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1178 P B A C T I C E O E G A E D E N IN G . P a k t III,
serrated ; shining green above, and silvery underneath. The
shoots grow long, straight, and tough, and are well adapted
for the lareer sorts of baskets, hampers, crates, and hoops.
6182. fne Auricled Osier, S. stipulàris (Eng. Bot. 1.1214.).
“ The two-year-old shoots make excellent rods for baskets,
cradles, bird-cages, and such articles ; and the one-year shoots
are used as fillings. The shoots are long, nearly equal in thickness
throughout their extent, and somewhat downy, or hoary,
particularly at the tops or extremities. The leaves are alter,
nate, with footstalks, long and narrow, somewhat notched on
the edges, CTeen and smooth above, woolly below. The stipulce
or leaf-scales are conspicuous and remarkable, resembling a
pair of ears.”
6183. The Green Osier (S, rù6»-a) (Eng. Bot. 1145.) is an
excellent basket willow. “ The shoots are very long, tough,
smooth, and of agrey colour, occasionally inclining to purplish.
The leaves are narrow and very long, from 5 in. to 4 in., of a
bright green on both sides, and serrated.”
6184. The Basket Osier, S. Foròj/àna (Eng. Bot. 1344.).
“ The best willow for the finer sorts of basketwork. The
shoots are of a yellowish ash-colour, sometimes purplish ;
smooth, vere flexible and tough. Tho leaves are alternate, on
footstalks, irom 2 in. to 3 in. long, somewhat serrated, chiefly
tywards ffie top; dark green above, and glaucous or pale bluish
! Triandrous .tviwiyvn Iv, roalrorWt 1i,U—o1w- -(_S_. 1tridndra) (Eng. Bot. 1454.) “ is common in osier-beds, and iu stools
afford most exceUent shoots for basketwork, long, slender, pliable
and tough; they arc smooth, of a brownisli colour, and
towards the top thoy are fluted or grooved. The leaves a
long, and closely and strongly serrated.”
6186. The Velvet Osier, S. moUissima (Eng. Bot. 1509 )
Its leaves are very smooth and green above, and very silky
and soft beneath. Shoots long and very numerous, but not
tou^h ; when allowed, however, to remain for two years, they
6187. The \ellow WiUow, or Golden Osier (S. tu'temna)
(Eng. Bot. 1329.), produces “ handsome shooU, of a yeUow
colour, and shining, and well adapted for basketwork.” Iu
our Hortus Britannicus will be found enumerated above 100
species; all of which arc of the easiest culture, and many of
them may be procured in tho British nurseries. There is,
however, such a general sameness in their appearance, that
but few of them can be recommended in an ornamental point
of view, and the more useful species have been already above
enumerated.
B O O K V I .
THE PRACTICE OF LANDSCAPE-GARDENINC.
6188. The practice o f landscape-gardening is generally thought so simple an affair,
that almost every proprietor fancies he can perform it for himself; forgetting the great
difference there is between making shift to do a thing and doing it well. Thus, almost
eveiy one fancies he can prescribe for a cold; but when really ill, how few there are
that like to trust to their own prescriptions, without sending for a doctor ; and of those
who do tamper with their own health, how many repent, when too late, that they did
not obtain proper advice at first. In the same manner, however easy it may appear
to lay out a small place, it may be safely affirmed that no proprietor ever attempted
landscape-gardening on a large scale, without repenting that he had not employed a
professional person. “ Improvements may be suggested by any one,” Bepton observes,
“ hut the professor only acquires a knowledge of effects before they aro produced, and a
facility in producing them, by various methods, expedients, and resources, the result of
study, observation, and experience. He knows what can and what cannot be accomplished
within certain limits. He ought to know what to adopt, and what to reject;
he must endeavour to accommodate his plans to the wishes of the person who consults
him, although in some cases they may not strictly accord with his own taste.” (Obs. on
Landscape-Gardening, p. 10.)
C h a p . I.
General Ohservatkms on the Duties o f a Landscape-Gardener.
6189. The rules which serve to guide landscape-gardeners in laying out the details of
a place are derived from its natural and artiflcial character, and the wants and wishes
of the proprietor. By natural charaeter is to he understood the condition of the
situation in respect to climate, the kind of smface, the nature of the soil, subsoil, rock
and springs, ponds, rills, or other forms of water, or the sea. By artiflcial characte/
we mean the style of the architecture of the house, the present state of the gi-ound as
far as art is concerned, and the various topogi-aphical circumstances ; such as roads, trees
neighbouring houses, cottages, villages, manufactories, &e. The wants and wishes of
the proprietor require to be attended to, no less than the character of the ground and
the locality. An important object, in the first place, is to ascertain the extent to which
he will go in regard to expense. Next, his peculiar taste, and that of his family, are to
i>e studied, and, as far as practicable, accommodated; except in the case of what the
artist considers bad taste. In this case he must respectfully submit his reasons for what
he proposes, and endeavour to argue the matter with his employer. Should he fail in
producing the conviction desu-ed, it will be a question for him to resolve how fai- he
can, consistently with his own reputation, sanction fhe production of what he considers
in bad taste; at the same time carefuUy distinguishing between taste which is inlierently
bad, and taste wbich is merely peculiar.
6190. The intimate connection between landscape-gardening and architecture; the propriety
and advantage of the joint consultations of the landscape-gardener and the
architect, as to the situation, aspect, and style of the house; together with the almost
B o o k V I . P L A N O F I lV rP R O V EM E N T .
unavoidable encroachments of the former on the latter, by designing and executing
garden-buildings, has given rise to an opinion, that the landscape-gardener ought to
combine with his art the functions of the architect. Repton justifies the idea, by referring
to the many excellent houses built by Brown, with no other knowledge than that acquired
by obseiwation of all the best houses; and of Kent, who was at once landscape-
gardener, architect, and historical painter. We are of opinion, that, in the case of
garden-buildings and small villas, or ornamental cottages, the knowledge both of the
theory and practice of architecture, which it is necessary every landscape-gardener
should possess, may sometimes enable him to combine the duties of both professions;
but such arc the advantages of a division of labour, in the fine, as well as in the
useful arts, that iu all more extensive buildings, and, indeed, even in those we have
mentioned, we would recommend the employment of a regular architect, jointly with
a landscape-gardener, as a surgeon consults with a physician in important cases. The
duties of the landscape-gardener resolve themselves into the formation of a plan or
design, and the canying of it into execution.
S e c t . I. Study o f the given Situation and Circumstances, and Formation o f a Plan
o f Improvement.
6191. Whatever may be the situation and circumstances where the opinion of a landscape
gardener is desired, he should be furnished with a written or verbal instruction as
to the points to which he should chiefly direct his attention ; with a complete map of the
estate, and an accurate detailed history and description of its localities and peculiarities.
From these, from topographical and county surveys, and a residence of a few days or
weeks, according to the extent of the subject and season of the year (spring, before the
leaves expand, being the most favourable time), he will be able to procure every requisite
infonnation, and to establish in liis memory every thing relating to the situation and
vicinity. Pie is then, and not before, to embody and mature his ideas of improvement;
directing his attention first to the situation and aspect of the house and offices, the extent
of the park, and the placing of the kitchen-garden; next to the general masses of
wood; and then, successively, to the breadtli of lawn, the situation and character of water,
the pleasure-ground, farm, and other details. Before making up his mind on any part
of the subject, he will often find it of importance to have sections taken of the grounds
ill different directions, levels of springs, and lills, &c.; and most frequently he will have
occasion for stakes, for marking out lines on tho ground ; flagstaffs or poles, from 6 ft.
983
to 50 ft. high, to represent the effect of trees (fig. 983.) and other objects; strips of
white sheeting, to show the effect of water, by fonning a white outline on a perfect level ;
fi'ames partially covered with boai'ds, to show the effect of buildings ; and he may even
require boring-irons, or pits dug, in order to inquire into the natiu*e of the subsoil.
Being furnished with a plan of the present state of the grounds (such-as those shown in
fig. 685. in p. 653., and mfig. 687. p. 654.), he will, as he makes up his mind on particular
improvements, mark them down on this map in pencil, and, when the whole is
finally adjusted, he will put them in red, or in any distinguishing colour. And on one or
more general or panoramic views (fig. 688. in p. 654.), as well as on the particulai- views
which he may have taken on different spots, he will also mark in red the outlines that
will be made by the improvements adapted to the different situations. In addition to
these, he will show the effect, by geometrical sections taken in different directions across
the grounds (fig. 683. in p. 652.), to show the ground’s surface. His next operation is to
make a vertical profile (fig. 687. in p. 654.), showing the effect of the whole, supposing
the alterations to be fifteen or twenty years completed, with corresponding panoramic
or general views, and with particular landscapes, as shown in fig. 689. in p. 655.
6192. It remains for him to give reasons in writing for all that he proposes ; a practice
which no employer or artist should ever omit to have done ; as such opinions remain as
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