brought forward on this point clearly prove that any certain soil will maintain a greater, and produce more nutritious produce, if cropped with a number of different species of grasses, than it will maintain and produce if cropped with only one or two species. This is a curious and important fact, and which has been unnoticed in previous works on the subject, as well as neglected in practice. If an acre of good land is sown with three pecks of rye-grass, and one peck of the clovers, or trefoil, 470 plants only will be maintained on the square foot of such land; if a larger quantity of these seeds is sown, whether of these two species, or of any other two, the extra number of plants vegetated, (which will certainly appear at first if the seeds are good,) will decay in a short time, and leave blank spaces to be filled up with weeds or spurious grasses; or, in fact, plants of different species, supplied by the soil, manure, or neighbouring hedges. But if, instead of two species of grasses, from eight to twenty different sorts are sown on the same soil, or that now alluded to, a thousand plants will be maintained on the same space, and the weight of produce in herbage and in hay increased in proportion. (Hort. Gram. Wob. pp. 24. 245.) It may be truly said, therefore, that every variety of soil and situation, from the alpine rock to water itself, is provided with its appropriate grasses, destined for the support of animal life, and for covering the soil with the colour most pleasing to man.

The shades of green colour in the herbage of the dif ferent grasses are numerous, and highly interesting, as may be proved by applying these varieties of tints to the test of the practical system of colours, by that eminent artist, G. Hayter, Esq. exhibited in the diagram inserted in the Hortus Ericæus Woburnensis; or by comparing at the same and at different seasons a select number of the leaves of distinct species. The colouring matter of grasses, when the saccharine and mucilaginous principles are in much less proportion, as is found in the leaves or lattermath late in autumn, in general accompanies the solution of the constituents of the nutritive matter. After the first evaporation of the solution, the green colouring matter may be destroyed and again recovered successively, by alternate solution and evaporation in water and in alcohol. The important law in the natural economy of the grasses before alluded to, which provides that a number of many different species should always be found intimately combined; that one species should not exist or thrive for any length of time by itself, even in its natural soil; and that a greater number of plants is maintained on the same soil, and a greater weight

of produce obtained by many different species being intimately mixed together, than can by any art or means be effected from an equal space of ground, by the cultivation of any one or two individual species of grass, has lately been made available in practice with great success in the formation of rich permanent pastures, converted from tillage land, as well as in that of artificial pastures of the alternate husbandry.

But, besides the important uses above enumerated, we may observe that the culms or straws of several of the grasses afford a most valuable article of manufacture for bonnets, mats, and of various ornamental works. The culms of several of the perennial grasses afford a material which, in proper hands, may be manufactured into an imitation of the Leghorn straw plait, far surpassing the original, even the finest of them, in texture and in durability. If the subject be properly encouraged by the public, and persevered in by the manufacturers, there is not a shadow of doubt but that England would become, and that at no remote period, an exporter, instead of, as at present, an importer of this useful and ornamental part of dress.

The Elymus arenarius, Arundo arenaria, Festuca rubra, and Poa maritima, arrest the inroads of the sea on the land; their habits or tenacity of life are such as to enable them to grow and flourish on the blowing sands of the beach, which collect around these plants, forming hillocks; the Elymus arenarius, being the most robust, occupies and secures the top, while the Arundo arenaria secures and supports the sides, and the last two species are found straggling on the level sand, preparing a foundation for the latter; the creeping Fescue I have found on the beach near Skegness, with roots extending six feet in length in the blowing sands.

A consideration of these various properties and important uses, peculiar to the different species of grasses, and of which a slight and short mention only has now as above been made, will be found to infuse itself into every botanical investigation of the species, and render the cultivation of a proper collection doubly interesting.

A collection, consisting of from two to four hundred species of the most interesting kinds, may be formed and kept up at but little trouble and expence.

The Hortus Gramineus, in the gardens at Woburn Abbey, belonging to the Duke of Bedford, may serve as a model for forming such a compartment in a pleasure-ground as is capable of affording the pleasure and instruction alluded to in the foregoing observations. The spaces allotted to the proper grasses

Collections of several hundred species of grass seeds may be obtained at Cormack, Son, and Sinclair's, 53. Regent Street, or New Cross, Surrey.

are in number two hundred and forty-two, of two square feet each, inclosed by cast-iron frames. Paths of gravel two feet nine inches wide separate the spaces on every side; these are surrounded by a path three feet wide, with a border for the herbage plants, such as clover, lucern, saintfoin, vetches, &c. A hedge of hornbean separates the compartment from the rest of the grounds, and an outside border of roses completes the grass-garden. The entrance to it is a Grecian structure, designed by J. Wyattville, Esq.; the grass-garden was designed and executed by myself, then the Duke's gardener.

At the Nursery Gardens, New Cross, Surrey, a grassgarden (fig. 14.) has been established, for the supply of seeds

of all the different species; and, for exhibiting to agriculturists and farmers living specimens of the most useful grasses. In this garden, a, represents a border for the herbage plants, as clover, trefoil, lucern, saintfoin, &c.; likewise for new or dubious varieties of grasses, and for experiments and trials generally.

b, A path or walk of sand or gravel. c, Paths between the different grasses. d, Spaces inclosed by iron or timber borders, for the perennial and known annual

grasses. e, Border furnished with two rows of roses; the back row consisting of moss roses, and the front row of rose unique. f, Leaded tubs, or tanks, for the aquatic grasses, or such species as live in water.

g, Hedge of hornbean, holly, box, or privet, to inclose the grass-garden, or compartment, from the rest of the surrounding garden or grounds.

h, Entrance to the grass-garden.

In planting a grass-garden thus formed, it is of importance to suit the different species of plants with their natural soils; this is easily effected, as the separation of the spaces allotted to each by the gravel or sand paths prevents any admixture

from the rains, transplanting, or other accidental circumstances. The plants should be arranged according to their natural affinities, as affording the greatest assistance to the memory, and presenting the most pleasing general view of the different species constituting the natural order.

I am, dear Sir, yours very sincerely,
GEORGE SINCLAIR.

New Cross Nursery,

Nov. 30th, 1825.

ART. IV. Remarks on Mr. Thompson's Observations on the Effect of the Lombardy Poplar in Park Scenery. By RICHARD MORRIS, Esq. F. L. S., Surveyor and Landscape Gardener.

THE poplar, as an ornamental tree, does not possess beauty, grandeur, or the qualifications of the picturesque; yet in combination it may, for the purpose of opposition of character, be introduced into scenery with advantage; and it is upon this principle that Mr. Thompson recommends this tree to notice. No one can differ from Mr. T. upon the rule on which his recommendation rests, "that horizontal lines should be balanced and supported by perpendicular lines ❞— what induces me to make any comment upon his illustration of this subject, is to endeavour to prove a better adaptation of forms to the scenery presented; and to show, that although horizontal lines require to be balanced and supported by perpendicular lines, much depends on the contour, forms, and outlines of the adjacent objects and scenery. Although Mr. T. has studied well the description of his subject, he has not succeeded so well in the elucidation. In the sketch, No. 1. of his article upon this subject, in the first Number of the Gardener's Magazine, in illustrating his argument, he has introduced perpendicular forms which are prejudicial to both pictorial and scenic beauty. I agree with Mr. T. that the bridge requires perpendicular forms to oppose its horizontal lines, but the plantation behind the bridge, where by the intermixtures of poplars an agreeable irregularity of outline is produced, would have been sufficient for this purpose, at least as far as poplars should contribute their aid. From the manner in which this plantation ranges with the scenery, it was indispensable to introduce poplars, otherwise the broad masses of foliage would have formed an horizontal and somewhat parallel line

with the top of the bridge, which would have been offensive to the eye, and would have frustrated the intention. Since perpendicular forms are introduced in the fore-ground, this plantation at the back, viewed as regards pictorial effect, is unnecessary as a mean for introducing perpendicular forms. Had merely an undulating character been preserved instead of so decided an irregularity of outline, the grandeur of the effect would have been much enhanced; for then the straight lines of the bridge, the curved line of the retiring plantation, and the rude outline of the distant mountain, would have supported each other mutually. Add to this, that lofty objects ever contribute toward a deception; and though this deception may sometimes be advantageous, it is more frequently injurious by causing objects to appear much nearer than their true situation, and consequently the distant scenery which they illustrate will appear to approach: the introduction of a few poplars in the fore-ground would have been a sufficient opposition of forms-this is elucidated in the sketch below. (fig. 15.)

15

Here perpendicular forms are employed in opposition to those which are horizontal, in addition to which curved lines are introduced, thereby illustrating that carved as well as perpendicular lines agreeably oppose horizontal lines; and although it be admitted that horizontals require perpendiculars for the purpose of opposition, still it should be remembered that low and broad, require lofty objects for their support: thus, in the fore-ground, broad masses of foliage are introduced, mixed with the spiral form of the poplar to contrast with them.

With regard to the introduction of poplars in scenery generally, they should be so dispersed as never to appear alone. VOL. I. No. 2.

K