state; and Pinus excels, P. inops, and P. Banksiana, Picea pectinata, Cedrus Deodara, and Abies Douglasii are remarkably fine specimens. The masses of trees and shrubs are chiefly on the mount near the lake, and along the margin which shuts out the kitchen-garden; and in these places they are planted in the gardenesque manner, so as to produce irregular groups of trees, with masses of evergreen and deciduous shrubs as undergrowth, intersected by glades of turf. They are scattered over the general surface of the lawn, so as to produce a continually varying effect, as viewed from the walks; and so as to disguise the boundary, and prevent the eye from seeing from one extremity of the grounds to the other, and thus ascertain their extent. The only points at which the lawn is seen directly across from the drawingroom window are in the direction of l and m, fig. 165. in p. 656, 657.; but, through these openings, the grass field beyond appears united with the lawn; so that the extent thus given to the views from the drawingroom windows is of the greatest assistance to the character of the place, with reference to extent. From every other part of the grounds, the views across the lawn are interrupted by some tree, bush, or object which conceals the boundary; or, if the boundary is seen on one side, as in passing along the walk from 16 by 18 to 22, there is ample space on the lawn side to keep up the idea of extent.
