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THE
FIlOFIT^.B]L.E FJL^JVTEM.
a Creattfe
TtlEORY AND PRACTICE
Of
PLANTING
FOREST TREES,
I N
Every Difcription of' Soil and Situation ;
More particularly on
Elevated Sites, Barren Heaths,
ROCKY SOILS, ^c.
Including DLreftions for
The PLANTING and MANAGEMENT of
permanent Screens;
WITH USEFUL HINTS ON
SHELTER AND ORNAMENT.
SECOND EDITION. ENLARGED.
JBY W. FONTEY5
ORNAMENTAL GARDENER,
AUTHOR OF THE FOREST PRUKER, AND PLANTER AND FOREST PRUNER TO
THE LATE AND PRESENT DUKE OF BEDFORD.
HUE)DERSFIELD:
PRINTED for the AUTHOR, by T. SMART;
AXD SOLD BY J. HARDING, 36, ST. JAMES'S-STREET;
J. WHITE, FLEET-STREET; & J.MAWMAN POULTRY, LONDON.
1808.
Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive
in 2009 witii funding from
NCSU Libraries
littp://www.arcliive.org/details/profitableplanteOOpont
ADVERTISEMENT
TO THE FIRST EDITION.
Though the writer of the following pages
has, for feveral years, had confiderahle pra6iice,
as a contract planter, he means not to attach
more importance to it than that of being enabled,
by indnjtry and obfervation, to af certain princi-
ples, which he zvas previonjly perfuaded ivere
founded iii reafon and nature i nor does he pre-
tend to any fuperior fliare of abilities; but,
attached to the interejis of planting, (much more
from choice than neceffity,) he has, from early
life, idicn vieiving the works of others, not con-
tented himfelf with feeing that they were fuccefs'
ful or otherwife, but has reafoned and inquired,
in order to difcover why they were fo; — and he
now prefents a part of the refult, for the decifion
{and, lie hopes, the benefit) of an impartial public.
The following are fcleftcd from many other
Teftimonies, in Favour of the firft Edition,
" \Vc recommend the Obfervations of Mr. Pontey to the No-
tice of all Perfons, who may be in Situations where they can apply
thcmi" Britijk Critic, July, 1801.
" The Direftions for the Management of Plantations dilplay
great Judgement, and are apparently the Production of extenfive
Experience; while the Arrangement of thefe ornamental Additions
to a Houfe, in a pifturefque View, merit the Attention of the
Builder." Critical Review, June, I800.
" Pontey, a profeflTional, and apparently a competent Judge,
allerts that our own is equal, or rather of the fame Quality as Fo-
reign Deal." Modem Land Stewa. ■', p. 345.
" The Author fcems a Patriot not foliations about his indivi-
dual Profit, as a contrafl: Planter, but this Trcaiife will recommend
him to all who meditate extenfive Plantations."
Agricultural Magazine, Auguji, 1800.
" A Pamphlet has lately been publifhcd, entitled, a Treatife
on the Cultivation of the Larch and Scotch Fir Timber, &c. by Mr.
Pontey, octavo, which places the advantages attending the culture
of this ircc, (the Larch) in a flrong point of View. And which I
recomincnd to i!it Pcrufal of thofc who wifli for further information
on this fubjcdt." Lamberd Drfcription of the Genus Pinus, 1803.
ADVERTISEMENT
TO TFIE SECOND EDITION.
/jlS this fecond edition of a work, originally
very fmall, has been long promifed, but much
longer called for, it may be neceffary to Hate
fome reafons for delay; — The very favourable
reception of the y^;^ edition, naturally put the
author upon endeavouring to make a fecond
more worthy of fuch notice, by extending the
defign to the planting and management of Fo-
reft Trees in general In purfuance of which
it occurred, that the latter fubjeft was much
more imperfedly underllood than ihe former;
and hence the propriety of a work devoted en-
tirely to that obje6t. Under this impreffion,
the whole of his leifure was, for a confiderable
period, devoted to the compofilion of the
" Forest Pruner," which was publifiied in
December, 1805; ayd-co^irf edition of which has
juft made its appearance. Since the above caufe
of delay, many others have occurred, chiefly
of a profeffional nature; for he could not confi-
der the ivant of time^ a fufficient apology for
[ 6 J
fending that into the world, of which he might
afterwards be afliamed.
It will beobferved, that thouQ:h the prefent
is called ^fccond edilian, it may be confidered
as nearly a new work-, the former beint^ chiefl}'-
devoted to the cultivaiion of Larch, and Scotch
Fir; and hence, though mod of the fentiments
are retained, a re<]^ard to method, has rendered
it neceffary to write moll of the work anew.
By adopting the method of treating the dif-
ferent parts of the {\ihj\c€[.?, fcparatdij^ much of
the confufion and repetition, common in books
on planting, and gardening, are avoided, and
the work, of courfe, muchjlwrfened; — a mat-
ter calculated, at lea ft, to accommodate the read-
er. One of the eafiell taflvs, that falls to the lot
of an author, is that of enlarging on fubje61:s ge-
neralhj known; but this very convenient circum-
ftance the author has declined, from a full con-
viction, that, on a fubject which affords fo little
entertainment, the book which contains the
moll; information, in the leajl compafi^, will be the.
moft read, and, of courfe, be found moft gene-
rally ufeful.
As the method of moving plants fomewhat
large, or of planting fmgle trees, belongs exclu-
[ 7 ]
fively to llie bufinefs of ornamental gar deiibig :, f^^^^*^*^*^
and as the author has fome intention of making /^4^v^
that dehghtful fcience the fubje6t o{?i future ef-P^.^'^
fort, it is here omitted. If he Oiould be found^^ Z^*
qualified to trace its principles to their true '^
fource, fo far as to furnifli rules for its practice^
he will have prodjiced what may be called a
chart, equally calculated to direft the employer
and the employed. The truth is, that fo long as
pleafurable and difgulling fcenes remain dif-
ferent, both in their nature and effects, fo long
will the principles of this art vem?im Jlationary
and capable of demonjtration. That others fliould
hold a different doftrine, he does not wonder j
change of tajle is a convenient apology for perpe-
tual alterations and abfurdities. But if tafte
is really founded in reafon and nature, it will,
in a great meafure, be found permanent, and
muft neceffarily command general aflent. It is,
in fhort, a tafte fo founded, with a correfponding
praftice, that the author means to explain and
defend fhould he undertake fuch a work.
To perfons, who only write to ferve the
little interejts oj felf the day of publication is
naturally a day of anxiety; — the author, how-
ever, has no fuc h fears ; for fmce the fame means
which. Informer inftances, procured him public
approbation, have been ufed in the prefent, he
has no doubt of experiencing fimilar fupport
ADDRESS.
/'/y It is known, \^^'^ ^c unilcd e^orts of a ftzo ^\\\ frrqucntly d"
/ fcft what may be impofTible to an individual. Under this idea, the
^^^^^„proprieryot inviting the affidance oF perfons oH indujiry and ohftrva-
y ^ / tion, has long f'ug^cflcd id'elf, as likely to be of eficntial fervice,
y /^ ^" inveftigating the properties ot thofe fpecies of Britifh Timber,
*^^'****.n'hich are not in general iife; fuch as the Firi, Poplars, and IVillous.
Undoubtedly, the value of any article depends much upon a know-
ledge of its proper application, or, in other words, of the ufes it is
fit for; and certainly no one can aflert, with truth, that we have more
than very limited and vague ideas of the proper ufes of fuch timber.
We know, that mod oi them may be grown very rapidly, fome
of them on foils of %cry trifling value, and others in a way fo as to
detriment the hnds or herbage very little : We know, in fliort,
how to cultivate the whole, with abundant fuccefs; flill we can ne-
ver make the proper ufe of this knowled<ie, until better inflrufled
\n ihe matter of life. Undoubtedly, different perfons are in poITcf-
fion of faBs, that would greatly aflift, in elucidating the fubjeft, if
we had the means of collefling them. And it may alfo be obfcrved,
that fafh, fiom different quarters, muft produce more conviftion
thau what is furnilhed by one, however refp^ ftable. I cannoi fup-
poie any perfon, poflclfing fuch ufeful information, could wifli to
withhold it ; and, thereiorc, beg leave to folicit fuch communications
as may tend to (how, for what purpofes thefe fpecies of timber are
proper, or the reverfc. Thefe commuiiications, or, at the leaft, their
fubflatice, it is intended to print fepaiately, by way of appendix to
this work, fo foon as a quantity is collected, that ihall be deemed of
(iifficient importance, for that purpole. — They will appeai either
with the writer's figiiature, or oihcrwifc, as may be moft agreeable
to himfelf. On fuch a ftil.jeft it is aimoft unnecelfary to lay, that
'« i\o anonymous communication caii be notictd. The communications
>nay cither be adatcficd, by letisr, to the author, at Huddirsfield,
^^*'^ York/Jiire, oi leu at Mr. Harding's, Bookfcller, St. James's Street,
louden.
THE
iProfttalile pantet^
/xMONG the different objefts of im-
provement, which prefent themfelves to
the attention of perfons of landed pro-
perty, that of Planting will always hold
a diftinguifhed rank : — probably, if it were
inquired, on which of them a perfon, ^^^"^-^'
fo fituated, could expend a portion of /^^* ^
his difpofable income to the greateft ad- "" /
vantage, the decifion, in at leaft eight
cafes in ten, would be in favour of Plant-
ing.— Indeed, the matter comes recom-
mended by fo many confiderations, that
it is fomewhat difficult to conceive how
B
[ 10 ]
any one, in affluent circumflances, can
excufe himfelf in the total negleft of it.
In addrefTing thefe, I may, for the pre-
fent, omit the arguments ufually adduced
upon fuch occafions, as motives for Plant-
ing, (as part of them will be attended to in
the fequel,) and content myfelf with men-
tioning, how well this purfuit is calcula-
ted to gratify one of the mofl predominant
and ufeful paflions implanted in the hu-
man breaft, namely, a love of poflhumous
fame :
" For who, to dumb Forgetfulnefs a pre^,
" This pleafing anxious being e'er refign'd,
*• Left the warm precin£is of the cheerful day,
" Nor cad one longing, ling' ring look behind!"'
Mofl certainly there are few who do
not feel an innate defire, and even an anx-
iety to be remembered, by pofterity with
gratitude : — but, to be fo remembered as
a public charafter, can fall to the lot of
only a kw ; — nor, in many inftances, will
[ 11 ]
the memory of the virtue and ufefulnefs
which adorn a private Ration, even a-
mong the higher ranks of fociety, long
furvive, except fome honourable and vifi-
ble memorial be left behind ; — and what
is there that can fo cheaply, fuddenly, and
certainly efifeft the purpofe as Planting ?
This, at lead, is obvious, — whoever plants
to a confiderable extent, becomes a be-
nefaftor to his own pofterity and the
public ; and, therefore, while his work re-
mains, the man will not be forgotten.
The park at Caflle-Howard furnifhes
a very ftriking proof of the influence of
the paflion alluded to. — On one fide of a
lofty and noble pillar, ere6ted to the me-
mory of the Duke of Marlborough's vic-
tories, is the followmg :
'' Charles 3rd Earl of Carlifle, of the
" family of the Howards, erefted a Caftle
^' where the old Caftle of Hinderfl^elf
[ 12 ]
" flood and called it Caftle Howard. — He
" likewife made the Plantations in this
" Park, and all the Outworks, Monu-
'' ments, and other Plantations belonging
'' to the faid Seat. He began thefe
** Works in the Year 1702, and fet up
** this Infcription Anno Domini 1731.
•' If to Perfeflion thefe Plantations rife,
" U they agreeably my Heirs furprife,
" This faithful Pillar will their ^ge declare,
" As long as Time thefe Chara£lers fhall fpare.
" Here then, with kind Remembrance, read his Name,
" Who, yor Posterity, perform'd the fame."
It is impofllble to read the above, and
contemplate the objefts around it, with-
out rendering to the memory of that tru-
ly great man abundantly more than he
has claimed. — It is, indeed, worthy of no-
tice, that after building what, in compli-
ment to antiquity, he called a caflle, (but
which may more properly be denomina-
ted a palace,) with numerous appendages,
in a ftyle of grandeur which has fcldom
[ 13 ]
been equalled, (never, perhaps, furpafled
in this jfland,) he feems to have expefted
raore credit from his exertions as a Plan-
ter than a Builder ; — though no one can
fuppofe the expence upon the former to
have amounted to one twentieth part of
that upon the latter.
Ther-e is, undoubtedly, a great deal
more in this infcription than barely meets
the eye ; — for does it not operate as a
{landing reproach, to every fon and daugh-
ter of affluence, who, regardlefs of pofle-
rity, " like fome poor player, fret and ftrut
** their hour upon the flage, and then are
** feen no more;" — while, to thofe of an op-
pofite defcription, it whifpers this falutary
leflbn, " Go thou, and do likewife."
It is among the advantages which the
modern has over ancient praftice, that
what was once confidered as a great un-
dertaking becomes now a mere trifle. —
[ u ]
"•"— . From the beft obfervations I have been
^ enabled to make, there feems no doubt
but the expence which would have planted
five acres fixty years back, would now
plant twenty, provided the bufinefs be
managed upon a frugal fyjftem ; — and,
therefore, if we flate the matter as it af-
fefts a perfon of landed property, we (hall
find one great reafon why fo little of it
was done.
If the rental of land have been dou-
bled within the time mentioned, and an
acre would then coft, in planting, four
times as much as now, a gentleman muft
then have devoted the rents of eight
times as much land to plant an acre, as at
prefent ; and, where the rent of land is tre-
bled, the difference would be as twelve to
one ; — of courfe, we fee fuch proportion
holds out every facility to Planting, while
the value of its produce is every where
alloniftiingly increafed.
[ 15 ]
It may here be objefted, that the in
f4J(iC
creafe in the value of land farniflies an ''-^^-^*^*^-
argument againjl planting; which is rea-^'^ ' "^z*'
dily admitted, fo far as lands of a middle'
value are concerned, and where fhelter and
ornament add nothing to value. — But are
there not numerous fituations, on almofi:
every eflate, which in themfelves pro-
duce but little, and mock the darings
of the cautious cultivator, — which only
require to be planted with judgment,
to become abundantly produftive in tim-
ber?— And are not the fituations likewife
numerous, where planting becomes ab-
folutely neceffary on account of its fliel-
ter? — Nor are inftances wanted where
a bare, flat furface of country may be
fo diverfified and ornamented, by patches
of planting, as to add to the real or
faleable value of the property, abun-
dantly more than the expence, befides
the marketable value of the wood.
The neceflity for planting in the vicinity
[ 16 ]
of a family manfion will be noticed fepa-
rately.
it'^^i^,. Having mentioned fome of the induce-
z-^^, ments to plant, I may next advert to the
^^^^ advantages of fkilful management; — for
certainly it may be laid down as a rule,
which admits of few exceptions, that the
moft fliilful is the cheapejl planter; for
the following reafons :
* /icc^et Firft, Such a one will feldom err ma-
*^'' terially, in regard to the proper fpecies to
be planted on any given foil or fituation.
- • (i'- - Secondly, He cannot err in regard to
the proper fize of plants.
^^/le^i Thirdly, He will devote fo much la-
"\'^"**>^bour to the preparation of the foil, as
the particular circumftances of the cafe
render neceffary, and no more.
[ 17 j
/.
J* in req-ard to the firft, every one muft ^^^ ^
iiave obferved what difappointment and ^
lofs is frequently occafioned by unflulful
management in that refpe6l ; and no won-
der, if perfons will proceed in the bufinefs
without rule, (that is, by refolving to
plant certain fpecies on particular fpots,
without regarding whether the fituation
be in all refpefts proper or not,) or by
the advice of perfons pofleffed of neither
experience nor obfervation in the bufi-
nefs. — In fa6l, while men of no experi-
ence confider this part of the profeflion
as fufficiently eafy, thofe of a different
defcription always confider it as lefs or
more difficult, in proportion as the foils
and fituations differ from fuch as they have
been ufed to work upon. — If it were not a
grating truth, I could produce numerous
inftances, where large fums have been
■wafted in this way, while the proprietors
were unconfcious that they were not pro-
[ 18 ]
ceeding by the moll prudent and fkilfiil
methods.
Z- Secondly, — in regard to the fizes of
^^ ^-plants : — Here again the lofles of planters
._ "^^have been orreat indeed. Leave an un-
fldlful planter to himfelf, and he general-
ly errs, in iifing plants which are too
large ; and, confequently, enhances the rifk
and expences, without at all forwarding the
bufinefs ; while if he proceed by imitating
^ perfons of better flvill, and plants fmall
"'''^""^'^oncs, but neglefts to attend to fuch cir-
cumflances as the probability of a rank
licrbage, &c. he may, by that means, have
them fmothered. Indeed, it very fre-
-o^, quently happens, that plants which prove
. , , of a proper fize in one part of a field,
./ ^are much too large or too fmall for ano-
i'/I^i^^ther ; and, therefore, it is evident, con-
fiderable difcrimination is necefiary in this
refpe6t.
[ 19 J
Thirdly, as to the preparation of the IT,
foil ;— moft certainly it requires a degree of ^%^^-x?1
fldll which few ever have, or ever can, at- "^{^^"^-^
tain ; — as it includes a knowledge and due ^/'^.^i£.
confideration of very numerous circum-
flances, fuch as, all the various qualities
and depths of foils, with the different de-
grees of humidity and expofure, — the pro-
per fpecies and fizes of plants, &c. — all
of which fhould, in a greater or lefs de-
gree, influence the matter of preparation.
Undoubtedly, there are cafes where ten
pounds would be well expended in pre-
paring an acr€ of ground for planting;
but certainly the cafes are abundantly
more common, where one eighth part of
the money may well do the bufmefs. —
The difficulty refts in diftinguifhing, not
only the difference between thefe ex-
tremes, but of their intermediate parts;
and, therefore, on all thefe grounds, we
may fafely conclude, the moft fkilful wil!
generally prove the cheapeji planter.
[ 20 ]
- />' Confident with what has been ad van-
^ A-^-' ced, it is evident, that the moll; profitable
■^^ - planter is he who can manage fo as to
caufe the land to be mod produftive,
at the lead expence. Being well con-
vinced that, in a great majority of cafes,
^j, ^ the liberal ufe of the Fir tribe is eflential
to the purpofc, I fliall now proceed to
examine the opinions and prejudices which
have been every where prevalent concern-
ing them, and have hitherto, very unfor-
tunately for the country, prevented their
being fo cultivated as to become generally
ufeful, as large, fubdantial, and valuable
timber.
^ The man of fcience, in common with
0^4^^^^* the carpenter, knows the ufe of an oak
,*v^» V Qr an adi, but, with refpeft to Englidir
'' — grown Firs, generally contents hinifelf
with the received idea, that they are of
little value-, and hence it is only of late
that they have been extendvely cultivateci
[ 21 ]
for profit;' — previous to which, though 4#^^<wj
m«ch had been written, on the planting of •^**^-
oak, afh, &c. for timber, we were com-
monly taught to confider the planting of
firs as principally for fhelter or ornament.
Since the time that the foreign fir tim-
ber was firll introduced into this country,
its ufefulnefs and confequent reputation
have been conflantly increafing; and hence
we import, annually, immenfe quantities,
at an enormous ex pence : — the fafts are
indifputable, though it does not admit of
a doubt that the fpecies, fo highly valued,
will grow extremely well here. A circum-
{lance fufhcicnt to induce the reflefting
rnind to inquire, whether it be not pofTible
to avoid the greater part, if not the whole,
of that expence, by extending and im-
proving their Culture; and to feel afto-
nifhed, that a fubjeft of fuch immenfe im-
portance ftiould have hitherto met with fo
little attention.
[ 22 J
f/Ci^^. '^'^^ motive for fucli inquiry will be
greater, when we ferioufly rcflecl; on the
prefent fcarcity, and confequent advance
of price; and our ideas will probably
turn to the day, not long elapfed, when
Fir Timber w^as fold at little more than one
third of what it now is. Indeed, fo long
as we depend upon foreign markets for a
fupply, it is impofhble to forefee what
means may be ufed, and what circum-
ftances 7?i<2)' arife, to increafe fuch fcarcity;
confequently, impra6^icable to form any
opinion of the price that may he exaBed,
or the inco7iveniences and injuries which
the want of fuch Timber may produce.
Whoever has attentively examined the
fubjed; and has the interejt of the nation
at heart, mufl certainly fee the necefTity of
thoroughly inveftigating, whether there be
any thing, in the air ox foil of our coun-
try, to prevent the growing of good fir
timber.
[ 23 ]
That we have few Englifh-grown firs ^Hf£l\
of fufficient fcanUings for the larger pur-
pofes of building, will readily be admit-
ted;— but whence proceeds the deficien-
cy?— Prejudice fays, " we cannot grow
*' them good;'' and ignorance and indo-
lence have hitherto very generally af-
fented to the affertion. But fhould it
be found that fuch conclufions are con-
trary to truth, and that the fcarcity in
queftion is the confequence only of erro-
neous notions, it will certainly be ufeful
to expofe them, to trace their caufes and
effefts, and to furnifh thofe obfervations
which experience has fuggefled; for the-
ories, however plaufible, are by no means
the guide, a prudent man ought to follow,
in the fcience of planting and growing
timber; becaufe, while fatisfied with com-
monly received opinions, though it is pro-
bable we may be right, there is a chance
of our being wrong ; and he is a very in-
attentive obferver, who, a6iing as a plan-
i^t-i,^ ter of firs, does not difcover, that, if men
' had not ufually taken their ideas upon
trufl, the bufinefs muft, long ago, have
been reduced to fomewhat of certainty.
They would have found out, not only
what firs grow bell in particular foils and
fituations, but the fpecific forts which
thrive in moft of them; and, moreover,
would clearly have afcertained the pro-
perties of the timber of all, or at leaft of
fo many of them as would thrive on bleak
and barren ones, and, therefore, likely
to be moft profitable. But, unfortunate-
ly, inftead of having got thus far on the
road of knowledge, very few have yet
made any progrefs; and, what is worfe,
many fee not yet the neceffity of fuch
a journey. — In fhort, they have no idea
of reaping any advantage from it* ; why,
* The author has very great pleafure in obfervlng,
that fuch inattention, which might be confidcred as
[ 2J ]
therefore, fliould they labour for that -p'-'^o^'
which cannot profit? *^/^. -
Of the truth of thefe remarks we have
ample proof; for the planters of the lafl
age generally ufed Scotch Firs only, in a
manner that leaves us at a lofs to difcover
what end they had in view, unlefs it was
the rehearfal of their own funerals; cer-
tainly, if their object was ufe, flielter, or
ornament, they in a great meafure miflook
the means.
That the planters of the prefent age
greatly furpafs thofe of the laft, is ac-
knowledged; as they generally ufe fo
much of variety on every foil, that, e-
nough of the proper forts may ultimately
liighly difgraceful, is now, in fome meafure, done away;
as planting of Firs, with the direft idea of profit, is
praflifed to an extent hitherto unprecedented ; of courfe
every fpecies of information, tending either to facili-
tate or elucidate the bufmefs, mull be highly acceptable.
[ 26 J
C^T^'ht felefted for Timber: — dill fucli va-
riety affords no proof of (kill, but the
contrary; as is abundantly (hown by the
methods moft frequently adopi:ed in thin-
ning; the mojl valuable being ufually
cut down, to make room for the 7noJl
-worthlefs.
The reader will obferve, that, b)' the
moft valuable^ I mean fuch as would be
worth the moft money in a given time,
(fuppofe thirty years;) and by the moft
worthlefs, fuch as would produce the leaft
in the fame period : — quantity and quali-
ty being out of the qucftion, except as
they affefl; the price.
I would premife further, that, con-
fiftent with the prececding, I pay no re-
gard to eftabliftied opinions ; for, Ihould
I find even the oak and afti mixed with
larch, Scotch and fpruce fir, and the
former making but Uttle progrefs, while
[ 27 ]
the latter were flourifhing, I fhould not ^^^
hefitate to call them inferior; — nay, were
both in a thriving ftate, yet, if it feemed
next to certainty, that the former would
not fetch ten pounds, when the latter
would be worth t\renty, I fhould treat
them only as obje6is of fecondary im-
portance.
If the foregoing be the only true
method of eflimating the value of trees
planted for profit, it is evident that the
modern planters, with every few excep-
tions, have afted upon miftaken princi-
ples, and mufl continue to do fo, till
better acquainted with the qualities of
larch, Scotch, and fpruce fir timber.
Undoubtedly, till a very late period,
Englifh firs have been confidered as of
little value, except for fhelter and orna-
ment ; and hence the undiflinguifhing ha-
\ ock to which they have been fubje6led :
[ ^s ]
'^"■^''^ indeed, it is not at all to be wondered at,
when we confider that not a few writers,
who have undertaken to direft the current
of public opinion, reprefent them (in ad-
dition to the above purpofes,) as beftof all
calculated for the honourable and perma-
nent fituation of Nurfes.
Seeing then the confequences to which
fuch opinions dircftly lead, and being per-
fe6lly convinced they are equally unfound-
ed and detrimental, it may be ufeful to ad-
vert, fhortly, to the leading caufes from
-which they feem to have obtained curren-
cy ; — and efpecially fo, as moft workmen
are fo completely prejudiced as to be un-
willing to give the article a fair trial.
To meet fuch ideas, however, we may
confider that, for many years, the Scotch
firs were the only fpecies commonly plant-
ed ; and thcfe at very confiderable diflan-
cts ; in confequcnce of which, they would
[ 29 ]
I'ctain their lower branches till they got ^>^^iC.
very large ; and hence the timber, upon
being cut up, is uniformly found fo full
of Knots, as to be difqualified for moft
purpofes to which foreign fir has been
ufually applied, and therefore the article
defervedly fell into difrepute.
When the above truly barbarous tafte
fubfided, we find the' Scotch firs a-
gain exhibited alone, either in mafies or
fmall clumps; where each plant, having
lefs fpace, would grow much lefs knot-
ty than before; and hence a temptation
to ufe fuch as were thinned out while
young, for numerous purpofes. — But here
unfortunately it feems to have been over-
looked, that this fir, in a fheltered fitua*
tion, grows very quickly for many years ;
and never acquires much of denfity
in an early ftage of growth. — moft cer-
tainly neither of the defcriptions adduced
were fit to be put in competition with
[ 30 ]
"' Foreign Deal ; and yet it may fafely be
aflerted, that a large proportion of the
latter defcription, with a very fmall one of
the former, compofed at leail nine-tenths
of the documents upon which pubhc opi-
nion was formed, previous to the laft iix
or feven years.
Good fometimes arifes out of evil, and
fo it has happened here ; for the extrava-
gant price of foreign fir has of late indu-
ced many people to make trial of fome of
the beft trees in their pollelfion, of different
forts ; and the refult has been fo far favour-
able as to occafion much of the extraordi-
nary increafe in planting which has been
noticed.
In the bufinefs of inveftigating the na-
tural properties of Firs, (to which a con-
fiderable degree of my attention has been
devoted for feveral years,) it has afford.
cd fingular fatisfadion to find them uni-
[ 31 ]
formly Tuperior to what previous pre] u-'";'^-^" '^
dices had taught me to expeft. In truth,
after a careful examination of every fpe-
cimen that has fallen in my way, up to
the prefent period, (January, 1807,) I can
fafely aflirm, that I have difcovered no
natural defed, which will, ultimately, dif-
qualify any of the fpecies, commonly cul-
tivated, from being ufed, either generally
or partially, as a fubftitute for the foreign.
It is true that, with refpeft to the
Scotch and Silver Firs and the Weymouth
Pine, the young quick-grown wood is
fomewhat foft or fpongy; but does not
fomething like this prevail in feveral parts
of both the vegetable and animal creation,
without at all impeaching the flrength or
value of the matured fubjeds of either ?
Certainly, in regard to the firs in queftion,
every obfervation has fhown that the
Timber improves with age, probably in
[ 32 ]
* /*- ■
•r^»t U^^ilie fame proportion as the growth dc-
creafes after a certain period.
Obferve, it is not faid that even fuch
young timber would not be durable if
properly feafoned, and ufed where con-
ftantly dry ; as I conceive thefe points
are by no means afcertained : — but were
^ g_f fuch the cafe, we have others, namely, the
Larch and Spruce Fir, which, if proper-
ly managed, may fafely be depended up-
on, as durable, in every period of their
growth ; whether expofed or otherwife ;
and, therefore, no queflion or doubt needs
be entertained, as to their hberal ufe
for every purpofe, where they can be
procured large enough.
It has fortunately happened that, in
the courfe of the laft five or fix years, the
Larch has got into confiderable repute ;
as wherever a quantity of it is to be fold,
from the fize of a common rail upwards.
[ 33 ]
it never fails to command purchafers, at^^^*2ii&
a good price. This may be confidered
as one of the cafes where general opinion
can fcarcely be fuppofed to err ; becaufe
it has been correfted by experience.
Formerly, no diftin6lions ufed to be
made; — English Fir, was the general
name for the whole fpecies ; and the idea
it conveyed was that collefted from the
ufe of Scotch Firs only. Now, almofl
every purchafer has fome idea of diftinc-
tions ; which could only arife from fome
evidence of difference in value : — In ftiort,
almoft every one gives the Larch a deci-
ded preference over them all, though,
perhaps, few perfons have more than very
confufed ideas of its fpecific properties.
We need not here adopt the flale me-
thod of extolling the Larch upon the cre-
dit of antient authors, who feem to have
imitated each other, in detailing circum-
[ 34 ]
f"^^*^^ Ranees too furprifing for readers of com-
mon underftandings to believe ; efpecially
as fome of their ftatements have been
found completely erroneous *; but we may
/^ -.fay, that experience has warranted an o-
:a^c4^ pinion, that the Larch is equal to the Fo-
reign, for all the general purpofes to
which that article is ufually applied, and
fuperior to it for many others, among
which are the following :
Firfl:, It may be grown abundantly
clearer of knots, provided fome little at-
tention be paid to pruning it. Every one
knows that the Knots in Foreign Timber
affeft its value, exaftly in proportion as
they prevail in number and fize ; as both
* Many old books tell us, that the Larch will Hot
burn, which is falfe: for though it does not burn fo
freely as other Firs, it burns quick enough to be rank-
ed among the befl forts of wood fuel ; and hence, where
fuch is ufed, the faggots are much efleemed, as being
a good and durable article.
^ I 35 ]
r .
iiave a tendency to affe6l its ftrength and «s.a^tf^
appearance.
Secondly, It is much tougher ; — a cir-
cumftance which, conne6led v/hh its du-
rabihty, will fit it for numerous purpofes,
in boards of the lead poITible thicknefs. —
Three eighths of Larch muft, in almoft
any cafe, be fuperior to half an inch of
Foreign Deal.
Thirdly, Suppofing it once well fea-
foned, it is afterwards much lefs liable to
(lirink.
Fourthly, It may be fpeedily feafoned,
at any time of the year, as it admits of
a very confiderable degree of heat, with-
out endangering its cracking.
Fifthly, It is much fuperior in co- v,A ^^
lour; as the application of raw linfeed ^ ^^^^^
oil only, turns it to a beautiful nut-brown. ^^' ^"
[ 36 ]
ar.' It likewife admits of being (lained to re-
femble mahogany ; and takes a polifh e-
qual to box, holly, or even fatin wood ; fo
that it is proper for numerous articles of
ufeful and ornamental furniture, to which
the foreign deal is perfe6lly inapplicable.
Sixthly, It is again fuperior, as it is
proper for pofts to put into the ground.
In this cafe, however, it is to be noted,
that only young trees, of a proper fize,
fhould be ufed : and the part intended to
ftand in the earth (hould have the whole
of the bark left upon it,
Seventhly, It is clearly fuperior in the
important point of durability, when eX'
pofed to the weather.
Probably the (hortefl and cleared way
of proving the point is, by referring the
reader to the confideration of the rotten
Z/**^*- /Knots fo frequently found in Red Deal ;
\
[ 37 ]
aR article which is univerfally allowed to
be fuperior to the White, when expofed
in boards to the influence of the atmo-
Tphere. Thefe knots are certainly the
remains of branches, which rotted while
they ftill hung upon the trees : — but no-
thing like this is ever found in a Larch
board, or on a tree ; though we are fure
the latter has been fubjefted to expofure
as well as the former. — To this fa6l (in its
own nature more convincing than affer-
tion from any quarter,) I will only add,
that every obfervation I have made has
tended to imprefs the fame idea as is ufu-
ally entertained of the heart of oak. We
know that it muft decay at fome period,
though we have no certain method by
which to guefs — when'^,
* Snch perfons as feel particularly intereftcd in
underftanding the properties of Larch, may find the
fubje£l difcufled, confiderably more at large, (with an
account of fome experiments,) in The Forejl Pruner,
p. 79.— 107.
[ 38 ]
The Spruce Fir being confidered as
next in value to the Larch, naturally calls
for the next attention. Perhaps we may
lay it down as a maxim, in regard to trees
generally, that the utmoft attention (hould
be paid to afcertaining the properties of
fuch as are found to grow freely in a great
variety of foils and fituations ; becaufe
thefe circumftances hold out an almofl ir-
refiflible inducement for perfons to plant
them freely ; and hence, though in gene-
ral good is done, in fome cafes confidera-
ble damage may enfue.
-z^""- The cafe of the Spruce Fir particular-
f ^y'^^'ly calls for fuch attention, as it grows ra-
.^ "^'^pidly on almofl: every defcription of foil,
from a very fl:iff loam, and fuch as poffefs
a confiderable degree of humidity, to a
^' y very dry fand ; provided the fituation be
■/.r-^^--,. not very much expofed. — It will readily
be admitted, that the tree is exceedingly
ornamental ; but, with regard to the pro-
[ 39 ]
perties of its timber, very little appears i/yCt^^.
to be known with certainty.
As to myfelf, I readily confefs that,
till a late period, I did not difcover in it
any ftriking proofs of fuperiority ; and
hence, upon former occafions, I paffed it
over fomewhat flightly ; — now, however,
the cafe is different, and, therefore, I take
the earlieft opportunity of giving my rea-
fons for fuch change in opinion.
In obferving the flate of this fir, in
plantations where the trees formerly grew
thickly, and never were pruned, it ap- w
peared a very ftriking circumftance, that ^^"^
branches which had evidently been dead
many years, (fome of them probably more
than twenty,) were found,- uniformly, not
only found but tough; — a convincing
proof of DURABILITY. Still I bclievc
this circumftance, which, properly im-
proved, ought and -would have eftablifhed
[ 40 ]
its reputation and ufe, has operated di-
reftly to the contrary ; becaufe wherever
the trees (land fo thin as that their lower
branches can grow to a confiderable hze,
thefe continuing attached to the ftems for
many years, (whether hving or dead,)
mufl inevitably caufe them to grow ex-
tremely knotty, and hence to be rejeded
for general purpofes. Indeed, we can-
not wonder if workmen ufe their utmoft
influence in depreciating an article fo ex-
tremely difficult to work, in comparifon
with foreign timber, and which, in addi-
to being tedious, not unfrequently dama-
ges their tools ; all which would be com-
pletely avoided by means of pruning.
It is now more than twelve months
lince my attention was particularly at-
tra6led to the fubjeft, as above ; during
which time many obfervations have been
made ; all of which tended, dire6lly or
indire6lly to confirm my opinion of its
[ 41 ]
durability, whether ufed in expofures or ^y^^^^^^
otherwife ; with the exception of the cafe
of trees ufed whole, as rails, &c. — as in
drying they never fail to crack ; and hence
the part is expofed to alternate drought
and moiflure ; againft which not even the
heart of oak is completely proof. As
far as my obfervations have extended, the
fame remark will apply in regard to rails
made of Green Whole Wood, of every de-
fcription.
The fpecimen of Spruce Fir which ac- ^/^^^'
companies this treatife, is part of a beam,
that had been in a building about twenty-
four years ; which, on being taken out,
proved as found (the bark included) as
when firft made ufe of; — nor did its ap-
pearance leave any reafon to fufpeft it to
be lefs ftrong or durable, or at all inferior
to any foreign beam whatever. Yet a
point ftill more important remains to be
noticed: — It wasnotoldWood. — Its
[ 42 ]
f^c-- diameter being eighteen inches, undef the
bark, where its age was fifty years.
Here then let us paufe a moment, to
conlider wliat ufe prudent planters ought
to make of the important fa6l juft flated :
in doing which, it will readily occur, that
the matter is of too much confequence to
be fully credited and a6led upon, without
further inveftigation ; and, therefore, it is
incumbent upon them to ufe every means
within their power, to colIe61 fuch fa61s and
documents as may tend to eftablifh or dif-
credit it: — This is all I defire or want; for
if men will only be earned in this fort of
invefligation, no further arguments will
be neceffary from me, to induce them ei-
ther to plant, prune, or preferve the
Spruce Fir.
But there is another point of view, in
which the article is extremely valuable ;
namely, as being (all circumflances confi-
[ « ]
deredj the beft plant we have for the gene- *yi^**
ral purpoies of fhelter ; as it grows clofe,
and, in proper fituations, very quickly. /^T1
Where it has free fpace, it retains its low-
er branches alive to the ground, to the ut-
niofl period of its exiflence ; fo that we
can eafily avail ourfelves of its {belter to
any moderate extent. This tree natural-
ly forms itfelf into a narrow cone; its
breadth, however, may be eafily increafed,
by cutting off its head ; or readily re-
duced, by pruning, without materially in-
juring its foliage : — Indeed, its form is fo
much fubje6l to management, that I have
{^^n it (horn, fo as to form an excellent
flieltering hedge.
Of the innumerable cafes in which this
tree may be ufeful, as a (lielter, it is nei-
ther poffible nor neceffary to fpeak here ;
but I {hould confider myfelf inexcufable
in omitting to notice one, in which it is
qualified to be moft effentially fervicea-
( 44 ]
';f(r^cji ble; as it materially concerns a defcrip-
tion of perfon.1 who are particularly enti-
tled to attention and. refped, — I mean the
planters of oaks.
Planting of Jirs among oaks, as well as
other deciduous trees, in order to fhelter
and draw, or perhaps, more properly, to
force them up, has long been pradifed ;
yet, I conceive, it has been little confider-
ed how far the Spruce is fuperior to the
Scotch Fir for general purpofes. The
point, however, appears felf evident, from
what has been advanced, with the addi-
tional circumftance, that the former will
retain its lower foliage, in lefs than half
the fpace which the latter would require ;
and, therefore, that part of its fhelter can-
not be lading, except we are willing to
facrifice much fpace, and content to grow
it as faggot wood only ; — while, as to the
other, the fpace required would be very
moderate, the fhelter complete and dura-
[ 45 ]
/^
ble, and the wood, ultimately, of confi- -y^2«<^
derable value.
Where the air has fomewhat free fcope
round an oak, it produces numerous fide
branches ; fome of which fwell, fo as to
rival the principal leader, — which a com-
plete (helter is direftly calculated to pre-
vent ; as a branch never either fwells or
{hoots freely if it do not point into an
open fpace. In the growing feafon, every
tree becomes a traveller, in fearch of air
and light • and, therefore, they never tow-
er fo rapidly as when they have the moft
of both above them.
But there is another confideration,
which of itfelf ought completely to influ-
ence the choice of trees planted for Nur-
fes. The very name conveys the idea that
they are to be difplaced, at no diftant pe-
riod ; and, therefore, common fenfe feems
to didatc that, in every poflible cafe, they
[ 46 ]
fhiould be of fuch forts as are moft of all
^-ic^,-/- valuable at an early ftage of growth ; pro-
'^"^ /.^perties which are common to the Larch
V...^^..^nd Spruce Fir; and, therefore, they
?^ *tj fhcruld be preferred in that department,
wherever the foil and fituation proves
fui table.
Certainly when an oak planter (confif-
tently with the laft hint) makes ufe of
fuch Nurfes, he goes far to obviate any
pofTible rifk ; for fhould the oaks not
grow to expe6lation, it is highly probable
one or both of the others might anfwer,
or even exceed it ; and thus a crop of ex-
cellent timber would be fecured.
y
7cc^<^ ^^ J i^now only one objeftion that can be
fairly urged againft the general and libe-
ral ufe of Spruce Firs, as Nurfes and
^^.iy:i%iCM Principals, which is — their price. Hi-
therto they have been ufually confidered
as more ornamental than ufeful; and
[ 47 ]
hence, while the confumption has been %A^*^'^
fmallj the price in nurferies has been kept
rather high. — — It may feem a paradox,
but ftill it is a fa6l, that, as the demand
for any fpecies of foreft trees increafes,
the price decreafes, till it becomes very
moderate :— nor is the trade any lofer by
it ; as an increafed demand, frequently
aided by an improved mode of culture,
feldom fails to more than cover the dif-
ference,
Confidering what has been advanced, yy*-^ "^
in regard to the properties of the Spruce Z^'^*''^/
Fir, it is prefumed, that little doubt can be ^^^ Z^^*
entertained of the propriety of prefering /i^//fZ.^
it to the Scotch, on every foil and fitua- ^-^'^ -^^^
tion equally proper for both : a cafe very ^^ ^^
common, though by no means univerfal. ^^/t^
The leading exceptions, which I have ob-
ferved, are a black fandy and moorifh foil,
that naturally produces nothing but heath,
and very bleak expofures. On the for-
^*v\
[ 48 ]
i/^7t^r£ .rtitr they feldom vegetate more than ju ft
to keep them aUve ; in the hitter they
grow better, but too llowly to render it
defirable to plant them. As the firft fort
.^^"^ / of exception is, in a confiderable degree,
•;., /^T^^^applicable to the Larch, and the latter to
-^ '^-'- '-trees in general, it has long been an ob-
je6l of much folicitude with myfelf, to
find means to reduce them within the leaft
poIRble limits ; the refult of which will be
feen when we come to treat diftinftly of
the Methods of Planting and obtaining
Shelter.
^Mc^X',. . But prefuming that, after all which has
or can be done, in regard to the circum-
flances jufl mentioned, numerous and ex-
tenfive trafts will remain, upon which the
Scotch Firs ought to predominate, I fhall
next proceed to notice its properties.
Writers in general feem agreed, that
this tree is of the fame fpecies as that from
[ 49 J
'e^O^ which we have the foreign Red Deal ;— ^ <v^-^
■ "■'*' and, if fuch be the fad, httle ^ubt need "^^
be entertained of its latent good quahties ;
notwithftanding the difgrace under which
it labours ; — and as to the matter of affi-
nity, I fee no reafon to doubt it ; the or-
der in which the knots are placed, their
habihty to rot, and the teftimony of indi-
viduals who have vifited the countries
from which we import that article, all
feem to tend to eflablifh the point. Still
the one is ufually found of a much finer
grain, and much heavier and ftronger than
the other ; — which is clearly imputable to
its being grown in a colder atmofphere,
and, confequently, much flower than ours.
The real difference, however, is only in
appearance, when two old fubjefts hap-
pen to be contrafted ; as then the quef-
tion of weight and ftrength depends more
upon the part of the trees from which the
fpecimens are taken, than the country
from which they cooie.
[ ^0 ]
^^ dance of the article, upon almofl: every
^ ^^,^xlefcription of foils, which are nearly or
-^^i^, altogether unproduftive ; and if it be
clearly afcertained, that knottinefs and
want of denfity are the only defefts of the
article ; it muft likewife be true, that, dif-
Govering the means of preventing them,
becomes not only an individual but a na-
tional concern. It may be eafy, in fome
cafes, for an, author to dete£l error, but it
is indeed herculean labour to induce the
bulk of mankind to adopt its oppofite.
It has already been intimated, that the
knottinefs of fir timber, generally, would
eafily be prevented by a good method of
pruning ; — (for proof of which, the rea-
der is referred to The Forejh Fruner\) —
and, therefore, it remains only to be con-
fidered, how far the want of denfity is
curable by any means fliort of age ; for
that is evidently its moil natural one.
[ 51 ]
Probably we may here gather a ufeful*^^'"^^-^
hint, from what is faid to be the praftice
in Ruflia and Sweden, namely, the dif-
barking of the flems of the firs, to the
length of two or three feet, at lead a year
before they are intended to be taken
down ; which difbarking and falhng is ' ^' '^'^
|y_ done only in winter ; a pra6lice which ^^y^^ ^
^ could not have generally prevailed, oxx jT/^
A
t/^^t^^
^J^^ " If we could (how 'clearly in which way
/^^ any grounds fhort of admitted utility. ^^ ^ ,
;yj^^ >~ /fuch method operated, a very important' " ^
^eUy ■ point would be gained ; but as that {"eems^'e^ «-
^;^^^ _ impoffible, I fhall difmifs it with juft ob- .^y^]
ferving, that if it could be found that, a,^
under fuch operation, the laft efforts of ^ ^ '
lingering life would be fpent in expelling
the watery matter, or in expending it to ^"^
fupport the foliage, and fubftituting rofin
in its place, we fliould then have fufficient
data on which to found a fyftera for the
[ '52 ]
i«*^^.^< improvement of every fpecies of young
fir timber,
^..Z^r^ We certainly, fhall foon have a large
y^^'-^^upiply u^f this defcription ; and, therefore,
''■''"-The fludy of its improvement and proper-
ties becomes matter of more than common
intereft. Experiments, to elucidate this
important point, fhould be made, again
and again, by perfons who have means and
leifure, on free-growing trees of different
ages. — From what I have obferved, of the
fuperior quality of the wood of young ones^
which have been, for fome time, flinted
in growth, (in confequence of fudden ex-.
pofure, or being overhung by others,) I
have great reafon to fufpeft, that cutting
off nearly the whole of the branches, two
years before the period of taking down,
would go far to elfeft the needed improve-
ment ; as, after the operation, they would
grow very flowly. — Obferve, this being an
extreme cafe, the branches fhould be taken
[ 53 ]
off not lefs than fix inches from the ftem, -^ '^^^"^
to prevent bleeding.
It may here be obferved, as a general
remark, that though building timber is
ufually cut from large fir wood, (fuch be-
ing nearly as cheap as the fmall,j flill but
little of it is ufed in large fcantlings ; and,
therefore, it is evident, that by much the
greater part of a modern building may be
done with fmall ones ; and hence native
produce might be liberally made ufe of in
them, at a much earlier period than is ge-
nerally imagined. Great flrength can
be required only in a few cafes, eafily pro-
vided for ; Durability becomes eflential in
all : and, therefore, we may flate it as a
queftion, well worthy of general difcuf-
fion; — Under what circumftances may the
durability of Britifh-grown Fir Timber
be fafely depended upon ?
[ .54 1
' ^^>^'iA;, I need not dwell long on the facility
with which the Scotch Fir accommodates
itfelf to almofl every defcription of foil
and fituation. — It may, indeed, be called
" The Planter's Forlorn Hope;" as where
it fails, the cafe is truly defperate. For
inflance : — it is planted with fuccefs, on
the moft barren commons, where no other
tree or plant (the Heath excepted) will
grow. On fcites which are elevated, and
expofed to particular currents of wind, it
often proves the only tree that can be got
tip, except fo tar as others may rife under
its fhelter. In the fea breeze too, it is
frequentlv obferved that, while every plant
cA^^^t^ around it bends from the blaft, as if feek^
'**.* *^ ing protedion, this holds its head ere6i,
'^ and bids defiance to the noxious gale.
It is not faid, however, that, in any of
thefe cafes, the trees grow uniformly as
quick as under more favourable circum-
ftances : flill it is truly wonderful to ob-
[ 55 ]
ferve the quicknefs of their progrefs, after ' ^'^^^/^
they have got fufficiently eftabhfhed in
the ground, and are large enough to fhel-
ter each other. — Why they do fo on a y^^^^
barren heathy foil, it is not eafy to con- '*^'^^'''~^
ceive ; all we know with certainty is, that
this tree will not only live but thrive, where
moft others would do neither.
In the cafe of expofures, where the
foil is tolerable, the reafons for fuch thriv-
ing are fomewhat obvious. The plant is not
only extremely hardy, by nature, but its
(hoot and leaf (fpine) are lliff ; and hence
neither can be much fubje6l to damage
from violent winds ; — ftill, in fuch cafes,
it never grows rapidly till each plant, by
contributing a part to the general flock of
fhelter, refifts the winds and improves the
atmofphere ; and hence their accelerated
growth. It is admitted, that fuch fhel-
ter could not be lafting ; but it would af-
ford the means of rearing a durable one.
[ 56 ]
^^*^;^^ confifting of every thing proper for the
^' purpofe. And thus, by the ufe of this de-
graded plant, we fee the eafy means of
doing what would be otherwife impofli-
ble, namely, rearing a Crop of Timber,
of any defcription proper for the foil, in
elevations which, naturally, would grow
fuch trees no better than bufhes. The va-
lue of fuch fhelters, as they affeft the fur-
rounding lands, will be attended to under
a feparate head.
Clear ideas of what will grow and
thrive upon the fituations juft mentioned,
are effentially neceflary to almoft every
one who plants upon a large fcale ; and,
therefore, an author, who can diftinguifli
between truth and error, would ill dif-
charge his duty if he did not, to the ut-
moft of his power, enforce the one and
oppofe the other. In a modern book
on planting, now in many hands, we have
the following, ** The native Pine (Scotch
[ ^7 ]
«' Fir) has long been planted as a nurfe, •-^^^^^
" but the praftice is now much relinquifh- ^ *a»<^
*•' ed. Nor is it founded in reafon ; fincex^^"' ^'
*' there is no foil or fituation in which
" the Larch and Mountain Afh will not
*' far furpafs it in growth^ while young."
Obferve the latitude of the paffage, —
" No foil or fituation;' &c. — Still I will
venture to affirm, that whoever fhould ^yf^-/^^
plant any of the heathy parts of the chain '^^f^
of hills which feparates Yorkfliire from
Lancafhire, Chefhire, and Derbyfhire, in
the manner implied as above, would find,
to his coft, that this '' PraBical Planter'"
liad reckoned without his hofl ; as neither
his nurfes nor his nurfings would grow,
except fo far as the Larch might happen
to penetrate into the under ftratum (a fort
of reddifh fand, full of loofe ftones ;) where,
if the fituation were not much expofed,
it might make tolerable progrefs ; but cer-
tainly not otherwife.
H
[ oi J
^ A^^« • What I have juft advanced flands upoit
very different grounds from either mere
theory, or flight, or recent pradice; for
/-^ I have been annually employed in plant-
^^,. ing upon the faid hills for, at lead, fixteen
years ; during which, no infl;ance has oc-
curred of the Larch doing more upon the
heathy foil than jufl; growing enough to
keep alive, till it penetrated the under ftra^
tum. And though experiments have been
repeatedly made, by planting the oak, afli,
fycamore, and birch, (mofl: of which pro-
-r^ ^^ duced a few leaves the firfl: feafon,) the
^ ^ tr^ plants have all died ; except a few (probably
not more than one in a hundred) of the
latter ; and their progrefs has been very
But, again : — It will fcarcely be doubt-
ed, but a great proportion of the heathy
foils in the country are fimilar, both in
appearance and compofition, to the fore-
going ; and, therefore, we may conclude.
[ 59 ]
ihat, fo long as like caufes produce the
fame efFefts, they alone will not produce
deciduous trees : — indeed, the heathy foils
about Woburn ftrongly confirm the fa61 ;
for there great quantities of fuch trees, of
almoft every defcription, had been planted,
(the Mountain Afh included,) previous to
my engagement ; of which, none have
grown except fo far as they have pene-
trated into the under flratum, where the
heathy foil happened to be thin ; and, a-
mong them, the Larch has fucceeded beft.
Many of thefe, however, have remained
completely covered with mofs, and nearly
ftationary, for many years; yet moft of
them have, at length, recovered gradually ;
which could only happen in confequence
of their roots getting into the under flra-
tum : — for fuch as were planted in pits, or
broken ground, grew well from the firft.
But enough of heathy foils ; — let us
fee if, haply, our author has been more
[ 60 ]
-7
t^^^^^/v correft in regard to expofcd and elevated
9^ >*^ fcites ; where, of courfe, the mojl perJeEi
yj^"/i^ Jhelter is abfolutely necelTary.
Here we may afk any one accuflomed
to obfervations on fuch fubjefts, if he
ever remarked the Larch to be as httle
affefted by the winds as the Scotch Fir,
on fuch fituations ? — And again, Do not
deciduous trees conftantly extend their
branches horizontally, fo as readily to in-
termix with each other? — but they can-
not do fo with the Firs ; as there is little
of either light or air in their interior ; and,
therefore, when mixed with them, fuch
can only {hoot freely upwards. Befides,
the Larch, for feveral feet from its top
downwards, has a very light fpiral head;
of courfe, there its fhelter bears no com-
parifon to the Scotch Fir, at any feafon.
The abfurdity of planting the Moun-
tain Afh, as a fhelter, will be evident, by
[ 61 ]
.^.
^oniidering, that if it grow fail: it produ- *">^»t^^<
ces but very few branches ; and if it grow "^ "'-.'^y
flowly, fo as to produce more, it will be ^,^ ^^
too low to afford proteftion. At beft four
of this plant would not fhelter near fo
much as one Scotch Fir ; and, what is
worfe, four of the former would coft more
than eight of the latter ; and, after all this
extra expence, we fliould neither have a
tolerable fhelter, nor (if our author is to
be credited,) a timber tree of value. He
fays, in defcribing its properties, '^ As a
'•' timber tree, however, it is of little ufe ;
*•' being only valued by the wheel-wrights,
• •' to which they prefer Birch and Beech."
Prefuming that the ufeful inferences
from the foregoing cannot efcape the at-
tentive reader, I fliall clofe my obferva-
tions on the properties of the Scotch Fir
with remarking, that heathy foils and ele-
vated fituations compofe, jointly, at leaft
jialf the land likely to be planted for pro-
[ 62 ]
(f^^^iC^
rf^^fit in this country; and, therefore, confi-
'^^!:;:7 deringthat, in addition to its other proper-
'^^'**^f;f7ties, it is the only plant which will thrive
^ J^^ the one, and the beft primary fhelter
.yf _i^on the other, it mufl: always be regarded
/7 / as one of mod cxtenfive ufeftdnefs*.
-lA.c^ ^^t^ # 'pjjg following is a ftriking, though by no means
^a^^vi^ ^ a folitary, inflance of prejudice, in regard to Scotch
t-fjayft^p**- «Fir Timber.
A gentleman, who had a quantity of large tree?
on fale, brought me a fample ; obferving, that " it
" fetched only a very low price." As the timber feemed
in every refpecl good, except being fomewhat knotty,
in confequence of having been grown in the manner
noticed at p. 28, it feemed evident to me, that nei-
ther the fellers nor buyers had more than very inade-
quate ideas of its value. In order to try this point,
in regard to the former, I had a converfation with the
perfon employed to fell it, in company with the owner,
on the properties of the Fir wood produced on that
eftate : when he exprcffed his decided opinion, that
*' the Scotch Fir wood was very indifferent in quality.'*
However, on producing the above-mentioned fample,
he (not knowing where it had been grown) declared it
to poffefs •' all the natural properties of Capital Tim-
[ 63 ]
It would be thought fomewhat foreign
to the prefent fubjeft to enlarge on the
properties of the other firs, commonlv
cultivated as plants which are more orna-
mental than ufeful ; fuch as the Americam-'^'^^^e ^
Spruce, Silver Fir, Weymouth Pine,V^''^"^
Pineafter, &c. as all of them are dear, a ^
— — ' \ jt,iJ^ •
fome tender, and others apt to fail on be- ^
ing removed ; — ftill, as they are highly
ornamental in proper fituations, and as
every plant which is fo adds fomething to
the real or marketable value of a place,
they clearly belong to the fubjeft, and
will continue to do fo, as long as tafte and
nature (hall equally contribute to the
" ber ; and that he had great doubts if any foil in this
" country would produce its equal." This was the
more remarkable, as he was then in the daily habit of
fuperintending the fawyers, who were cutting up trees
of the fame age, and grown on the fame fpot of ground ;
many of which, being fmaller in fcantling, were, of
courfe, finer in grain, and more denfe than the fample
produced.
. Z-v^ /^-^ /^Ic- /^ ^^;.y^^^ ^
[ 64 ]
'> /• 9
^_:^ formation of ornamental gardens. Of the
^t^i<f - properties of their timber, however, I
have httle to remark, except that, in eve-
ry cafe, its denfity feems to increafe with
age ; and if, as we have abundant reafon
to beheve, the durabihty of fir wood de-
pends principally upon the refinous mat-
ter found in it, there is no doubt but all
of them mi^ht be ufed for numerous build-
ing purpofes, after having attained a rea-
fonable age.
-.£?/ In a book profeffmg to developc the
^*^^«>/y principles of profitable planting, there
*ei^A^c. (-ggj^^ much propriety in particularly no-
^ /^'ticing fuch trees as are in themfelvcs high-
ly valuable, but which, from different
caufes, are either not generally known, or
not in merited reputation. The fpecies
now alluded to are — the Witch Elm, the
Huntingdon Willow, the Upland Willow,
the Black Italian Poplar, and the Hoary
Leaved Poplar or Abele,
N
[ 65 ]
Firft, The Witch or Scotch Elm — This ^^'''^^
tree is well known in fome parts of the '^"' ' "
country, where it grows fpontaneoufly ;
though but little in others, where it does
not; — as planters- have generally confider-
ed it either as an inferior article, or as one
likely to do mifchief in plantations, from
its quick and draggling manner of growth :
nor do they feem to have at all confider-
ed, that if not the firft in point of hardi-
hood, it certainly is one of the fecond ; -'y-f-^'/'
and the fame may be faid in regard to the /
variety of the foils in which it grows \^^^
freely.
The weftern part of the weft-riding of
Yorkfhire is rather proverbial, for the
coldnefs of its atmofphere, while much
of its foil is retentive and thin, upon a
clay bottom. On thefe, where the ap-
pearance of moft other trees proclaims
the want of proper accommodation, the
lengthened {hoots and increaftng trunks
[ 66 ]
> -r/f./,, Qf |.]^is evidently evince the contrary.—
Certainly on every fituation and foil, not
peculiarly bleak or fleril, it is a quick
grower ; while it would appear, that its
'"'^^x timber is quite as good, if not better, than
the other fpecies of Elms ; and, there-
fore, one would fuppofe it merited gene-
ral attention.
'jk^ ; It has happened, however, that, in ad-
'^^^^•'-dition to the awkward mode of growth
already noticed, there is a very prevalent
miflake concerning it, which requires to be
obviated. — In the quarters where it is bed
known, the carpenters efteem it highly,
but generally call it, the English Elm;
vrhile, in the nurferies, a very different
article goes by that name ; and hence,
where the former is intended, the latter is
commonly procured at a much fupcrior
price ; and no wonder, as they are either
raifed from layers, (a very tedious pro-
cefs,) or are grafted on the Witch Elm ;
/ 2* '*-
[ 67 ]
which method is certainly preferable, as ^'^'^
far as regards the purchafer ; for fuch
not only grow abundantly fafter than the
others, in equal foils, but never throw ^'';*^' *'^^
out fuckers ; as the Witch Elm produces' J^^]^^'"
none.
The objeftion already dated, to plant- ,%,J','} ^
ing this tree in mixed plantations, de-yi/*^^/^
ferves attention, as there are few fitua- ^" '^ ,
lions where it would not overtop, and /
confequently damage many other forts ;
of courfe, as a principal, it had beft be
planted alone. Yet fuch plantations would
be much improved, by introducing a
quantity of Spruce and Scotch Firs, with
the Birch, by way of nurfes ; as all the
four forts would do well together on a'
fliff and fomewhat thin foil, where many
others would not. — The flielter would ve-
ry much correft the propenfity of the
Elms to produce ftraggling branches, as
well as promote their towering; befides
[ 68 ]
taking off the appearance of naked flems,
and a fquare heavy furface; while the
pruning necefFary would be very trifling
indeed.
In recommending this plant for an in-
different foil, it is not to be inferred that
it is improper for almoft every defcrip-
tion of good ones ; as perhaps few trees
would fo well deferve fuch fituations, in
the vicinity of places where it may be
wanted for the purpofes of the boat buil-
der, cartwright. Sec,
{^^^ 27i<? Huntingdon or Swallow-Tail Wil-
" lozo. — This plant, though well known as a
pollard, has been very little cultivated as a
timber tree ; and hence furnifhes a flriking
inflance of the fupinenefs of mankind, in
regard to the properties of many forts of
wood. Every one knows the willows are
quick growers ; and yet it is confidered
as a fort of herefy to fufpeQ that the wood
[ 69 ]
of any of them can be at all durable. — Mc.ri^
There is befide an obje6lion to this wil- *'l^^*^*^
low, inafmuch as it ufually divides itfelf
into a number of large arms, before it ac-
quires any tolerable length of flem : — this
defeft, however, is to be imputed entirely
to ignorance or inattention ; as few trees
require fo little management to be made
grow with a long, clean, and ftraight
trunk.
As a pollard, this willow is, in many
places, found confiderably profitable ; ftill
I do not recolleft to have feen a rood of
it growing as timber any where, though
no doubt can be entertained of its obtain-
ing purchafers ; as, with extenfive ufefuL
nefs, it is alfo confiderably durable; a
property which it appears may be much
augmented, by fleeping fome months in
water, as is frequently done with oak fap-
lings ; an excellent pra6lice, and worthy
of imitation every where.
[ 70 ]
^»^/C<y>J«- If the queftion were afked, in whicli
/Ui t^o. ^^^ J thought a quantity of good, deep,
and fomewhat moifl land, in a fituation not
expofed, nor polTefhng any local advanta-
ges, could be turned to the grcateft pro-
fit? I fhould fay, — by planting it with
fome or all of the following articles, name-
vAc-^c ly, the Huntingdon Willow, the Abele,
^,r,VA^7^i"and the Black Italian Poplar; as all of
"^'them fucceed belt in that fort of Soil, arc
remarkably quick growers, and would
(except in the firft inftance,) require only
the fame fort of management.
it^iM^* V^' The advantage of a deep foil over fuch
^^^^-^ ' as are (hallow, fo far as regards the pro-
du61:ion of timber, are confiderable, and
well worth the planter's attention ; though
it may fairly be quefiioned, if more than
a foot in depth effentially benefits the ge-
neral purpofes of agriculture: — For, firft,
trees generally penetrate into or make ufe
of the loJiole depth; and, therefore, thouglt
[ 71 ]
the foil nearefl the furface is commonly *- ^^^^r.*J
found moO: fertile in timber produce, and^^ ^
it is admitted that the fame fort of fertility ^"^
which influences the growth of grain and
grafs materially affefts the growth of trees,
— yet it is obvious the latter will thrive in
foils where the former would not; — and,
therefore, the quantity or depth of foils is
always an important confideration ; and
more cfpecially fo where proper fpecies
of trees are felefted to fuit them; as it is
difficult to defcribe any that are fo com-
pletely fteril as to be incapable of produ-
cing one or more forts of ufeful timber.
Another confideration is, — on deep
foils the trees cannot fail to vegetate fome-
what regularly, through the whole of their
proper growing feafon; being but little
affefted by the droughts, which often very
materially retard the growth of fuch as
are planted on thin ones. — The reafons
are obvious : — Roots that are near the fur-
'i^'-Ct « —
[ 72 ]
^''''^''''V'^'face, in a parched foil, cannot extend them-
^ - ^ ' '^ felves in fearch of the neceffary food of the
plant, otherwife than very flowly ; and
hence its increafe is retarded in propor-
tion.— But how different is the cafe of fuch
as have part of their roots lower than any
confiderable degree of drought can pene-
trate; as, at fuch feafons, the lower foil,
being afted upon by the warmth and
drought fo detrimental in the other cafe,
are heji quahfied to afFift in the bufinefs of
vegetation; and, therefore, the roots in
them not only materially contribute to
fupport the head of the plant, but to en-
able the others to perform their proper
fun6^ions. A healthy tree has a general
circulation through every part of it; fo
that if one has what may be called ne-
celfaries, the others are never found in
want. Befides all which, the furface of
deep foils cannot be afFefted by ordinary
droughts, to any confiderable depth; — as
the heat and drought ailing upon them
[ 73 ]
occafion their imbibino: a confiderable «^ ^<*<>i*^>-'
quantity of moifture from below. In (hort, ^ '*«^^
it is among the advantages attached to plant- "^'^ '
ing trees, that, in numerous inflances,
they convert the useless into useful:
They are, in fa6l, a fort of miners, who
can find gold, where every other defcrip-
tion of miners would feek for it in vain.
Two circumftances jointly hold out ^ ,/
peculiar inducements to plant thefe trees i^ ^^'r
in fuch places, as they not only foon grow y^^^/,, /^
ftrong enough to be in no danger of da- -^^^^^
mage from cattle; but they grow fo ex- /.r^^l* A*.
ceedingly tall, that the land may foon be ^^^ /^^,
returned into pafturage, and become no <^<^?^- -^
lefs produ6live in grafs than before, while '^^■^^^^'^■^
there is an aftonifliing annual increafe in
the produce of timber. — Moft people mufl
have obferved, how freely the grafs grows
under the willow pollards, which have
Jhortjiems and fpreading heads, though not
more than ten or twelve feet afunder ; and,
K
[ 7i ]
^*^^V*^tlierefore, no doubt need be entertained
jI^J in regard to the herbage, if the trees had
Hems of four or five times that length, and
vt^t. -^'^^..ftood fifteen or eighteen feet from each
i^ xf»^A^ Other. — Indeed, taking into account the
j^i^ manure, (or, at leaft, the rich vegetable
^^**/._:) matter, furnifhed by the decompofition of
fallen leaves,) it feems highly probable
ihat land, fo cropped, would produce
more paflurage than another part of the
fame field, employed for that purpofe
only.
|_ Here two methods, of preparing the
.^ ;3^ foil for fuch a purpofe, prefent themfelves :
^"^' - The firft is trenching the ground about
^ ^ / ciirhteen inches, or, what is called, two
^ fpits deep ; laying the fward reverfed in
the bottom of the trenches. — This method
would certainly very much accelerate the
growth of the trees, but then the ex pence
of it would be from feven to nine pounds
per acre ; and that is not the oi-Jy objec-
[ 75 ]
tlon ; for, as the ground would be turned '^^«/ ^/
up lower than the common fertile depth, it ^^''^^ ^
would be found only in few cafes in a ^ ^
conditipn to bring a crop of grain the ^ y^^-^
firft year, with the plants ; a matter well
calculated to reduce the expence of plant-
ing, &c.
For this reafon, I fhould recommend
that land, previoufly in grafs and intended
for fuch purpofes, Ihould be fown with oats
the year preceding ; and, in order to
the fwards being as much rotted as polTi-
ble, the ploughing for that crop (liould
be done early in winter. In the autumn
following, on the ground being cleared
3nd fufficiently moift, it ftiould be plough-
ed at leafl twice; as deep as the plough
could polTibly reach, and harrowed after
each operation ; fo that it would be fuffi-
ciently broken to receive the plants, with
a crop of oats, the following fpring. The
latter, however, fhould, in the firfl place.
''<£t€€<Aj be fown and harrowed in ; after which,
^ • the planting (hould immediately follow;
r'-^3^^ as, in tkat cafe, it might be done on foils
/^A^jk.)fo prepared, without materially injuring
*. t^ ■ the grain ; for, with refpeft to the wil.
lows, a niche, made with the fpade, would
be fuflficient to let in the fet ; — and, as to
the Abeles and Poplars, tjiey fhould be of
only one year's growth t and, therefore,
might be planted, without moving much
of the foil.
The bed willow fets, for fuch purpo-
fes, are made from flioots of two years-
growth, of not lefs than about three quar-
ters, nor more than one and a half inch
diameter. The length may be from ten
to twelve inches ; of which, not more than
two are to be left out of the ground. —
Thefe fets fhould have their tops a little
Hoping, but the bottoms are better cut
fomewhat fquare. The diflance be-
tween each plant fhould be four feet. ^
[ 77 ]
The only further attention necefTary, / '^
during the fummer, would be to go over ^ y
the willows, as foon as they had formed ^-^ ^.
(hoots from three to fix inches long, and^.^^
to flip off all, except the ftrongeft, from****^** *^
each fet; after which, neither they nor
the poplars would require further dref-
fing, till both had grown two fummers,
from being planted ; and then they would
properly come under the general fyftem
recommended for the management of
of plantations in The Forejl Primer.
The fence for fuch a purpofe, being
only a temporary matter, might be cheap-
ly made by fmking a ditch about half a
yard, and raifing a bank, about fifteen
inches more. A hedge, or bearding, on
the top of it, about a foot high, and
placed rather projefting outwards, would
complete the bufinefs. This (hould fland
[ 78 ]
**^ / /9 ^^^ ^^ eight years, and be then difplaced,
'''f^fo as to leave the field level as before*. J
/ ^^ * Fully aware that the fucccfs of planting fpecula-
tions mtift be influenced by many varying circumflances,
I feldom venture upon calculations; ftill, by reafoning
from the rapid growth of the forts of trees under no-
tice, upon every foil that is proper, we find a fort ok
criterion by which to form an average eflimate of what
may be the profit of them; before and after the firft
feven years from planting. — It would feem a moderate
eftimate to fuppofe that two crops of grain, from good
land, previoufly old fward, would defray the rent and
taxes for the two firft years, and, alfo, the expence of
planting and fencing; but were it to prove a few
Pounds fhort tliat would not materially affe6l the ulti-
mate refult. Suppofe then the rent and taxes to be
Three Pounds Ten Shillings annually, that, with com-
pound intereft, would in fevan years amount to about
Twenty-eight Pounds Ten Shillings. — To this we op-
pofe the fuppofition that the plantation incrcafes in
value, Five Pounds the firft year ; and to increafe more
by Thirty Shillings the next, and fo on for fix years;
at the end of feven the acre would be worth Sixty-feven
Pounds Ten Shillings, a profit of about Thirty-nine
PoundsK
^ - ^' - ^ . •
> »-v
^ -^<^ - * .^ . ,^ . . % . vs\ Nv^i
. ^^^, — a.
The Upland orJM, ttoigged Willow. — • -^
Why this tree has obtained the appellation ^^■^■^<-^^
of Upland is by no means clear, but pro-
bably it has beten fuppofed to grow better
than the other Willows in fuch fituations ;
which feems not to be the fa6i:, as the
Huntingdon Willow grows very rapidly on
Obfervc, it is not faid the trees vv'ould then be worth
fo much to fell, as that is by no means the proper
mode ot valuing a thriving plantation ; the right method
is to have a regard to what may be their probable fu-
ture increafed value; and by that means to eftimate
their prefent one; as, for inftance, a quick growing
tree, now only worth Six-pence to fell, may eafily be
worth Eighteen-pence in four years more ; and hence
there could be no impropriety in valuing it now at Nine-
pence, or one third more than its prefent faleable worth.
About the age ot feven years the thinning fhould *'^ ^^^
commence; and, therefore, an annual produce might /^*^*<»«^»*
be had from that time forward; but as no data exifls, « ^'^--^
by which to eftimate its value, the fafer method is to
calculate upon an increafing annual produce for at leaft
ten years longer; during all which time, as well as
afterwards, no doubt need be entertained of an annual
[ 80 ]
/^*«^ a dry foil, of moderate,depth. — However
-w^^**^. as neither of them flourifli fo abundantly,
there, as on moift ones, they are never Hke-
ly to be cultivated extcnfively, except up-
on the latter. Probably, in different parts
of the country, the two fpecies may be
known by names very different from the
above, but dill it is evident they are every
where efteemed in preference to the others,
as we very rarely find a Willow Pollard of
anv other fort. — In fummer they may ea-
produce of Twenty Pounds per acre, befides the value
o[ the herbage, from the time of the fence being dif-
placed.
Evelyn, fpeaking of the Abele, fays " the Dutch
*' look upon a plantation of thefe trees as an ample
•' portion for a daughter, and none of the leaft efFe£ls
*' of their good hulbandry." — We know that this ex-
cellent hint was addrelTed more than one hundred and
forty years ago to thoufands who had the means of be-
nefiting by it, and yet, how lamentable! — we are yet
to learn where is the fingle acre tliat was planted in
confcquence!! !.
[ *73 ]
illy be diftinguifhed at a very confiderablc
diflance, as the Huntingdon appears of a
light green, while thofe of the other^
though darker in faft, appear of a hoary
or filver-like hue ; in confequence of be-
ing covered with a fort of down. — In
winter we diftinguifli them by the fhoots
of the former being brown, and fome-
what brittle, efpecially thofe from two to
four years' growth; while thofe of the
other are of a dark red, and very tough.
Their manner of growth and (hape of the
leaves are much the fame ; nor does there
appear any material difference in the tim-
ber or quality of their wood ; — ftill, in
almoft every inftance, the Huntingdon
appears to be the quickeft grower ; and,
therefore, where it can be procured, moft
worthy of attention*. — The plate of the
* It would have been particularly gratifying to have
been able to produce fome decifive proof of the durabi-
lity of thcfe forts of Willows; but as I can ftate nothing
pofitive from my own knowledge, it muft mffice to
/ ' ""■'- ■
[ *74 3
/^^^ Willow in Hunter's Evelyn's Silva, gives
//a^^*^^. ^ ^gj.y correft idea of this fpecies.
Undoubtedly thefe Willows are both
calculated for extenfive ufefulnefs, as Tim-
ber, but unfortunately, for want of a good
method of training them as trees, in the
firft inftance, and, in confequence of very
limited and vague ideas of their proper-
ties, they remain, as from time immemo-
rial, claffed among the woods of loweft
value.
The Black Italian Poplar. — As this
fpecies is not mentioned in either Evelyn
or Millar, it feems to have been introdu-
ced into the country fmce the latter work.
An opinion which, I think, is confirmed
by the circumftance, that no old trees of
remark that every thing I have gathered from either
the obfervations of myfelf or others, goes to eflablifli
the faft; while not one c'rcumllance has appeared (pre-
judice excepted) to difcredit it.
[ *75 ]
it are to be found any where ; and, though ^Ur-k.
it is now common in the northern part ^^^^
of England, we very rarely find it in the "^^
fouth; while the Lombardy rears its un-
graceful form every where.
Unfortunately, moft perfons take their
ideas of the Poplar tribe from the appear-
ance of this plant only; — an impreffion
fo far unfavourable, that, with many, the
whole fpecies are in difgrace. — But though
expedations (which were much too fan-
guine,) have been, in a meafure, difap-
pointed, in regard to the Lombardy Pop-
lar, it by no means follows that fuch will
be the cafe with the Black Italian: — in-
deed, matter of faft proves, that, as the
one finks, the other rifes in the fcale of
efl:imation, fo far as they are known : —
and hence, with myfelf, it is matter of
doubt, whether the very extraordinary en-
comiums which ufed to be lavifhed on the
former, at its introdu6tion, were not, iu
*r ,
[ *76 ]
^iL^
faft, founded upon the merits of the lat-
It is quite as hkely that the Poplars
of Italy, in general, (hould have been ob-
ferved, as thofe of Lombardy in particu-
lar ; and it is far from clear that both are
not grown in every part of the country ;
and, therefore, a very trifling miftake
might lead to the confequence now allu-
ded to. We know that the merits of
the one are abundantly fuperior to that of
the other ; but why the latter fhould have
been introduced by fo many encomiums^
and the other none, is difficult to conceive,
except by fuppofmg, that, fomehow or
other, they have exchanged both names
and reputations.
The Black Italian is very different from
the Lombardy in form, as it almoft uni-
formly rifes with a light but regular conic
head ; being fo hardy as generally to pre-
[ *77 ]
ferve the fame leader, from the ground to '^^^f^^^J--
an immenfe height; in confequence, its
ftem is remarkably ftraight ; and hence,
in plantations, very trifling attention will
form it clean^ to any reafonably required
height.
This tree is an aftonifhingly quick
grower, on every fort of foil that may be
called tolerable, though it certainly luxu-
riates moft of all in deep fertile ones ; while
its timber is applicable to purpofes fuER-
ciently numerous ; among which is thai of
making very good floors ; and. therefore,
no doubt need be entertained of its al-
ways commanding purchafers.
In that fort of planting which perhaps
may be confidered as moft of all profitable,
namely, that which adds to the comfort
and confequence, and, of courfe, the value
of a place, previoufly fcantily furnifhed
with that important appendage — Wood,
[ *78 ]
.i^//v^^ this tree is excellent ; as, injudicious hands,
f :^X»^ it may be made to produce very confider-
• "^ able efFe6ls, while many others (highly
efleemed) would produce them in profpe6l
only. In fhort, for diftant fcenery,
where Woo d, not fpecies, is the immediate
objed, this plant, hitherto in many places
a ftranger, is clearly fuperior to all the
family of the foreft*.
* As the Lombardy Poplar is well known from its
peculiar ercft manner of growth, it affords the eafy
means of defcribing the Black Italian by comparifon. —
The leaves of both are very much alike in colour,
fhape, and turn, the only difference being in the latter
producing them fomewhat larger than the former,
though not near fo large as the other Poplars, whofe
leaves are at all fimilar. The branches of the latter
grow much lefs ere6l, and, likewife, much thinner up-
on the ftem. — The only other diftmftion neceflary is
the bark, which on a flera or branch, of from two to
four or five years' growth, is always found fmoother,
and of a much darker colour than any of the poplars
that are at all like it in other refpefts.
[ *79 ]
The Abele or Hoary Leaved Poplar,—- t.-^i-/-
In bringing this article under notice I can-
not help remarking on the utility of an
-Author introducing famples, in preference
to mere defer iptions of valuable woods,
hitherto but little known and lefs under-
ftood, as is the cafe with the prefent fub-
jeft; certainly it was fomething like this
that firft convinced me of its extraordinary
worth ; as, though in common with other
people, I have been in the habit of read-
ing defcriptions of the Abele, it was not
till a late vifit to my honoured patron
Lord Sheffield, at Sheffield-Place, Suffex,
that I had any clear ideas of its being
any other than a white, and, alfo, a light
As, in my profeflional excurfions, fouthwards, I
have been generally difappointed of meeting with the
article at the nurferies, and have frequently had other
forts fubftituted in its place, there can be no impro-
priety in faying here, that, whoever finds a difBculty
in procuring it, may be furnifhed with the true fort, of
any ufetul fize, by addreffing a line to the author.
[ *80 J
^/^^^ wood, of extremely quick growth, and ra-
ther inferior than fuperior to the general
fample of poplars.
That Nobleman, who upon every pro-
per occafion manifefts a decided parti-
ality for national produce, has lately made
fome Floors of this Wood, which, in
appearance, are fuperior to any floor I
have feen, whether of Deal or Oak;
and, as to durability, I fee no reafon to
doubt of that, if the denfity and weight
of the article be confidered, in connec-
tion with fuch teflimonies as books af-
ford relative to the point.— Floors, how-
ever, are only one of the many inferior
purpofes for which it is applicable; as it is
certainly proper for almoft every article
of furniture ufually made of mahogany.
For the lighter defcriptions of it, now fo
fafliionable, it may be made a very good
fubftitute, without any other addition to the
natural colour of its heart than the means
[ 81 ]
cabinet makers generally refort to, in or- ,.^^e€^y
der to heighten the colour of fuch wood;
and with refpeft to the fap, and where
more of colour is required, the aqua-fortis
{lain will inflantaneoufly produce it, fo far
as that it would be difficult to diftinguifh
it from real Mahogany. — Indeed, it is e-
qual to the bed, in colour and fmoothnefs
of furface ; and much fuperior to the plain
or inferior forts in thofe refpe6ls, as well
as tranfparency and variety; and it has
the further advantage over Mahogany, and
mod other woods, that it takes but little
of either oil or rubbing, to produce upon
it the fort of ftiellow (hining furface, fo
much admired in furniture that has been
fome years fubje6led to proper attention*.
* It is evident, that notwithftanding all which has
been faid by authors, (and certainly they have been
by no means fparing of their encomiums on the timber
ot the Abele,) fomething more is neceffary to induce ^
men to either plant it liberally, or take proper care of t^»«^
what they have growing. — It' the improved faraples,
L
[ 82 ]
Planting on Steeps.— As thefe are fitu-
ations confefledly unpropitious to the
cultivators of the foil, they naturally fall
Under the cognizance of planters. — But,
though mofl: of thefe can eafily fee the
propriety of planting them, few are ap-
produced with this treatife, added to the circumftance
of the plainer forts ot mahogany being now worth
Sixteen Shillings the folid foot, produce no benefi-
cial efFefts, I fliall fay that prejudice has indeed ufurp-
cd the place of common fenfe.
Lord Sheffield, who kindly furnifhed mc with the
wood for famples, has feveral extremely large and tall
trees of this fpecics, moft of which have been planted
rather for ornament than ufe, being in the avenues. —
They are fomewhat brittle, and, therefore, liable to be
broken by the winds on cxpofures; fome of his Lord-
fllip's have fuRered in this way; ahei which they very
much refcmble the trees fo much admired in the pic-
tures of Salvator Rofa ; who moll probably took a hint
from their piflLirefque appt-aiance. Nor has Homer
done them lefs honour, as the following dclcription
evidently alludes to this fpecies only, the appearance
of all the other forts being very different:
[ S3 ]
prized how peculiarly they are adapted •^^^•*^^
to the purpofe; or that there are five
rrefpefis in which they are clearly fuperi-
or to kvels.
So falls a Poplar, that, in watery ground,
Rais'd high its head, xoithfately branches crowri'd^
(Fell'd by feme artift with his (hining Ocel,
To fhape the circle of the bending wheel,)
Cut down it lies, tall,fmootk, and largely fpready
With all its beauteous honours on its head.
Pope.
From this we gather, that the wood was then in ufe fof
making wheels, (perhaps, water wheels; and, if fo, it
furnilhes a proof uf its durdbihty in muifture: — but if
not, it fhows the high opinion then entertained, ot the
iUength and toughnefs ot its timber.)
There is a variety of this poplar, which the planter,
who wiflies for quick growth, will do well to keep clear
of. — Its leaves are rather lefs, with a furface fomewhat
more fhining, and of a darker green. — The underfide
of the leaves is whiter as the down is finer, and lies
much clofer than that on the others. This does not
grow near fo quick as the other, and ufually goes by
ihe name of the Shining Leaved Poplar.
[ Si ]
' Firft. — They admit of a greater quanti-
ty of trees being planted upon an acre, or
otherwife they allow to every one an
increafed quantity of furface. — To de-
monftrate this faft, which has been long
and frequently the fubje6l of difpute, we
have only to obferve, that, in meafuring
a fteep, the dimenfions of its hafe, and
not the. furface, is or ought to be taken :
of courfe, on fteeps fimilar to the annex-
ed figure, the bafe and the furface differ
L 85 ]
as five to four; and, therefore, in foils of»^*'^^
equal depth, a faving of one in five is"^' *^'
clearly gained, by planting upon fuch a
deep. Where the afcent is lefs, the faving
will be lefs in proportion.
Secondly.— Trees planted on fleeps
have likewife an increafed quantity of air.
To prove this, we have to confider that
as, upon the average, each tree muft rife
above its fellow, equal to the proportion
of the afcent, fo each will have fo much
the greater quantity of furface expofed
to the influence of the atmofphere : —
where a moderate portion of that is want-
ing, we may have trees tall, but they will
be proportionably weak; where too much
is admitted, they will be ftiff, but Ihort; a
fl:eep ferves, in fome degree, to moderate
the two extremes; and, therefore, as well
as on account of the increafed furface, it is
evident, that more timber may be reared
upon them than upon levels.
[ «6 ]
0 if*^u^ If the face of a fteep be concave or
>-v^/. convex, or partially fo, the trees will be
more iheltered than if it prefent a more
even furface ; as, in either cafe, the current
of the wind, infiead of fweeping in a
llraight direftion among the ftems, or upon
the fummit, will be broken in particular
places ; and hence much of its force will be
lolt.
Thirdly. — On fteeps, trees are more
fheltered than on levels of equal eleva-
tion,— In confidering this matter, two
points of the compafs are out of the quef-
tion ; as when the wind blows along the
fteep, its effefts muft be much the fame
as from blowing along levels. When it
blows from behind, or down fuch fteep,
there will be a calm among the trees,
except fuch as are near the fummit. But,
to counterbalance this acivantage, it may
be fuppofed, that, when the wind blows
up the fteep, its force will be confider*-
[ 87 ]
ably augmented, by what is added in (^i^-^^^
the afcent ; which certainly mud be the '^ ^^
cafe, fo long as the furface is fomewhat
bare. — The matter, however, becomes
materially different, fo foon as the trees get
a few feet high ; as, from that time, the
wind has to travel over a fort of hollow
furface, and, in doing fo, great part of it
finks in, and dies away among the branches.
Fourthly. — It appears that, by plant-
ing on fteeps, more of the adjoining lands
will be (heltered, than by planting the
fame quantity of ground on a plain. —
Here, for the fame reafon as in the lafl
cafe, two points of the compafs muft be
left out of the queftion. — As to the plain
beneath, it will be completely fheltered
to a confiderable diftance, provided the
planting extend to the fummit of the hill ;
as the trees w 11 have a tendency to throw
the current of the wind confiderably above
the level of the plain at its feet.
[ S8 ]
c<:ti^*^^^ The effcfts of the winds bio win q- up
.♦r*^a^^. ^ {^ecp have been mentioned: — on this
head it is to be noted, that the cfFe6l on the
grounds beyond the deep will be obfer-
vable at diflances, in proportion to the
flrength of the blafl: ; certainly the moO:
violent will operate at the greateft : — for
as the windj in driving up a deep, gets
augmented by the level current, it, by
that means, becomes fo powerful as to
drive the current, which otherwife would
fweep along the fummit, to fome height
above it; when the flrength of both
being reduced, by refifting each other,
they defcend to the ground together,
at a diflance from the top of the hill;
greater or lefs in proportion to the level
of the furface; — where the ground falls,
the flicker operates to an extent almoft
beyond credibility.
On levels, the current of wind fweeps*
immediately along the heads of the trees.
[ 89 ]
from one end of the plantation to the ^^i-^fij
other; while very little of its force is loft"^' fe^<*.
by finking in among the branches*. — Cer-
tainly fuch lituations prefent nothing con-
* At Stanmer, near Brighton, the feat of Earl
Chichefter, feveral of the tops of the hills, which are
direftly oppofed to the fea breeze, have been planted;
in thefe cafes, many of the verges of the plantations
exhibit ^a clofe iront, quite from the ground; fome-
thing fimilar to that of a clipped hedge, but, floping
much the fame as the ground below them. The height
of the front ranks of the trees differing, in proportion,
as they approach to or recede from the brinks of the
fteeps while almoft every branch and twig bends from
theblaft. — This circumftance, added to that of the trees
having been planted very thick, and each producing a
flat head, ferves to condu6l the whole current of the wind
to every part of the plantations within its reach; in con-
fequence, no tree can tower there, (the Scotch fir ex-
cepted,) otherwise than as they rife en majfe. — To re-
medy the evil in fome degree I have advifed, to thin fuch
fronts confiderably ; as, bv that means, much of the
current will fink in, and be luiled among the front
trees; which, in themfelves, can only be valuable as
(helters to the others.
M
r 90 ]
(^.^^r^ fiderable, either to break, elevate, or difli-
pate it; and, therefore, it mufl fall to the
ground, not only much nearer, but with
much greater force than in the other cafe;
and hence the efFeft of the flielter will be
proportionably lefs.
In many fituations, advantages may be
gained, by planting the higher parts of
fleeps with the tallefl: and quickefl grow-
ers ; as fuch means produce a fort of
concave fummit, which abforbs more of
the wind than an inclined plane; and
likewife throws the remainder higher; of
courfe, its defcent would be at a greater
diftance, and the flielter increafed accord-
ingly.
Fifthly. — As whatever is ornamental
adds not only to the ideal but the mar-
ketable, and, of courfe, the real value of
an efl:ate, we may obferve, that planting
on fteeps has an extraordinary claim to
[ 91 ]
attention, as producing one of the nobleft ' f^%^*^*y
fpecies of fcenery, at an expence whichv'" *^^^^
compared with that of moft other im-
provements, muft be confidered as tri-
fling in the extreme. — I need not dwell
on a feature which may be called equally
bold and beautiful, A Hanging Wood ;
as that is univerfally acknowledged ; — but
mayjuft touch on fome matters not fo
generally known : — for inftance, contrafl-
ed with planting on a plane, that on a
fleep gives the idea of abundantly more
in quantity ; as, on a plane, moft of the
ground feems to be loft, except from fome
particular point where a bird's eye view
can be had of the trees. — The whole fur-
face of a fteep, on the contrary, may ge-
nerally be feen from many points ; and,
when covered with wood, always appears
larger than its real dimenftons.
It fliould be obferved here, that, to
give the greateft poftible idea of fize^
[ 92 ]
r^^^ the higher termination of fuch planting
'^'"'^/'^-fhould, by extending beyond the fummit,
be hid from the principal points of view,
and more efpicially fo when it ferves to
bound a lawn or park ground. When fuch
is the cafe, and the plantation is of confi-
derable length, it fhould have one or more
large breaks through it ; as thefe, with the
concealed termination of the planting,
would give the idea o{ continuation to fuch
ground, and the woods would appear to be
large and xoit/iin them, inftead of proclaim-
ing, as it were, their termination, and ex-
hibiting, at the fame time, a ftripe of plant-
ing perfeftly inconfiderable*.
* The delightful rcfidence of Blythe, near Bawtry,
will foon prefent a (Inking praftical inftance, of the
efFcCls which may be produced by the fort of planting
juft mentioned. The park grounds, in front of the
manfion, are chiefly flat; but, to the left, are termina-
ted by rifing grounds, planted: — the two ends with
Oak the centre with Firs: — the whole fhowing clear-
ly that the Park ends there, — At the fame time, the
[ 93 ]
When the furface of a fleep to be (y^A^^
planted happens to be fomewhat regular,^' '^^^
or an incHned plane, and the higher part
of fuch planthig will be feen from be-
low, the objeft then is to improve and
not conceal it: as in the latter cafe. — For
heavy appearance of the firs point out from the houfe,
their own termination, as well as that of the oaks,
which otherwife would not be difcovered, as they ex-
tend fomewhat beyond the fummit of the hill. — It hap-
pens, that the winds have torn up many of the firs,
and the reft are by no means in a thriving ftate; I
have, therefore, fuggefted the propriety of taking them
down, and converting that fpace into grafs; which will
prefent the idea of the park ground being continued
between two confiderable oak woods; as the view will
only be terminated either by the honzon, or trees, at not
lefs than three miles diftance. I may obierve too, that
at prefent, there is no approach to the place from which
it can be feen otherwife than partially, and to great
difadvantage; a deleft which the propofed means will
completely remove; as from a road, fituated juft be-
yond the higheft point of the intended break all the
fine features of the place will, injiantantoujly burft
upon the traveller!!
I 94 ]
C^k.^;^ this purpofe, fome of the tallcft and quick-
^ *^'A, g^ growing trees may be introduced into
the highell fide of it, as mentioned under
the lafl head;— as fuch means would, at
once, increafe the apparent fize of the
planting, and the height of the hill ; and,
and at the fame time, prefent a fort of
concave furface, which would be confi-
dered as abundantly more bold and beau-
tiful, than one either convex or an incli-
ned plane.
Adopting of Species, bed of all fuited
to the foils, is a matter well worthy of the
planter's mofl deliberate confideration :
certainly they who negleft it, have no
well founded claim to the appellation of
Profitable Planters. — Nothing can be more
abfurd than the planting of extenfive
tra6ls with many forts, confeffedly with
an eye to profit, without due regard to
f election; for though, in mofl foils, any of
the common forts of foreil trees will grow.
[ 95 ]
yet, in almoft every inftance, fome one or "-^Jy^^
more will be found luxuriating abundant- '^
ly more than the others ; and, hence, it
is the planter's buhnefs to ufe his utmoft
fagacity to afcertain the fpecies, either be-
fore he begins, or, at leaft, before he has
made much progrefs in the bufinefs.
In doing this, I would ferioufly caution
him againft trufling to Theory, provided
more fatisfaftory means prove within his
reach; a circumftance very feldom want-
ing.— The method I have generally adopt-
ed, when confulted upon fuch fubjeds, is
to make an excurfion among the trees y;.„,^,'^.
in the neighbourhood, and to examine <h^^v^^
the foil where any fort or forts are**t^^'^
found moft thriving, in order to determine
how far it correfponds with that intended
to be planted. — In fact, I never give a de-
cided opinion till repeated obfervations
have fatisfied myfelf as to the moll proper
fpecies.
[ 9Q ]
♦ i'^^/^r^ It will readily be fuppofed, that, in do-
'^^'^'^^'mg fo, an old planter cannot eafily divefl
himfelf of what he has previoufly learned ;
and hence (hould it prove, that the fpe-
cies, /icppojed to be mofl proper, w^as not
found growing in the neighbourhood, in-
quiry (hould be made for the neareft place
"\vhere it might be met with on a fimilar
foil, or as nearly fo as circumftances would
admit; by which means, it could rarely
happen but the feledion would prove
very good, if not the bed which the foil
admitted of.
Perhaps the neceflity for fuch obferva-
tlons will be evident, upon confidering,
that every foil, exhibitmg the fame fort of
appearance, does not poffefs exaftly the
fame fort of properties. — For inftance, on
ftiff foils the Larch has, of late years, failed
very much; which, however, does not
prove that fome of them are not well calcu-
lated for the article; as, at Woburn, they
[ 97 ]
grow as well upon foils moderately ftifF, as ^ /*'
upon the fand; which circumftance, I pre-
fume, may be imputed to the former being
confiderably calcareous, or what may be
called a fpecies of Marl. — On chalk lands, vv?^/^/^^^^
we obferve the foils on the furfaces to dif-^^^- '" -
fer materially ; fome are very ftiff, and ^ ^^ jAA
others very light, and yet the Larch is />? J^^i-lr-.
found to grow freely on both defcriptions ; ^
which may probably be imputed to the
caufe juft noticed, namely, the calcareous
matter found in them.
Again, the Oak is generally obferved
to flourifh moft on a loamy or fomewhat
ftiff foil, often where it is very much fo;
but yet I do not recolleft to have feen it
flourifh abundantly on ftiff calcareous foils
any where; though it will be readily ad-
mitted, that on fome of them it grows
much better than on others.
N
[ 98 ]
yy^^ The foil about Sheffield-place, before
mentioned, produces timber in general,
quicker than any other which has fallen
under my particular obfervation; and,
what is moll; remarkable, the Oak and
the Larch flourifti eqiiallyxx'^oxi it; though
it would feem too light for the former, and
. too ftiff for the latter*.
*■ In order to afcertain the conftituent parts of this
foil, fo remarkable for the produftion of timber, Pro-
feffer Davy fubmitted one hundred parts of the entire
foil to analyfis, which produced the following refult:
Water 3
Silex 54
Alumine 28
Carbonate of Lime 3
Oxide of Iron 5
Decompofing Vegetable Matter . 4
Lofs 3
100
Again: — It appears, that the growth
of feveral forts of trees is materially affec*
^**^^ *^*>^/ '^^ l^^'^^'i^^ ^f ^^ *^«^r:^
[ 99 ]
ted bv the des^ree of mineral taint found* ^^^™^
in the foil; — a circumltance which never ^
directly meets the eye. — Above Mines, ,_ /d"^^ ,
and in their neighbourhood, we feldom find /^^^/ *^-^^
the timber growing freely. The Larch.^^^/^
feems particularly averfe to fuch fituations, **^
while the Oak and Witch Elm appear lefs y ^^^^^
affefted by them than timber trees in ge- ^^f ,/^«^.
neral. In (hort, it may be fafely af- ^v^T^/t-/^
ferted, that, though experience will gene-
rally enable us to form a pretty accurate
judgment of the fpecies mod proper for
any given foil, yet obfervation added to it,
will furnifh a much fafer guide; and, there-
fore, no one is excufable in negle6ling it.
When the planter has fully availed ^^^^^^^
himfelf of the foregoing general obferva- ^^
tions, he may probably find an advantage ^^y^-.. i"
in attending to the following defcrip-
tions of the foils, upon which the more
ufeful fpecies of Foreft Trees will grow
and thrive.
[ 100 ]
. ,.»fe<s Firft, The Oak. — This generally feems
to grow quickeft on a deep and fomewhat
ftifF foil, but yet any perfon of obfervation
» muft have feen that it grows well on every
fpecies that can be called good. On fand
and very ftiff clays it will grow too, but
very flowly; and, therefore, an attempt
to raife it on fuch cannot be confidered as
profitable planting
The AJIi,— -Grows mod freely on a
deep loamy foil, more particularly if it be
in a confiderablc degree calcareous. — It
likewife grows well on the more tenacious
forts of Bog Earth, after they have been
drained. Generally, we may remark, that
its quicknefs of growth depends upon a to-
lerable quantity of moifture,and not a fmall
one of what may be called natural fertility,
of which it is a prodigious confumer. —
However the tougheft, and, of courfe, the
befl A{h, in quality, is ufually found to be
[ 101 ]
produced on a foil light, but neither very ^ .^
moijl nor fertile.
The Elm. — Under another head (fee ^'^'^
p. 6^i) the properties of the Broad Leaved
Witch or Scotch Elm have been noticed.
The Narrow Leaved, or what is ufually
called, in the Nurferies, The Englifli Elm*,
is rarely found in plenty, except where
the foil is dry, light, and moderately
rich. — It is true, we often find it thriving
tolerably, in plantations, avenues, &c.
where the foil is ftiff, moift, and poor \ but,
in fuch cafes, it will generally be found,
upon examination, that it has been grafted,
as is ufual, upon the Witch Elm; and
hence on thefe, as on every other foil, its
growth is confiderably accelerated.
* It is probably called Englijh Elm, from the cir-
cumftances of its abounding in the hedges, in many
parts oi the country ; but, fmce I have never known it
to produce feed, and know that in fuch places it pro-
pagates itfelt by fuckers, I think it improperly fo called.
^A^^i^tf Among both men and books, ii rt-
'^"'^^fl^nains matter of difpute, whether the tim-
^^ ' ...
, "" ber of the Englijh or Witch Elm is beft.
Undoubtedly eaeh may be preferable for
particidar purpofes; and certainly they
muft differ in quality, in fome degree, from
the circumftances of age, foil, &c. Such
a difpute, however, feems proof fufficient
that both are very good; and therefore,
choice, and the fituations may determine
the fort to be planted, provided it be du-
ly noted, that the latter grows moft freely
on every foil, and that the former grows but
very flowly on indifferent ones; except it
has been grafted upon the latter*.
* I have lately procured a new fort, apparently a
variety ot the Witch £.lm, which grows quite as ereft
as the Englifti, and abundantly quicker than either that
or the former. It the timber do not prove of inferior
quality, it will be a valuable acquihtion, in both ufeful
and ornamental planting; as, in a few years, it may be
fold at the fame price as the grafted Englifh Elms.
[ 103 ]
The Beech.— 1:\\\^ tree may be faid to '^^/'XiA
be peculiarly the inhabitant of dry foils, .SLJLl.
including fand, gravel, and chalk ; on all of <^*^-^^>^
which it grows very freely. On {liflF ones
too it will grow, but not near fo well ; and
hence it deferves no place on them, other-
wife than for fhelter, or to produce variety^
The Spanijh Chefnut. — This tree, like / ^r>^.
the laft, is found to thrive bed in a dry foil ;
and like it too, will make prodigious pro-
grefs where it is far from rich. — On fandy
ones, where the oak would make but
flow progrefs, I have feen this grow ex-
tremely quick ; and, therefore, in fuch cafes,
the latter fliould be fubftituted in the place
of the former. — Its wood and bark are
known to polfefs the fame valuable proper-
ties as the Oak, in an eminent degree ; while
it is, in a meafure, exempt from what may
be called its principal defeft, namely, the
perilhable nature of its fap or younger
wood — Hop-poles and flakes of this wood
/.y /,
are efteemed every where, for their great
r^,,.^^. ^urabihty, which, of courfe, have but Uttle
of heart in them. On wet or ftiff foils, in
the northern part of the ifland, the (hoots
of this plant feldom get fuEBciently ripen-
ed ; and hence their extreme ends are often
killed by the winter's frofts ; and, therefore,
attempts to raife it on them, for timber,
ufually prove fruitlefs*.
* I have really been aftonifhed to obferve the rapid
progrefs of this plant on fandy foils; more particularly
at Berry Hill, near Mansfield. If the proprietors of
lands in that quarter, who are anxious to raife oaks
upon them, would, inftead of planting thoufands of that
article upon an acre at a great expence, content them-
felves with planting two or three hundred fmall Chef-
nuts among Larch, Firs, &c. and take care to prune
them, either annually, or every fecond year, as they are
apt to iorm double heads and large branches; and like-
wife take care the other trees did not over-top them, I am
perfuaded they would, at a very trifling expence, pro-
vide a fupply of the heft fpecies of timber, to fucceed
the firs, &c. Perhaps, on the fandy foils in that quarter,
more planting is done and doing than on five times the
[ 10.5 ]
7lie Sycamore. — Perhaps few trees will *^'^^^-'
grow and even thrive (the Scotch Fir ex- ^ye^^^
cepted,) on a greater variety of foils than
the prefent fabjeft ; for it feems to rejeft
none but Bogs, and the moft barFen heaths :
ftill it evidently kixuriates moft of all on a
deep and fertile loamy foil, where, of
courfe, it is not ftinted in regard to moifture.
I have obferved a large tree of it growing
freely on the fide of a brook, where a con-
ftant ftream waflied more than half of its
bafe; its other roots being in a dry foil.
This proves it thrives in a confiderable
degree of wet ; ftill it may have too much ;
for I have feen fine thriving trees, of twenty
years' growth, killed by the water foaking
from a ftream on a higher level, and keep-
ing the foil, (naturally a dry one,) in which
they grew, conftantly wet.
fame fpace in any other part of South Britain. — Should
the above hint be generally adopted, pollerity will have
rcafon to fay, It was well that ever the author traverfed
Sherwood's barren Sands.
O
[ 106 ]
'";* Poplars and Willows. — Having alre^-dy
1-~ introduced the Black Italian Poplar, with
the above, and the two befl fpecies of Wil-
lows for Timber, and fhown what are their
V^'.^^-i'nofl favourite foils, it needs only to be
added here, that, though they are all re-
garded as aquatic plants, all of them which
we confider as valuable for timber, will
thrive better in a very moderate than a
great degree of moifture; and they will al-
fo grow freely on a dry foil of tolerable
depth; — nor do they refufe either a ftifF
foil or a fand, provided they are not very
barren. — In truth, were we but half as
well apprized of the various purpofes to
which their timber might be properly ap«
plied, as we are of the quicknefs of their
growth, I am perfuaded they would then
be confidered as fubje^ls worthy of gene-
ral attention.
The Larch. — As the extraordinary va-
lue of this article gets^ annually, better un»
derflood, there is fo much the greater need ^J^^^^
■^tit i>-7 ^tt
of clear ideas of the nature of the foil, upon
which it will ultimately fucceed; for as, hi-
therto, it has been planted indifcriminately
on mod forts, and failed generally on fome,
and partially on others, there is fome dan-
ger of its cultivation being difcouraged.
Why this plant (liould be attacked by
infe6ls, on lands deep, rich, and good, */ *^**^*^
where it had previoufly grown well, while Ai^^
it has continued to flourifli in fpite of bemg
fo attacked, on foils every way inferior,
feems extremely difficult to account for;
the faft, hovrever, is obvious; and, there-
fore, without indulging in objeftionable
theories, we may certainly pronounce it an
unfafe fpeculation, to plant the article libe-
rally onjliffi humid, or deep richfoils> ex-
cept they fliould likewife be confiderably
calcareous.
^"^ ^-' Perhaps no part of South Britain has
^ayie u. fufFcrcd fo much, from the ravages of the
infefl, as the South Weft part of York-
fliire; as there the beft and richeft lands
have fuffered very generally. On the
moors, alfo, there are many inftances of
confiderable damage. Of the latter, how-
ever, it muft be obferved, that the cruft or
furface, (a black moorifh or heath foil,)
Xvhich is certainly unfavourable to the ar-
ticle, differs as much in depth as from five
to fifteen inches, and we frequently have
both extremes in the diftance of three or
four yards. The fccond ftratum is gene-
rally fuch as the plant will thrive in; and
it is, likewife, in moft places, of confidera-
ble depth ; and hence it is that the trees,
planted in it, ufually grow well from the
firft; while fuch as are planted in the fur-
face foil only, never make much progrefs,
till their roots have penetrated through it;
mean time, (of late years at leaft.) fuch
t ''' ^ ,^//.^
have been found almoft uniformly infefted -
with infe6ls.
It (hould, alfo, be obferved, that
though fuch under ftratum is all of the
fame colour, (a reddifh fort of fand,) and
generally full of loofe ftones, it diflFers
materially in quality: — where the leall
quantity of ftones appears, the foil has
the leaft of grittinefs, and there the Larch
fucceeds the beft; — where the ftones are
moft plentiful, the foil proves proportion-
ably (harp, and there the plant thrives fo
much the worfe. Still, though the above
may be conhdered as a general refult,
cafes have occurred where the plants have
failed partially, where they had previouf-
ly grown well, and where their roots were
(apparently at leaft) m the better fort of
foil only ; a circumftance which feems al-
moft to puzzle conjefture. But ftill, if
two trees have grown nearly alike, and al-
moft clofe to each other, for feveral years.
[ 110 J
^^i^*^' and the one gets afterwards much infefted
*.^7^/^. with infefts, and the oiher very hitle, we
may be fure there is a caufe for the differ-
ence, and that it muft be with the roots.
If the whole oi one fet continues to work
their way through a deep and favourable
foil, while a part of the others meets v/ith
obftru6lions, from loofe ftones, with but
little of earth among them, or folid rock,
as muft often be the cafe in thefe moors,
we fhall then have accounted for the
caufe, — a deficiency of earth and moifture.
One tree muft, in confequence, be much
weaker than the other; and it is well
known, in regard to fruit trees, that fuch
are always moft fubjeft to be infefted by
infe6is. Certainly nothing has yet ap-
peared to ftiow, that a very large propor-
tion of thefe extenfive heaths is not well
calculated for the produ6iion of this very
valuable tree, but paft events have fliown
the neceflity for juft and careful difcrimi-
nation.
I 111 5 /., ,
It is, indeed, highly confolatory to find, — : ~
by collecling fafts from many diilant
parts of the country, that though, on ^
mofl: of the fandy and calcareous foils, the ,^*^ ^
infetl has been very numerous, yet, / .^
hitherto, its effeds have been but httle /?
prejudicial; and, therefore, v/e may rea-
fonably conclude, that they are peculiarly
favourable to the plant; and hence, on
them, its cultivation may he moflfafely ex-
tended.— Indeed, when we confider of
how little value many extenfive trails of
both defcriptions are, for the general pur-
pofes of agriculture, and how much the
reverfe for the produftion of this article,
as well as many other fpecies of timber,
we can aflign no reafon why more of them
are not planted, but that their value, in
that refpe6l, has hitherto been but imper-
fe6lly undexliood.
As to the infe6l, there is reafon to
hope that we have feen the mod deflruc-
./.
[ "^ ]
tivc of Its efforts ; for, in the queater that
has been mentioned as the fcene of its
former triumphs, as well as every other
which has come under my notice, its ra-
vages feem to have been upon the de-
creafe for the three laft feafons; and,
during the prefent, it has done fo httle
harm that, were it never again to become
more numerous, it might be confidered as
no longer formidable.
The Scotch Fir. — The aflonifhing man-
ner in which this plant accommodates itfelf
to every defcription of foil has been men-
tioned, (fee p. 54;) in addition to which,
it may be obferved, that the only cafes in
■which it will not thrive is a bog, too wet
for any plant, (aquatic excepted,) and a
clay, too fliff for any part of the vegetable
creation to thrive in. In the latter cafe,
the reafon of the failure is obvious; and,
as to the former, it can only be imputed
to the moifture ; as, in a drained bog, the
t 113 ]
plant luxuriates prodigiouily. It need «>C^.
not here be laid, on what fpecies of foil this cyfc^/^/
tree will thrive beft, as it is rarely plant- c^^TT,^
ed with an eye to quick growth only ; nor
do I think the matter clearly afcertained ;
and, therefore, it may be enough to ob-
ferve, that wherever any tree will grow
freely, (the aquatics excepted,) the Scotch
iir will do the fame. Its peculiarly value-
able properties, fuch as growing on heath
foils, and on expofures where no other
tree will thrive, have been particularly at-
tended to, p. 54 — 62*.
* It has often been obferved, in the nurferies, that ^^«y,^^
this plant exhaufls the foil lefs than any other; as, after ^ /Ia.*c^i
a crop of it, the ground is always found in a condition *^^^'<.
\.K) bear other articles. Whether this arifes from the
circumftance of Imothering it only, or from the plant
fubfifting on lefs quantity, or a different fpecies of
nutriment, is not clear; but, perhaps, all ot them
may, in fome degree, contribute to produce the effeft
fpoken of. — We know, that it can fubfift, and even
thrive, on a nutriment which would ftai"vc mofl other
trees; and we know too, that its roots being but iittlc
P
- . [ 114 } .
^*^^^ The spruce Hr.— The proper foil for.
—^ — and the extraordinary value of this article,
have been noticed at length, p 38 — 48, and,
therefore, here it feems neceflary only to
prefs upon planters the advantages of ufing
the plant liberally, in order to promote the
towering of fuch deciduous trees as are
intended, ultimately, to form the bulk
of plantations.
Here I may particularly remark, that
both authors and planters are in the
habit of erring egregioufly, in regard to
fibrous, are hence fo much the lefs calculated to ex-
hauft the foil. The afn has already been noted as a
prodigious exhaufter, but it only is fo in proportion to
the extraordinary quantity of its fibres. Perhaps it
may be found, that plantations, mixed with Scotch Firs,
ufually produce a greater weight ot wood upon a given
fpace, than where it is excluded; and, if fo, it can only
be accounted lor by fuppofing, that fome or all of the
caufes above mentioned contribute to produce fuch an
effea.
[ 115 ]
the proportion of principals and nurfes; y*^-^
as they generally ufe as many, or more, of ~"/^
the former than the latter ; though it is very ""^^^^l .
eafy to (how, that they ought to ufe three
times as many of the latter as the former, (^c* ^
For inflance, when trees are planted at i^ ^^*i'-
four feet apart, each occupies a furface of '^^'^''^
fixteen feet; of courfe four of them will ^'^^/^^^
occupy fixty four, or a fquare of eight '/"^'^ '
feet ; and, therefore, if we plant three nur-
fes to one principal tree, all the former
might be difplaced, gradually, and the lat-
ter would ftiil (land only eight feet apart.
It has already been remarked, that
nurfe plants fliould, in every poflible cafe,
be fuch as are mod valuable at an early
period of growth. It is repeated here be-
caufe the idea is of much the fame impor-
tance to the Profitable Planter, that a
good foundation is to a builder ; — the point
is indeed of the firft importance; and^
therefore, any prudent planter fliould
1,;/
/ >^ have it engraved, as it were, upon his me-
mory;— the confequence of which would
be, a Hberal ufe of the Larch and Spruce
Fir, for the above purpofe, in every cafe
where they would grow freely : — Still it is
not intended they fhould exclude all
others, more particularly the Birch,
which, with moil of the properties of a
good nurfe, fuch as numerous branches and
quick ,growth, on any tolerable foil or
fituation, is, likewife, highly ornamental.
It is not, however, like the others, a wood
of general application; and, therefore,
much of its value depends upon local cir-
cumftances; and hence, before planting
much of it, it fhould be confidered for
what purpofes it would be wanted in that
quarter; and, likewife, the probable quan-
tity ; as a very moderate one will overftock
the market, with an article of timber not
ufeful for general purpofes.
It muft be acknowledged, that the ,.^/^t
errors of extenfive planters are neither 3/o >4^4*
few nor fmall; — but yet I do not hefitate Hi'>-**xtA
to affert, that all the reft are trifles, in com- u^^*^^
parifon of the miftakes in regard to proper "^ ^^*/^^
fpecies for this purpofe. — If we caft our
eyes over the lift of the more common
forts of deciduous trees, we fhall find that,
with the exception of the Larch, the ufes
of their poles, up to three or four inches
diameter, are far from numerous ; and hence
it is eafy to overftock any neighbourhood'"^^^ " ?*»
with them, for they will feldom bear the '"''''' ^^^'
expence of long carriage.
I could point out an eftate, fituated u->t€/fa,i^
where firing is very fcarce, that would ^'*- ^'^^
produce more poles and faggots, the com- *' ^'^^'"-
ing winter, than the proprietor can dif- ^
pofe of for a dozen years to come ; nor
would lowering the price very materially
increafe the demand: — The confequence
of which is eafy to forefee; the plantations
[ 113 ]
f /u*A,^«<jjvill be very much damaged for want of
T*^ ^.^ timely thinning; mean time the propri-
^ /jTj/ etor's return, from them, but trifling.
If the value of the larch and fpruce fir
had been known previous to planting,
and alfo that the foil is much more pro-
per for them than any other article of
nearly the fame valuer they would natu-
rally have obtained a preference, and the
plantations would now have been highly
produdive, as the immediate neighbour-
hood would have taken off a large quantity
of both, at a good price; but, unfortu-
nately, there we find almoft none of the
former, and but few of the latter. — In
(hort, the cftate exhibits feme hundreds
of acres of thriving plantations, upon
which no expence (fuppofed to be need-
ful) has been fpared; and yet I fee no
reafon to think, they are now of more
than half the value they might have been
made, at a much lefs expence, by attend-
ing to a proper fele6lion.
[ 119 ]
I could point out many other exten-ZV,..^/?*,.,^
live plantations, which confift almofl ex- /^/»^ ^
clufively of Scotch firs, though the foil is f^^ti^
equally proper for the fpruce and larch.
In thefe cafes we ufually find the market
overftocked ; and, hence, either the price
of produce is kept low, or the thinning is
negletled, but more commonly both.
Perhaps we fhall be fomewhat near the
truth, in obferving, that where Scotch
firs are in tolerable plenty, a moderate
fized tree of it will fetch about half, and a
pole one third as much, per foot, as the ^
foreign fir timber; which difparity could
not happen,- if there were not a doubt of
durability in the one cafe, and a certainty
of the want of it in the other ; neither of
which would now be the cafe, in regard to
the larch ; and as to the fpruce, the fpirit of
invefligation now abroad infures its worth
being duly appreciated very foon. — The
prefent high price of foreign wood leads
f 120 ]
^^^'^*^ Ao two defirable confequences : — It not
"rM^ '-only flimulates to plant, but to look into
the properties of native produce. — In
fome cafes, it creates a necelTity for doing
that which may ultimately prove highly
ufeful, in the way of experiment.
^•^Ut^t^ Perhaps it is a new idea, that a much
^^V^ greater weight of wood may be produced,
^ /JtI ^^ "^^y given quantity of land, by plant-
^^^^^ing in mixture, than by ufing any one
^ fpecies only ; and if fo, ornament and
'/xc^e^r utility may be faid to go hand in hand.
y^y^^^r-y The fa6t, however, is of a nature not to
be either eafily or fuddenly demonflrated
by experiment; and, therefore, we mufl
appeal to obfervation, in the firfl place.
For myfelf, I have long been fatisfied that
fuch was the cafe ; having never yet feen
a quantity of any one fpecies growing to-
gether, which left the idea of an abundant
produce upon my mind; though the
reverfe has often been produced, in ^^^^^<t^^
cafe of mixtures.
The agriculturifl uniformly counts e-'^^^-^'^
upon producing the greateft quantity, by '^^^^'^^
repeatedly changing \h^ /pedes ; and the "^
inftances already produced are fufficient to
fhow, that trees have what may be called a
choice in their food, fo far that they do
not thrive equally on the fame foil. We
know, that fome trees penetrate deep,
while others have moft of their roots at
and near the furface; of courfe, by ufing
both defcriptions, the foil is more com-
pletely occupied. It may, likewife, be
reafonably fuppofed, that the decompofi-
tion of a mixture of leaves produces a mat-
ter more favourable to the produftion of
trees, than the produce of any one fpecies
applied to itfelf. — On the whole it ap-
pears, both reafon and experience will ful-
ly warrant the conclufion, that the great-
[ 122 ]
ell pofTible quantity of Timber is to be
obtained by planting mixtures*.
Preparation of the Soil for Plantijig.
If we were to take our ideas of this fub-
je6l from what might be found in books,
we (hould be led to think, that any thing
fhort of a very expenfive preparation
would be the hight of folly; or rather,
that it amounted to a fpecies of infanity ;
as it would be equally a wcfte of Land,
-'^ ^-^^^-^^ * It has frequently been remarked, that deciduous
f^it*vJ^^<iri^''^rees thrive much better among firs than when planted
■ y^^ ^ -^ alone, and the difference has been ufually imputed en-
^ / - y,.-' tirely to the flielter afforded by the latter: undoubtedly
. fuch fhelter is, in mod fituations, highly beneficial; but
V^ U fhould be noted, at the fame time, that all the refinous
tribe are different in nature, as well as appearance, trom
deciduous trees; — the tormer (it appears) cannot fo
far exhaufl the foil as to render it unfit for the produc
tion ot the latter. If this idea be correft, it is evident
ijiat, in order to raife plantations of any fort of deci-
duous trees, quickly, we (hould plant much lefs in
[ 123 ]
Money, and Trees.— If, however, we look^'*^'*^*^
fomewhat attentively into the matter, wey ^s'^^*
fliall find fuch as are moft loud in praife
of preparation, are men who have learned
little, or perhaps nothing from experi-
ence;— for true it is that, exaftly in pro-
portion as they have been taught in that
fchool, will be their means of diftinguifti-
ing between what fort of preparation is
neceffary, prafticable, and poh^ic, and
the reverfe.
Moft certainly the public have no rea-
fon to thank writers, who talk about pre-
paration, without making tlie neceffary
quantity of it than of firs. If five hundred and fifty of (Jcyj^^' —
fuch fpecies were allowed to an acre, they would ftand „.-i,— — —
about nine feet apart, which is quite near enough to
produce a tree of any tolerable fize and figure. — We
are fure, that the fame fpecies confumes exactly the
fame fort of nutriment; and, therefore, every extra
plant of it reduces what ought to fupport fuch as are
intended to remain as tenants of the [pot.
[ 124 ]
^^j^^f^iftinftions; as it ferves to throw chflRcuI-
V ties in the way of what is in itfelf equally
beneficial to fociety and individuals; by
reprefenting it as abundantly more tedious
and expenfive than it is in faft. — How-
ever a httle confideration may (how
any one, how little fuch are acquainted
with the bufinefs; for, were it otherwife,
they mufl reafon very differently; — from
a knowledge, that at lead nine tenths
of the lands, allotted to ufeful planting,
are either too /leep, Jiony, bii/Iiy, or hca-
thy, to admit of the fort of preparation
alluded to ; — or otherwife too fandy to
need it.
Undoubtedly, fands and heathy foils
comprife jointly, more than two thirds of
the land likely to be planted for any pur-
pofe in the country ; and, as to the former,
a little rcfle6lion will fhow, that an expen-
five preparation is perfe6lly unnecefTary,
as nature has, in a great meafure, fitted
t 125 ]
them for the purpofe it is intended to^^^^M^f
ferve, namely, to provide a loofe foil, iny
which the roots of the plants may meet
with but little obftrutlion. — Sands are
generally found light enough; and, there-
fore, the difficulty chiefly refts in ihe/oul
condition in which they are often found;
but, even in fuch cafes, a fallow may and
generally ought to be avoided; as moft^^^^^^
fands are, to a confiderable depth, as fa-^-^^i,^.
vourable to the produftion of trees as the
furface ; and, therefore, we have only to
difcard the turf, &c. — and then to loofen
the fand below, and ultimately to plant in
a hole fome inches deep*.
* The advantages of this method feera evinced, by
what has happened, in the laft feafons to the planters on
the fands in the neighbourhood of Sherwood Foreft.
There, 1 am told, many have loft more than half their
plants, in confequence of the long continued and
cxceflive drought. In the planting done there, under
roy dire£lion, the above method was followed, in con-
fequence of the land being extremely foul, upon
[ 126 J
)
'/ii^ui^^ Undoubtedly, a fallowed furface would
'*^^*^- occafion the trees to grow quicker in the
firfl place, but there are feveral drawbacks
upon that advantage; as firit, the lofs of
plants would be much greater in the firft
inftance, as they would have neither {bel-
ter nor fliade, as in the other cafe; — fe-
condly, the vegetable matter, previoufly
upon the furface, would be loft to the
trees; which, otherwife, would be found
highly beneficial, after they get fo clofe as
to fmother and rot it. — The greatcft draw-
back, however, remains ; — the expence
which, the lofs has proved trifling, except, in one in-
ftance, being part of a plantation ot about twenty year's
growth, where the plants failed generally in the firft in-
ftance, while they did well on three fides of it; as was
the cafe with a quick hedge on the fourth: — there we
loft about half the quantity planted, being larch and
fpruce firs only. — As there fcems no way of account-
ing tor the taiJures on this fpot, but by fuppofing fome
latent defeft in the foil, 1 purpofc to try to remedy it
by expofing a quantity, from each failing hole, to the
influence of the atmofphere, during the coming winter.
I 1^^7 ]
/^/
of the fallow, which, in itfelf, would be J^A''';'
more than ought to finifh half the plant- v ^
ing ; and, therefore, though it may often
be pra6iicable, it can but feldom be
proper.
As to heathy foils, we find many of /^*^M^
them to differ but little from the lafl, fo
far as the produftion of trees is concerned;
becaufe a thin cruft of fuch foil, upon a
fandy bottom, is extremely common ;
which is fortunate to the planter ; as he
needs but to difcard to the black furface
Earth, and to plant, in the fand below, as
directed for the laft cafe.
In regard to deep heathy foils, they ^ ^/.
are only qualified for the produ6lion of ^i^'^^^
the Scotch Fir; and that article is well
known to pofTefs the property of pene-
trating into foils the mofl tenacious ; and,
hence, it may be faid, to require but little
afTiftance from either the plough or the
[ I^« J
^>**^^fpade; and yet, with a fort of liardihood
vV«^ .almoft proverbial, it is one that fufFcrs me-
terially from expofure ni the firll: inflance;
a fa6l which many planters have experi-
enced much to their coft. — It happens,
that moft heathy foils are, likewife, expo-
Jed\ and, therefore, a preparation, which
would extirpate the heath, its natural
fhelter, would endanger the fuccefs of a
great proportion of the plants ; and there-
fore, though very expenfive, it is far from
a fafe method. — In fome cafes, where the
heath is very long, it may occafion great
difficulty in the holing, and, likewife, the
fmothering of many of the plants. In this
cafe, the bed method is to burn it down,
at leaft one feafon (but better if two fea-
fons) before planting; as, otherwife, the
expofure would occafion the fort of lofs
jufl mentioned.
Perhaps our knowledge of the internal
ftrudure of plants is too limited, to en-
«/t.-5
[ 129 ]
able us to define clearly the ftate of Ian- ^*^Ar.
guor or difeafe, into which they are '^f^'^t
thrown by removal, or the feparating of
that intimate connexion which fubfifted
between their roots and the foil. Still, ex-
perience teaches us, that certain caufes
will produce certain effefts ; and it is from
careful obfervations on thefe, jointly, that
we come to a tolerable knowledge of c3^t^^/
what is neceflary to the fafe removal of ^;^/ J
trees. We know, for inftance, that, oiivC:«*/^l
elevated ground, much expofed to the /C<.
weather, the frofts and winds of a very
moderate winter will kill a tolerably large
fir, though it (hould be removed with
the whole of its roots, and planted with
every poffible degree of care ; and, like-
wife, flaked, fo that the wind could fcarcely
move it at all.
As, in this cafe, the plant might be ob-
ferved to be in a dead or dying ftate, be-
fore the want of moifture could have con-
[ 130 ]
*^^*v^~^tnbuted to produce fuch efFeft, we can
'ft/^^, impute it to nothing but the cold ; becaufe
5<' ' y.' .had the fame tree been planted in a fhelter,
*»v- and hmilarly treated, it would certainly
have furvived its removal.
We know, alfo, that the more we re-
duce the roots of plants in general, (par-
ticularly firs,) fo much the more are they
fubje6l to fufFer in removal.
A plant, which retains only its largefl:
roots, requires a greater degree of heat
and moifture, to fet its vegetative powers
in motion, than one which likewife re-
tains its fmall ones. We can feldom re-
move a tree w^ithout the lofs of a part,
(generally a large proportior^of the latter fi
and hence we infer the neceffity of fnelter-
ing firs, in the firfl inftance, as far as the
circumfl:ances of the cafe will admit ; and,
alfo, the propriety of managing, fo that
they may require as little of it as pofiible.
[ 131 ]
We can, for iadance, remove a Scotch /^^^^^^j!
fir, of one foot high, without lofmg many i^f-t^lf.
of its fmall roots, while one of two feet <:^ — ,;,
would, in that operation, lofe mod of
them.—Ahiioft any fituation naturally pro- ^
duces what will, in a greater or lefs de-
gree, fhelter the former, w^hile very fev7
will afford it to the latter. This fir is, at
befl, a bad rooted plant, or one vrhich
makes but few roots, and thefe long ones,
in proportion to its height; therefore, by
confidering all thefe circumftances, it is
prefumed, the caufes of the heavy loffes
that fo frequently follow the planting of
large ones, on bleak fituations, may be na-
turally accounted for.
Confident with the above ideas, inde- x^^*'/^
pendent of avoiding a heavy expence, I ^^ *^'''
never advife the breaking up, and, of y ^n
courfe, leaving bare, an expofed and hea- y^i£,.
thy foil, but, inftead of it, make holes
among the heath, (in the manner that will
uc^ fo l,e clire6led ;) conftantly making ufe of
'''^'^*' plants fmall enough to be fheltered, and
r ''•//yet not fo fmall as to be fmoihered by it ;
of courfe, they are planted both in (bel-
ter and fhade. — The former prevents their
being flarved, in the way that has been
mentioned, and alfo prevents wind-wav-
ing, which would otherwife form a cavity
round their Items, fo as to admit of
drought, and occafion confiderable lofs. —
The latter, by partially excluding both
the fun and wind, prevents them from
much exhaufting either the moillure of
the foil or the juices of the plants ;
and hence the bufmefs of vegetation muft
be earlier fet in motion, and more regu-
larly carried on, than where the cafe is
otherwife.
Having now attempted, at leafl, to
develope the principles which ought to
influence the prafclice of planting fandy,
light, and heathy foils, wherever economy
[ 133 ]
is a leading objeft, we may next advert to m/^^ "■•
the cafe of ftiff ones, which are confefled- ^^J^.
ly the mod difficult; becaufe, though it «^fe(^^
may be eafy to caufe the plants to groio
on them, it is quite another thing to caufe
them to thrive \ and, therefore, except
where particular circumflances call for it,
I am no advocate for planting fuch as
are more than moderately tenacious, e-
fpecially if they, likewife, ^rov& Jliallow, ^ "'^^
It is admitted, that a tolerably ftrong foil
may be highly produ6live, in fome fpecies
of timber ; more efpecially, if deep : — a
thin, ftiff one, however, cannot be fo pro-
du6live, as both its quantity and quality
have a direft tendency to ftint the growth
of the plants, in all feafons, but more
particularly fo in dry ones.
When the planting of fuch foils be-
comes necefiary, it is a fortunate circum-
llance if they happen to prove in grafs,
and capable of being ploughed ; as, in
^'-y'^ilidii cafe, the eafy means are afForded of
£_ .' bringing the roots of the plants and ih^
^^/.^ir rotted fvvard in contact ; — the latter of
y/taJ^i.*^ which will not only produce nutriment
for the former, but a more eafy means of
extending themfelves, in every dn-etlion,
in fearch of it. A foil naturally fliff be-
comes abundantly more fo, by being long
under tillage: by fallowing we can clear
fuch of noxious weeds, but cannot prevent
them from running together again in con-
fequence of the next Ileeping fhower.
The befl method I know, of preparing
fuch for planting, is to plough them, and
take a crop of any fort of grain they will
produce, the feafon before they are in-
tended to be planted ; wherever a choice
is prefented, that which will be mod fmo-
ihering (liould be preferred, as having the
greateft tendency to rot tlie fward. — In
autumn, after the crop had been reaped,
and the ground moift, but not wet, it
[ 135 ]
ftiould be well harrrowed, and that imme- ^^A*^^*^^
diately followed by holing with the fpade;^^-^^^
which work (hould be done by chopping ^^^r^*'^
the foil to the width of about a foot, but ^^*-^'^
not deeper than the furrov/, and then pla-
cing it round the fides of the hole, rather
flat, fo that the frofts may eahly penetrate
it during the winter.
As the difficTilty of working fuch foils
is obvious, fo there is a neceffity for at-
tending to them juft at the critical feafon,
fuch as we ufually experience, repeatedly,
in autumn; it can be of little confequence
whether it prove in September or O£lo-
l)er, fo that the ground be in proper order.
And obferve, it is more fafe to plant
fuch foils rather late in fpring, than early;
as, in the latter cafe, the foil would fel-
doni be found dry enough; and hence
the plants would be crammed into a
clod of clay; and would, likewife, be in
[ 136 j
'7^A»*<^danger of being thrown out of it, by fuch
^^^'^^'^frofls as might happen afterwards, without
/yy/> -^ being at all benefited by fuch as had hap-
pened before. On the contrary, by late
planting, we fecure all the benefit of the
winter's frofts, without the danger from
them juft mentioned ; and, likewife, can
plant v/hen the foil is fufficiently tender,
but not fo wet as to flick together ; with
little danger of fuccefs. Under this ma-
nagement, it is meant to make ufe of part
of the harrowed foil, on the furface, by
drawing it round the trees, fo as to raife
the former furface about two inches, to the
breadth of about eighteen. The reafon
for this is, to afford the opportunity of
placing the trees fufficiently deep, with-
out putting their roots lower than the
track of the plough, and the direftion
of the difcompofed turf; a matter highly
important to the growth of the trees.
Such foils certainly afford but few ad-
vantages, and, therefore, there is fo much
[ 137 ]
ilic more reafon to avail ourfelves to the/^^^/v
utmod of fuch as we find. Confident "^f"^
with what has been advanced, the befl tJ^^Ji^
plants for fuch foils will be the Scotch and ^i^i^^i^
fpruce firs, with the witch elm and the
birch; the firs not more than nine the
others about twelve inches high. — The
variety may be increafed by other fpe-
cies; but it is prefumed, in fuch cafes, the
above will generally be found the quickeft
growers.
In foils of the above defcription, w^hich
are incapable of being ploughed, the re-
verfing of the turf is indifpenfible ; becaufe
the furface foil will be abundantly more
light and fertile than lands of the fame
fort, which have been often turned and
mixed by the plough. Indeed without
turning in the furjace, in order to put
the beft foil in the diredion of the roots
of the plants, I know of no method
108
A**Cof planting, in fuch a cafe, with any rea-
^^^^^^^fonable chance of fuccefs.
;^^^^^ The metliod will be to turn the tuif
completely, with all the foil adhering to
it, with the fpade, in as large portions
as may be found convenient; as fuch me-
thod w^ould not only be the mod expedi-
tious, but under it, lefs of herbage would
vegetate, than if turned in fmaller por-
tions; it would, likewife, afford the means
of planting in the centre of the flags,
which of courfe, would be for fome time,
tolerably, clear from weeds ; hence much
of the danger of fmothcring the fmall
plants would be avoided.
On fuch lands, we ufually find a very
tough fward, which (hould be in a meafure
reduced, either by a crop of grain, or
being fallow through the following fum-
mer. Certainly nothing would, ultimate-
ly, be loft by the delay; for as, after it, the
[ 159 ]
^y -
ground would be found mellowed, and tlie*^^^**^
Jierbage rotten, fo the riflv from drought, v^—--
which othcrwife would be confiderable^^'^^r*^
would be nearly done away, and the plants ^^^
for two or three years, be found to grow
much quicker than if planted a vear fooner.
As fuch turning the foil is to be con-
fidered as tantamount to the ploughing di-
re61ed in the laft cafe, the feafon for the
operation, and method of making the
holes, fhould be the fame; and the fame
Vv'ill apply to the manner of planting, lizc,
and fpecies of trees, &c. only as here there
is no harrowed fur face ; therefore the foil
to deepen that immediately round the
trees, may be collefted from any other part
of the furface, where it is found in the
befl condition.
A foil fmiilar to the foregoing, previ-
oufly under tillage, is among the cafes by
no means favourable to the hopes of the
[ 140 J
'5'*<w*^* planter ; if, however, he has particular
^4^***^ reafon for planting them, he muft likewife
'^/p^^ refort to particular means of preparation ;
t^^«» the mofl effeftual of which would be found
to be a fallow, fo far complete as to'irra-
dicate not only the perennial, but the grea-
ter part of the annual weeds ; for, other-
\vife, they would inevitably fmother a
great proportion of the very fmall plants,
which alone are proper for fuch fitua-
tions, except the additional cxpence, of
hoing among them for tv/o fummers, was
fubmitted to. It is not here fuppofed,
that the moll complete fallow would en-
tirely preclude the necelhty for hoing,
or, at Icaft, cutting down part of the weeds,
but it certainly might very materially re-
duce the bufinefs. An autumn fallow is as
peculiarly fitted for the irradication of an-
nual, or weeds produced immediately from
the feeds previoufly lodged in the foil,
as a fummer one is for the deRruftion of
fuch as are produced from roots. It is
[ 141 ]
among the difadvantages of fallows, made ^9^<><*^^
preparatory to the fowing of wheat, that '^^ ^ :
the grain is ufually fown about the time -^ ^^
when the feeds of weeds are moft of all
difpofed to vegetate, on the foils under
notice; a very unfortunate circumftance,
but not at all applicable to the cafe in hand ;
as here the ftirring of the foil, which
occafions the deftru6tion of fuch weeds,
may be protrafted to a much later feafon.
In mild autumns, we often find feeds to
vegetate freely to the latter end of Decem-
ber, it is not then too late to flir the foil,
if it do not prove too wet.
The neceffity for forming fuch lands
into fomewhat narrow ridges is evident,
for otherwife the water would lodge m
and upon them, in winter ; which would
not only damage the plants, in the firfl
inftance, but caufe the foil to bake fo hard,
in fummer, that the trees would make
but little progrefs in it. The foil from
[ 142 ]
"^^^^ihe furrows would like wife be beneficial,
/^^^^^ by contributing to the general depth. If it
^ji'J^^ be objefted that fuch ridges would con-
■^ ^ fine the fpreading of the roots, it may be
anfwered, that, before the plants could re-
quire much fpace, a foil would be accumu-
lated in the furrows, (except on confidera-
bk declivities,) fufficient to cover the
fmall fibres, fo that they would crofs them ;
after which, the plants would derive fup-
port from the adjoining ridges, in addition
to their own.
/^/^
»*i9j. In lands fomewhat fleep, the ridges
had befl be formed with a moderate fall
aerofs the declivity, and thefe again croff-
ed by ditches, at from forty to fixty yards
diflance, to take off the water, and prevent
it from wafhing ihe foil down the furrows.
The fpecies of plants for this purpofe
fhould, of courfe, be the fame as in the
foregoing inftances ; but the fize fhould be
[ 143 J
lefs, as fuch are beft qualified to accommo-' '^i^**^
date themfelves to thefe unfavourable foils/ ^'^ r^
The bell fizes, I conceive, to be Scotch
firs of two years old, fpruce three ditto, ^^•'>*^
birch two ditto, and witch elms the fame; «^^**^*^
all of which fliould have been one year
tranfplanted, in order to improve their
roots. Where variety is an objeft a few
of other fpecies may be put in the mar-
gins; fuch as the oak, fycamore, horn-
beam, mountain afli, laburnum, &c. as all
of them will grow, though not fo well as
the foregoing ; the fizes fhould, of courfe,
correfpond with the others.
Before I difmifs the fubjeft of thin
ftiff foils, it may be well to imprefs upon ^
the mind of the reader the peculiar ufe- J^^^
fulnefs of the Scotch fir in fuch fituations; ^*^'
as, by its fhade and flielter, it tends at once
to meliorate the atmofphere, and the foil.
The former is obvious; and, as to the lat-
ter, no plant is fo well qualified to thrive
^^«#«*^^^y'
[ 14^ ]
poll ibem, and of courfe, fo fpeedily 16
^^^^o imother anddecompofe the vegetable mat-
'^^^^, ler they produce; indeedj from the time it
'>^/i^^^-*4^ gets to fix or eight feel high, the rotting of
its fpine furniflies not only a nutriment, but
a conduftor for the roots of the other trees ;
as Its foil, fiielter, and (hade all contribute
to promote their fpreading; and, of courfe,
their fuccefs in the fearch of that efTential
articleybo^. A root, protefted by the (hade
of a Scotch fir, will travel, as it were rapidly
and in fafety, not upon but fo near the
furface that, by the time it gets half an inch
in diameter, it frequently burfls its fcanty
covering, after which, we may perceive
to a demonftration, that every part of the
foil is completely employed in fupport of
the trees.
^t^X^^
The management of a ftiff and fome-
what deep foil, capable of being plough-
ed, will differ in three refpefts, from the
firft cafe; as firft, the furrow fhould be as
[ 145 ]
deep ploughed as could be laid tolerably 7^'<^
flat ; fecondly, the harrowing may be omit-v .^'^^'***^
ted, as the trees may be planted level •^^^•^
with the furface: thirdly, firs, of a foot, ^^^A^
and deciduous trees, of eighteen inches,
may be ufed. Where fuch lands have
been previoufly in tillage, a fallow will be
neceffary, if the ground prove foul, but if
not, it may be difpenfed with; as where
plants of fizes as above are ufed, trifling
attention will prevent them from being
fmothered.
Where fuch foils are incapable of
being ploughed, holing with the fpade
fhould be reforted to in autumn. The
fize of the holes about fourteen inches
wide, and ten deep, if the foil will permit.
When one hole is made, the fward from
the next is to be taken off, and placed with
the grafs fide downwards, in the firft.
About one third of the remaining foil may
then be thrown upon the fward to prefs
[ 146 ]
^-^^^H^iX. down, and promote its rotting; and
;'^"^t^ the other two laid clofe round the hole,
^ij^^^ not in large lumps, but broken a little,
i^tc^ , fo as to benefit the more by the winter's
frofts. This cafe would require plants of
the fame fizes as the laft.
f^&jC The previous preparation, of once
Ia<^s>^ ploughing and a crop of grain, is certainly-
applicable to every foil, that has been
fome years in grafs, and is capable of being
ploughed ; it being not only a good but a
very c/im^ method; the difference in value
between a crop of grain and one of grafs
being generally in favour of the former,
confiderably more than the expence of the
ploughing, — Undoubtedly this method
leaves the ground in a fituation peculiarly
calculated to forward the fpreading of the
roots, and to promote the general growth
of the trees ; and, bcfides, the holing after
fuch crop, would only coft about half as
much as after grafs. The general differ-
[ Ii7 ]
cncc of management for a thin and a deep^^^^^'^
foil has been juft adverted to. ^J"^-
While recommending the ufe of thq,
plough, the cafe of a thin chalk foil natural-
ly prefents itfelf ; as thefe have been found ^%^J*i
abundantly produdive in many valuable *''W^..
fpecies of timber ; mean time, the elevations
in which they are very commonly found,
Hand in the utmoft need of flielter ; while
the lofTcs which have followed planting
fuch of them as have been long under
grafs, fliows clearly the difficulty of the
bufmefs. Generally thefe loffes have hap-
pened from the circumftances of drought
and expofure ; and, therefore, means fhould
be ufed to guard againfl both. To effe6l the
former, in an eafy and cheap manner, I
know of no means fo proper as the fort of
ploughing and croppingjuft adverted to; —
ftill it will fometimes happen, that the foil
will not be produftive in grain; but, even
in that cafe, the ploughing will apply ; if
[ 148 ]
'^A*JLxS\t. foil is too poor to make it defirable to
>ff^**^^_fow grain, the lofs in letting it lie fallow
F^- /? /for one feafon cannot be much ; it muft,
i^, at leaft, be abundantly compenfated in
the fuccefs of the plants.
As thin chalk foils are generally rather
light, they do not require to be long ex-
pofed to the frolls; and hence fo much
the more time may be allowed for the
fward to rot, before part of it be turned
up by holing. It may lie reverfed from
Oftober in one year to December in the
next, or fourteen months, and flill leave
time enough for the frofls to operate, fo
far that the foil may eafily be feparated
from the grafs roots.
The difficulty in planting fuch foils is
threefold ; — for, if planted early, the frofls
often throw the trees out of the ground.
If planted late, the drought frequently
kills them; and generally the expofure is
[ 149 ]
fuch that many of them fail by that means.
There is, however, a method of protefting ^^f^t^^*^
the plants againft all thefe evils, which, ^ .^
in common cafes, cannot coft more than /.^^
8s. or los. extra expence, per acre: it
arifes out of, and forms a neceffary appen-
dage to the method already pointed out;
it is this : — After the trees have been plant-
ed in the ufual manner, part of the furrows,
moft diftant from the trees, is cut into
lengths of about twelve inches each ; and
one of them laid on each fide of every
plant, not clofe, but fo as to form a cavity,
juft wide enough for the lower branches
not to be preflecl together by the foil : the
diredion of the cavities muft crofs the
principal current of the wind.
The way in which this fimple procefs
effeds the fpecified purpofe, is alm(;ft too
obvious to need explanation ; but, as it
applies to a branch of the art which can-
not be too much extended, 1 may obferve,
[ 1^0 ]
M^'«w«^'^hat the pieces of the furrows fo applied,
^^2*'»*#M.?. prevent either the fun or wind from dry-
-7 :? yt/'^'[^g the foil, otherwife extremely thin,
-xf They, likewife, prevent the frofls of fpring
from penetrating fo low as the roots of
the plants ; which, by congealmg the moif-
ture, raife the furface; and hence either
loofens, or throws them out of the ground ;
of courfe, by this method, planting may be
done early, a matter highly important on
thin hght foils : on thefe it is alfo very de-
firable to plant as fliallow as poffible; by
this means, the higher parts of the roots
may be placed not only level with the fur-
face of the ground, but fomething above
it, by drawing together a Httle foil to
cover them.
As this cafe admits of only very fmall
plants, fo the flielter from wind-waving,
afforded by the flags, would be confidera-
ble ; for as the firs, which are mod of all
fubje£l to fuffer by it, fliould not be more
[ 151 ]
than five to Teven inches high, the broad i^^^^v«4^4
or branched part of them would be fcreen- ^J^^^^
ed, fo far that the plants could be little ^i^^; e-Ai
damaged by it. *<c^^.
As, in this cafe, there is no danger from
weeds, very fmall plants only fhould be
made ufe of; fay larch and Scotch firs of
two years, fpruce ditto, three ditto, afh,
beech, birch, fycamore, &c. two ditto, all
of which {hould have been tranfplanted.
The quantity of each fpecies fhould be
varied, in proportion to the expofure:
where mod bleak, there a confiderable
proportion of the Scotch firs, with a tole-
rable quantity of the birch, {hould be ufed;
where lead fo, the other articles will be
more proper ; more particularly, the larch ;
it being, all circumfl:ances confidered, by
far the moft beneficial article that can be
planted on fuch foils; and hence, in plant-
ing of theiiiy the fhekering of it fliould al-
[ 1.5^2 j
I
4^AtA^i^ vvays be matter of the firfl confideration :
^^*^ ■ and, for that purpofe, the Scotch fir and
^ c^^A birch will always deferve a preference.
The general ufefulnefs of both, forfuch
purpofes, is well known; ftill it may be
ufeful to remark here, in regard to the
bnxh, that, on fuch foils, it ufually rifes faft-
er, and hence overtops and crouds the
other trees. When, as this happens fre-
quently, in four or five years after plant-
ing, it will be proper to cut it down
clofe by the ground, early in fpring, which
will occafion it to form feveral flioots
jnllead of one flem ; each of which, produ-
cing numerous branches, placed low, will
form a very clofe flielter; — generally in
the courfe of the firft fummer, they will
rife to be as high as the trees they are in-
tended to prote6l; fo that, early in the
fecond, fuch plantations will appear to be
rifing much more regularly, and better
fheltered than before.
[ 133 ]
Perhaps no better proof can be advan- ^^^^^
ced, of the want of a good method of v£llll!
planting thin chalksfoils, than the confide-*^'. ^^<
rable loflTes in plants fo frequently found •^'^^« ^
upon them; and this fa6l again points out
the ufe of fome diredions, in regard to re-
placing fuch failing plants. As ploughing
is, in this cafe, out of the queftion, fo the
method that neareft approaches to it (hould
be adopted; which is, to cut out the whole
foil, (fward included,) where the trees are
intended to ftand, in circles of about eigh- .
teen inches diameter; and to turn thefe,
with the grafs downwards, into the fame
holes they were cut from, the time for
rotting the fward, and the other circum-
ftances of this cafe, fhould be the fame
which has jufl been detailed, with this dif-
ference, that, upon account of the (belter
from herbage, &c. the plants may be larg-
er, and they may ufually be conveniently
prote6ted from drought and fpring frofts
[ 154 ]
^''*'' by making ufe of part of the grafs, to
A- — — cover the raw furface round them.
Vee,/!0^*>cd The method of preparing any foil that
^^f^^^^^i^ deep and hght, need not be long dwelt
upon: — If the principles already advanced
be duly attended to, it will not be difficult
to difcover, in regard to them, what may
be proper; and the reverfe for different
fituations. Generally, it may be obferved,
that the more of vegetable matter there is
found upon the furface, and the greater
will be the advantages to be obtained from
turning it in; — and certainly no means is
fo pradlicable, in large defigns, as the ufe
of the plough, followed by a crop of grain.
In good foils, producing rank herbage,
there is always great danger of fmothering
the trees, except they are planted fo large
as to greatly enhance the expence, and be
in other refpefts improper. By ufing
means to rot the herbage, we change what
would otherwife deftroy the plants, into a
[ 155 ]
nutriment highly beneficial to them ; in- S-^^^l*^^
deed, by fo doing, they are foon enabled '^*^»^'
to rife above danger from fuch circum-
flances. It is true, that, under this pro-
cefs, we may flill expc6t fome quantity of
weeds, but they would be fuch as would
be rnuch eafier kept down, than a general
crop of grafs, &c.
On lands light but poor, the quantity <^jQ^£'^t
of vegetable matter upon the furface is >^i^ ^^
feldom great, nor is there much danger of
the herbage fmothering the plants; and,
therefore, the fimple method of holing, by
turning the produce of the hole 77^^/^272^,
into that lajl made, will frequently prove
the mod: proper as well as convenient.
Undoubtedly there are perfons who wifh
to refort to the bejl methods only, without
regarding the expence; particular fitua-
tions warrant an extra expenditure. In
the bulk of cafes, however, the faft is
different ; and, therefore, we beft promote
.[ 156 ]
'^'"'•^^^le bufinefs by duly attending to cheapnefs
tl^-of method.
As light foils do not require the opera-
tion of frofts to reduce them, fo where
there is no fward, or not many large or
root weeds, it may be fufficient to only
turn over (and break the foil where need-
ful,) in the places where the trees are to
fland.
y^^^ The method of preparing fmall patches
^i«J-e^i of ground for planting, by digging or
""^.trenching, is well known to every prac-
titioner; and, therefore, is only introdu-
ced here for the purpofe of obferving, that
wherever fuch expence is thought neceffa-
ry, the keeping the ground clean, for two
or three years, or till the plants will, in a
great meafure, fmorher the herbage, will
generally prove the fame : for where quick
growth is effential, cleanlinefs of appear-
ance is ufually of confequence. Slight
[ 157 ]
crops of potatoes, with fhort tops ; or tur- "^A^^
nips, may be admitted into fuch planta- v ""^ '
tions with advantage, for two or three ^^^^.^^
years, as they create a neceflity for anv^-*'^^^"
nually digging or ftirring the furface, and^^/ "**"
tend very materially to accelerate the
growth of the plants. It may be objefted,
that fuch crops muft impoverifh the foil,
and no doubt but fuch is the fa6l, fo far
as common vegetables are concerned, but
as to the produ61;ion of wood, it has already
been (hown that its fupport depends, in a
great meafure, on a different fpecies of nu-
triment; and hence I could never obferve
that fuch cropping damaged it materially.
The preparation of rocky foils proves «^^^
fometimes rather difficult, yet certainly *^**^^' -
moft of them, which are of little value for
the general purpofes of agriculture, are
qualified to be highly produ6live in timber;
and hence fuch little difficulties ffiould
^rj/-^ never be permitted to fland in the way of
/^^Z^ ip\'dniing them.
(^^<^ */if^ .
It is of much Icfs confequencc than
moft people imagine, whether trees are
planted regularly, fo as to cover the whole
of the furface, or irregularly, (clouded,) as
will often be the cafe on rocky ground;
for, in either cafe, the whole of the foil
will be completely occupied to a confide-
rable depth. Where we cannot plant re-
gularly, upon account of the rocks, the
trees fhould ftand fomething clofer than
ordinary diltances round them; becaufe
there all of them have an extra fupply
of air, and moft of them fufficient of foil.
At planting, however unfavourable ap-
pearances may be, it is not poffible to
know what particular plant or plants will
not ultimately thrive, providmg foil enough
can be found to caufe them to grow in
the firft inftance.
[ 1.59 ]
The holes in fuch ground have gene- r
rally been made by the alternate ufe of j^r~7^^
the fpade and mattock, a very tedious pro- *' ^^^^
cefs; in lieu of which, I have, for many
years, made ufe of the latter only, the
tool being peculiarly adapted to the pur-
pofe, (fee the f rontif piece ;) — the fward
being taken off as thin as poffible, with the
broad end, and the foil loofened in the
hole with the other, inftead of taking it out
and laying it on the fides, in the cuftomary
manner. In this operation, the larger
fl ones are taken out, fo as to leave broken
foil in the holes, fufhcient in quantity to
plant trees, of the intended fize; generally
a fmall one.
Where few flones are found, the foil
left will ufually fill the hole; where there
are more, it is frequently left hollow, as
on light open foils; — it is of little confe-
quence whether the trees be placed level
with the furface or not, fo as they have
[ 1(J0 ]
£/^4^/^^l3Ut a iafficiency of foil to grow in. It
f^u.*^ j^^^^ ^j^Q l^g obferved, in regard to this
/^i^^ procefs, that no. regard is paid to bury-
»-v-^<. ^ ing the herbage, as it ufually proves of a
nature that would not fpeedily rot ; hence
after much trouble in regard to it, it
would be found to confiderably incom-
. mode the bufmefs of planting.
It may be obferved befides, that where
light foils are fo fertile as to produce her-
bage that will readily rot, that foil alone
will be fufficiently fertile for trees to thrive
in. In (hort, by keeping the mattock to-
lerably thin, the herbage is taken off with
very little foil adhering to it.
Frequently, in making thefe holes, the
fcarcity of foil renders it neceffary to
break down more of fome fide or fides of
the hole than was firfl bared, in order to
increafe the quantity of earth ; in this cafe,
little regard is paid to the furface herbage
[ 161 ]
as the tool to be employed in planting ^^A*^^
will readily feparate it from the foil, after ^^^*^^
the latter has been expofed to the winter's
frofts. If, in making a hole, a ftone be
found too large to be readily taken out,
it may be left in, and the hole made to one
fide of it; regular diflance being, as before
intimated, found to be of little confequence.
In preparing the fides of fteeps, the t t^kt* ^f
herbage is found particularly ufeful in <^^/<. -
forming a fort of buttrefs to fupport the
foil ; as here it is of importance to plant
trees on a level, in order to hold the water
in its defcent. In this cafe, it is not fo
neceflary to pare the herbage thin, as on
levels ; for the greater part of it gets cover-
ed fo as to rot, and foon becomes beneficial
to the plants. Perhaps no fituations, in-
acceflible by the plough, can be fo effec-
tually and cheaply preparedfor planting as
precipices ; feeing a quantity of foil is very
readily moved, by working it down the hill
X
[ 1C2 ]
^^'^^^w^'wh the mattock, to form the levels for
the trees, large enough for the roots to
fpread in freely, and likewife to retain the
moifture; hence the only difadvantage of
{\jic\ijleeps, fo far as planting is concern-
edj may be eafily obviated.
Z^ ^ On foils at once Ilony and heathy, (a
^'^^^^^^.cafe very common,) the mattock proves
peculiarly ferviceable, in moving the one
and cutting the other; matters extreme-
ly difficult to be perforrned, with the fpade ;
certainly, without the ufe of fome fuch
tool, the expence of planting, upon many
fituations, would be greatly enhanced.
y, /^ It will be obferved, that, in preparing
^*^J^ heathy foils, the method is juft the fame
as on rocky ones ; the heath being ftruck
off as thin as poffible, and the foil ftirred
and left in the hole.
In clofing the fubje6l of preparation,
\ would obferve generally, that every foil.
[ 163 ]
intended to be planted, will be benefited by
being broken up, fome months previous ^J'^^^
to planting: on ftifFones, the reafonof this 6^
operation is obvious, froft is neceflary to ^ /i£t^
reduce them. It is not fo eafy to fay why^^^^^L, <
a light one, which has been long broken</C /C^
up, retains moifture better than one newly ^ <a-^
done, but the fa6l is well known; and, /^z^^^
therefore, though no advocate for early ^^.J*t
planting, I am decidedly fo for auturnnal *' '^ '"•
preparation, in every cafe where it is con-
venient. _
The diftances proper for forefl trees to ^^/^
be planted, have been much the {\x\y]^di/-z^^ ;
of difcufiion ; on this head I have had but^^^A-*^
one opinion, for many years. In general
cafes, a di fiance of foiir feet is certainly
clofe enough; as, at that fpace the trees
may all remain till they become faleable;
as timber, rails, fpars, &c. are jqf confider-
able value every where ;^«€ wood only
in fome places. Where the produce, ne=
r 164 ]
^^^^t^ii^cefTary to be thinned out of a plantation, is
f^M^ .of confiderable value, there is little danger
''^^^^'^of this bufinefs being neglefted. Where it
is of little, the reverfe proves almofl con«
ftantly the cafe; few men can fet about
thinning a plantation, which is not likely
to pay well for the trouble, without con-
jQderable relu61ance.
^3.6-^0 Another (Irons: obieftion to thick plant- ^r/-
j ing is the extra expence thereof; — at three ^
/^^ , leet apart, an acre requires 4040 plants; a~ /^
--^^^^at four only I'jii^ a difference of more yX/c
tz/o than two fifths ; or thus in the latter cafe, 2/\ Q
. 9 three pounds will plant more land than ^^ ^
7
^io ^^ advanced in fupport of the former dif- ^»M ^
^oZ tance than I have yet heard, I fhall conti- -^» I «
\^^y five m the former; the difference is indeed 23^ 6
Zj2fS ^^ ftriking, that, unlefs better arguments ^^
J2S7 nue to be an advocate for the latter. 7
a
fi //y^ It is adniittcd, that elevated expofures /
* fhould be an exijeption to the rule, but j^ | ^
J(P
3o
^9
J2P
2/
[ 165 ]
even here I confider three feet diftances as y*"^^^^^
too httle, becaufe, by {landing fo clofe,'V^^^
the plants foon deftroy each other's branch-''^^"**^
es; hence, when we begin to thin, we
find the removal of every tree makes an
aperture which there is no means of re-
pairing.
At three feet diftance, the plants will
{land about one fourth clofer than at four;
and, from repeated obfervations, it appears
clear, that few foreft trees grown clofer,
will be ftrong enough to ftand eretl in
expofures. I, therefore, fee no reafon to
recommend planting at lefs than the for-
/7 ,mer dillance.^, ■ y^ ^ • y ^
~ In regard to the {izes of trees for plant- »^^<« ^
ing, the particular cafes have been men- •**-'•
tione'S where very fmall ones would be
proper: the be{l general rule is, to pro-
portion the {ize of the plants to the good-
nefs of the foil; the belt of the latter
"TZ' //^-
<t T
^
L 16(3 ]
<^£ ^ requiring the largefl: of the former. Still
*^^***^on bleak expofures this rtile will not hold
good, as there the plants fliould never be
large, for otherwife the greater part would
fail from the circumftance of wind- waving,
and of thofe that fucceeded, few, if any,
would make much progrefs for feveral
years : firs of a foot, and deciduous trees of
eighteen inches, are Jar^e enouoh for iuch
places, if the ground prove but indifferent,
and have no fhelter upon it; but if it be
good, fo as to produce ftrong and tall
herbage, plants of fomewhat larger fizes
fliould be admitted, as thofe of the fmaller
fize would be in danger of being fmothered.
However as, in planting large defigns,
foils which are good and well fheltered
but feldom occur, the mod ufefiil fi7e*^
of plants, for general purpofes, will be the
lame jiifl noted: yj/r firs pf a foot^_and
deridnniisj^rees of eighteen inches. When
mentioning the fizes of trees, it fliould
[ 167 ]
always be underflood of tranfplanted ones ; *^o trf^
becaufe, in at leafl nine inftances in ten, h^«^.
fuch are ftiffer and better rooted than feed- ^^^/^^^^
lings: ftiil it fometimes happens that, in -^^^^^
confequence of a thin crop, feedlings may ^^'^^ *^*"
have every requifite good property, and
fo far there is no objeftion to their ufe.
It may be obferved too, that none but^^^^^V*^
good rooted plants will fucceed on a bad -^jw ^
foil, while, on a good one fheltered, none ^^
but very bad rooted plants will fail ; a
larg^e plant never has fo good a root, in
proportion to its fize, as a fmall one; and
hence w^e fee the propriety of ufmg fuch
on good foils only. For inftance, w^e can-
not ufe large plants on fliff foils with any
reafonable hopes of fuccefs ; and the
chance is ftill worfe if they prove likewife
expofed ; as neither cafe affords the means
of fpeedily furnifliing the plants with roots
that will have a regular proportion to
the fize of their heads; — hence the cir-
[ 168 ]
^^f^^^culation of the Tap is impeded, and ilie
C/^^'h^ plants become dinted in growth ; under
which circumftance, it not unfrequently
happens, that the fmall quantity of fap
furnifhed by the roots, inflead of afcend-
ing to the tops, to furnifh leaves and (hoots,
breaks out into fprigs, by the furface of
y the ground ; a clear proof of the impeded
'^***™ circulation iuft noticed. — Small plants, on
^'i/^>niiCc ^^ contrary, lofe but few of their roots
;^A-t^ in removal ; therefore, though planted in
very moderate fized holes of pulverifed
earth, foon find the means of making
roots, in proportion to their heads. Be-
fides, fuch are in fome degree, fheltered.
In fliort, itJJiould never be forgotten, that
as, in being removed, a plant of two feet
lofes a greater proportion of its roots than
a tree of one, and one of three feet a grea-
ter proportion than one of two, and fo
on, in proportion to its former ftrength
and height, fo the larger the plants, fo
much greater is the ftate of languor or
[ 1^9 ]
weaknefs into which they are thrown, by <y^^<v*^
that circumftance; and hence, in propor- -^-^j^*4
tion to that ftate of weaknefs, fhould be ^^'^^
our efforts to reftore them to their ufual
health, by fuch means as choice of foils,
preparation, (hel ter, &c. If we can, indeed,
manage at the outfet, fo as to reftore to
them what may be called a good conftitu-
tion, they will generally, afterwards, be
found able to contend, not only with the
boiflerous elements, but an unfavourable
foil.
In regard to the fizes of holes for trees, <^^^^ ^
it is to be obferved, that, on light foils, f^^^l; "
completely broken up, the hole is large ^ _,
enough that will hold the roots of the ar-^^^*^-*^
plant, when extended; on fliffer foils, a '- ^^'*-^''"'*~^
few inches more room is neceffary. In
both cafes it is to be obferved, that fome
benefit would arife from having the holes
made early in winter ; ftill that benefit will
be in proportion to the tenacity of the
^^/^t^^?>**^ -^^^^^..^^^^ ^i^ -^^2^ a^^
' » - ^'-^c^i^ ^/)\/ua *.//t^a^/ ^t^c^M^a, <» y^ i*<^;^ ^^a
^Z)^^ foil ; on ftifFones, for inflance, it will be of
^^t^t^. much advantage, on fands of very little. ^
^;^2i>»^.- ^J^ lands not broken up, it is obvious
-7^«*».**oa large hole mufl be, in every cafe, an ad-
vantage ; but much greater on fliff than
light ones. A large plant requires abun-
dantly more fpace, beyond its roots, than
a fmall one, the difference may be as much
as from two to eight inches. Depth alfo
is of much confequence, where the gene-
ral depth of foil admits of it. Still we have
no bufmefs to penetrate lower than the
flrata in which the trees will grow: On
fliff ones, abundance of mifchief is often
done by this means ; as it includes the
double difadvantage of putting the roots
of the trees, and the bed of the foil, into
a hole capable of holding water, both of
which lead to confequences fo obvioufly
at variance with the fuccefs of the plants,
that, I trilfl:, it need only be mentioned
to be avoided.
^ ^^ ^
[ 171 ]
On the whole it is evident, that holes »^^^^^
retain moifture, in proportion to their ^*^^^^^'
fize and depth; and, therefore, except
under particular circumftances of difficul-
ty, fmall ones are never to be recommend-
ed. As to the form of holes, it is to be pzr^**^-
noted, that they fhould always be round,
and widell at the bottom.
It will be obferved that, in the general, ^-^^^^f^i^*-
I am an advocate for early or autumn ^%T *
preparation of the foil, with fpring plant- /J^^^^^^^LI
ing; from a full conviftion that, provided ^^^^^.^
the former is duly attended to, but little »*^' -"^
of lofs would happen under the latter. It
is true, that where the former is negleded
the cafe proves exa6tly the reverfe, and
moft generally from the circumftance of
drought, in confequence of the foil not
being duly mellowed by the winter's frofts.
Sometimes, however, loffes happen
from the plants being dried, by being long
[ 172 ]
"^^^X ®"* ^^ ^^^ ground ; a matter always to be
;r avoided as much as poiFible. That, how-
'^^^*y^ ever, cannot be done completely when
they are procured at a diflance ; and, there-
, y ,*ore, when fuch arrive and appear rather
/ ^^^ dried, the beft method is to puddle their
/g^u' ^*oots, previous to planting: iftheyfeem
rr^.^r^xM^hsT^^'^y much dried, it would ftill be better
to lay them in the ground, for eight or ten
days, giving them a good foaking of water
every fecond or third day, in order to re-
flore their vegetative powers : for it well
deferves notice, that a degree of moifture
in foil, fufficient to fupport a plant re-
cently, or immediately, taken from the
nurfery, would, in the cafe of dried ones,
prove fo far infufficient, that mod of them
would die in it. — The puddling here re-
commended may alfo be of great fervice in
all cafes of late planting, where fmall plants
are ufed: my method is (after puddling,)
to tie them in bundles, of two or three
hundreds each; and thus fend them, by a
[ 173 ]
cart load at once, to where wanted ; where ^<*^<^'
fuch bundles being fet upright, clofe to
each other, and a httle flraw carefully ap-
plied to the outfides of them, may remain
without damage in a (heltered fituation,
any reafonable time neceffary to plant
them. Where loofe foil happens to be
convenient, that (hould be fubftituted in
the place of draw.
A puddle for trees is made by mixing
water with any foil, rather tenacious, fo
intimately as to form a complete puddle,
fo thick, that, when the plants are dipped
into it, enough may remain upon the roots
to cover them.
The procefs of puddling is certainly
fimple, and its ex pence too trifling to de-
ferve notice : its effeds, however, m retain-
ing, if not attraftmg moifture, are fuch
that, by means of it, late planting is render-
ed abundantly more fafe than it otherwife
C^^c , /iCe ^^^^^"^^ ^f y^t^*-^^ /»^*-^ ^fc<:^t«. ^^ **^ y*^
^^r/^//-;?^^^ ^/i^X-*/ — __ __ ^ ^:
y.^Ae../l/,. [ 174 ]
ttJ^u^A v/ould be. It is an old invention, and hence
^ it is truly allonifhing that it is not more
frequently praftifed. If we could but per-
fuade people to adopt it generally, in
fpring planting, I believe the prejudice in
favour of autumn praftice would foon be
done away. It is truly allonifhing how
generally and ftrongly that prejudice pre-
vails; I, therefore, beg leave to obferve
here, that it is advifable only in few cafes,
while fpring planting may properly ap-
ply to all. In fliort, the nature of the bu-
finefs is fuch, that a great proportion of it
can only be well and fafely done at that
feafon — ^^^^^ *-^ ^<.S^*— 7 ^^P-^^^
^^yl^y^ "I'he common niethod of planting is fo
/far known to every Gardener, that little
need be faid upon it here. It may, how-
ever, be neceffary to explain what may be
called a good one. — The root of the plant
is to be drefled, by (hortening the ftrag-
gling, and taking off the broken roots : —
't,.^ /i C,^^/ /sS^Ol^ T^i>^P^ X*^<, /^ ^' '^^•^^^*^^ ^^
\:r
itr^
The hole is then to be made ready, by\ ^^^
either taking out earth, or putting it -^^frA^*"**^'
and breaking it where necefTary ; the plant
is then to be placed in it, with two or three
inches of the flem beneath the level of the
furface ; the befl or fined of the foil is then
to be put to the roots, and diftributed
amongft them, by (baking the plant; in
which operation, it fhould be drawn up fo
as to ftand very little, if at all, deeper than
it did in the nurfery ; the reft of the foil is
then to be put in, and the plant fixed firm
and fet ftraight with the foot; after which
leveling the furface completes the bufinefs.
Two things, in regard to the above
praftice, I have frequently obferved to be
mifmanaged, viz. the cuftom of planting
too deep, and a bad mode of faftening the
plants. When I obferve a quantity of
plants thriving ill, where the appearance
of the foil is favourable, I generally fuf-
pe£l the former, and have frequently found
d^t^
^r^a.^;^./^^^. '^j'o^^.
[ 176 }
^^^^feveral inches of ftem withm the furface
tM^^o{ the ground, and the roots of the plants
beneath the bed part of the foil; a matter
no otherwife completely curable than by
replanting. The other circumftance arifes
chiefly from gardeners being little habitu-
ated to any but garden praftice, and hence
on fomething like garden foils they per-
form pretty well ; on fands, however, they
generally leave the plants too loofe, and
on ftiff foils ufually fix them too faft ; — the
truth is, we can fcarcely tread the former
too much and the latter too little, fo that
the plants, if fmall, will refift the wind;
and as to large ones, they fliould be ftaked
in preference to hard treading.
^ ^ Having, for nearly twenty years, adopt-
ed, what I may be permitted to call. An
improved method of Forejl Planting; by
means of tools invented for the purpofe,
(fee the plate;) it will be neceffary here
to explain, in fome degree, their forms
[ 177 ]
and ufes : — The firft is a mattock, made c/^</^-^
particularly light, with one end about ^^^7^^=^
four inches broad and thirteen long, from
the centre; the other a pike, its length ^ — -
about feventeen inches. The ufe of this ^''*^
tool on heathy, tough, flony foils and
fleeps, has been already defcribed, (fee
P. 159—1620- /^^--^ e^^'-^*/-^ /C
The other tools are called planters, the
forms of which may befl be feen by the
plate. No. 2, is a fort of hack or hoe, of
the length of eight inches from the eye;
the face or edge four and a half broad,
and the handle twelve long; the heel or
part behind the eye is made ftronger than
the other parts of it, in order to a6l as 2t,
maul, in breaking fuch clods as may be
necelTary.
No. 3 and 4, have been introduced of
late years, as improvements upon the
foregoing; being better adapted to foils
KTc
l».72^iy -•<e^^«s'-iC*y-^ -^ * - ^' *>^*^ ^a. . /S'a,
[ 178 ]
j^/^C?^ full of roots, ftones, &c. they are, like-
A^^-^^Vwrife, eafier to work, as they penetrate
to an equal depth, with a ftroke lefs vio-
% jf lent than the former: they are alfo lefs
fubjeft to be clogged up, by a wet or te-
nacious foil. The length of the prongs
of both (hould be about eight inches, and
the diftances between them, in No. 3,
one and a half: in No. 4-, two inches : this
fhould be made fomewhat flronger than
the former; it being intended chiefly for
very ftony lands, or where the foil wants
breaking, in order to feparate it from the
herbage, &c.
No. 5, is a feftion, to (how the form
and ftrength of the prongs applicable to
No. 3; one of the fides being to be in-
wards, or towards the planter.
It will be obferved, that thefe tools are
chiefly applicable to plants of any fize up
to about two feet, or fuch as are generally
,_^^4:
[ J79 ]
ufed for great defigns, where they are ufed*^^^^^'^**^'
as a fubftitute for the fpade, in the follow-
ing manner. The planter, being provided
with a bafket holding the plants required,
(the holes being fuppofed prepared, and
the earth left in them,) he takes a tree
in one hand, and the tool in the other^
which he ftrikes into the hole, and then
pulls the earth towards him, fo as to make
a hole large enough to hold all its roots :
he then puts in the plant with the other
and pufhes the earth to its roots with the
back of the planter; after which, he fixes
the plant, and levels the foil at the fame
inftant, with his foot; fo that the operation
is performed by one perfon with a degree
of neatnefs and expedition which no one
can attain to, who ufes the fpade. It
is known to all planters, that but few la-
bourers ever learn to plant well and ex-
peditioufly, in the common method, with-
out an afliftant : — This method, however,
requires neither help nor dexterity; as
r 180 ]
uUfi^, any labourer of common fagacity, or boy
-/i^.riwy^p fifteen, or even a woman, may learn to
perform it well in lefs than half an hour.
The facility with which thefe tools will
break clods, clear the holes of ftones, or
ieparate the foil from herbage, the roots
of heath &c. (the former being previouf-
ly mellowed by the Troft,) may be eafily
imagined.
In the foregoing pages, many obferva-
tions have been made on the different fpe-
cies of trees, befl calculated for the pur-
pofe of fheltering or nurfmg each other,
fo far as the general profperity and value
of plantations are concerned. We proceed
next to treat of fhelter, not only as it re-
lates to the above objeds, but. as it may
be made fubfervient to the improvement
of property generally, as well as the im-
mediate vicinity of a family manfion.
Here, however, I find two circumflances
completely different in their nature, fo
[ ISl ]
intimately conncfted, that it feems the mofi: .^':-*^<'>'*
convenient method to fpeak of them to-*?^^*^
gether.
Every one, who has any diftinft ideas 6^*z<>*^«-^
of the nature of trees, will readily agree .^a^^u^
that they are capable of producing what
all the intelligent part of mankind allow
to be of the utmoll value, viz. ornament
and (heiter ; — they are indeed fo infepara-
ble, from their nature, that it is almoft im-
poflible to plant a large number without,
ultimately, producing a confiderable de-
gree of both : — The fa6l is, that a thriv-
ing plantation, however mifplaced, be-
comes, with the bulk of mankind, an ob-
jetl of regard, approaching almofl to
veneration ; perhaps the idea of utility, in-
feparably connefted with fuch obje6ls, goes
far in (lamping the impreflion.
If fuch then be the effefts of trees, as
operating upon the human mind, without
[ 182 ]
**^***^ regard to arrangement or propriety of
' fituation, we are not to wonder at the afto-
nifhing effe6ls they are capable of produ-
cing, when every mafs, group, clump, or
individual tree, has its proper place and
ftation, and when their fpecies, and even
forms, are made fubfervient to thefe pur-
poles : for then it is, and not before, that
we fee what a great profefTional man
would have properly called their natural
*' capabilities." — The modeft manfion and
the fplendid palace are equally indebt-
ed to their aid ; for when the architeft,
the mafon, fculptor, painter, and the
numerous profeffional train, ufually em-
ployed in decorating manfions of afflu-
ence, have exerted their utmoft efforts, the
whole, without trees, may be compared to
a beacon upon a hill ; an objeft to be
looked at, but not enjoyed, except by
perfons who do not fliare in the common
feelings of mankind.
[ 18S ]
To fay, in how many ways trees con- ^**^*
tribute to benefit a country refidence, ,
would lead me far beyond my prefent ob-^ /«^*^-
je6l; I fhall, therefore, only juft briefly
notice a few of them; as, firft, they add
greatly to the ideal fize and confequence
of the manfion itfelf ; fuppofe, for inftance,
a houfe to ftand fo as to be feen in com-
mon with other buildings, diftant hills, the
fky, or any obje6l larger than itfelf, its
height and dimenfions will be apparently
reduced by being fo contrafled. On the
contrary, fhould trees be introduced be-
tween the building and fuch obje6ls, fo
that the eye is in a meafure confined to
the contemplation of the former only, it
immediately appears increafed in beauty,
fize, and comfort.
Secondly, the fhade and (helter afford- ^^/1a a^
ed by trees may, if rightly managed, be -^^^^2^.
made to give, what may be called, a new
atmofphere : They will, as far as necelfary.
[ 18^ j
AiiJct^ equally exclude the impetuous blaft and
^^^- the fcorching ray ; and thus it is tliat they
contribute to health, by inviting to the en-
joyment of an invigorating excurfion,. in
every feafon, not unufually intemperate.
^tc^^x. Thirdly, trees may be generally made
the means oS. Jhutting in fuch objefts as
appear defirable, and o{ JJiutting out the
reverfe. For inftance, if the view from
the manfion commands fome beautiful
grounds, trees properly arranged will ge-
nerally lead the eye fo far to thefe objefts,
as to give them a force or expreffion before
unobferved; — and the fame obfervation
will apply to water: a fmall piece, by art-
ful management, in concealing the termi-
nations with trees, may often be made to
appear as a continued river.
Fourthly, by means of trees, the ap-
parent fize of a lawn may generally be
confiderably increafed: not certainly by
[ 18.5 ■]
planting a continued belt round it, as is te^uk^^^
very commonly praftifed, but by bold
projeclions and breaks, fo managed that
the ground may appear to continue
through the latter. Frequently, by the
fkilful ufe of fuch means, lands not the
property of the fame proprietor may be
made to appear part of the demenfe.
Such then being a part (certainly but
a fmall one) of the ways in which trees
may be made to benefit a country refidence,
it clearly behoves the proprietors of them
to confider how fuch objefts maybe obtain-
ed with certainty, for they are not the fruits
of chance, but means ; and fuch means muft
be proportioned to the end. It is not the
ftudy of painting, the art of drawing, or
a facility of writing large treatifes, that will
qualify a man for the creation of the fort
of rural fcenery juft adverted to; nor can
the profeffional gardener, whofe life has
been principally devoted to far different
AA
[ 186 ]
5^L»»«^.*-^bje6ls, be fuppofed at all equal to the
«<i^*^vtalk; it is only to be expefted from the
man of genius, tafte, obfervation, and ex-
perience ; one, in fhort, who has a head to
plot and a hand to execute, not only the
great and effential, but even the mod mi-
nute parts of the bufmefs.
The works of an ornamental gardener,
who refts in theory only, may aptly enough
be compared to bafe coin, it may look well
and even pafs for a time ; by and by, how-
ever, it wears worfe, the copper is feen
through the filver, and that again affumes
the place of the gold; the proprietor la-
ments his lofs, and fo may, with good
reafon, the owner of an ill planted flirub-
bery, while the defigner adopts the poets
piteous lamentation. *' Vegetation fpoils
"every thing;" which, by the way, only
proves that he could abufe what he
did not properly underftand. The truth
is, that, as fuch defigners do not know the
[ 187 ]
proper fituatlons for the different fpecies ^^'/«*.
of plants, that bufinefs is left to accident, ^^/^-^
and hence moft of them prove mifplaced; *^A^^^
of coLirfe, the planting gets gradually into
diforder, in much the fame proportion as
it would have improved, had it been pro-
perly executed.
To inftance one of the many refpedls,
in which the works of fuch defigners get
annually worfe, I may notice the cafe of
fcreens. In the immediate vicinity of a
houfe, fuch things are peculiarly defirable;
and yet very generally mifmanaged. In
the courfe of a few years, we ufually find
what (hould continue a clofe one, poffeff-
ing the properties of (hade, flielter, and
retirement, degenerate into an open grove;
and hence, both its chara6i:er and ufe are
in a great meafure loft. Nor can this be
wondered at, if men continue to plant and
treat both in the fame manner only.
//
[ 188 1
'^'^*^' - ^ A little obfervation may ferve to con-
vince us, that every fcrccn muft degene-
rate, in the way jufl; noticed, if part of the
plants compofing it have not the proper-
ties of growing bufliy, of retaining their
branches very low, of producing clofer
heads on being pruned, of fhooting afrefh
from the ground on being cut down, and
of growing under other trees. Nor can
any fcreen long retain thefe properties,
except they are carefully promoted and
encouraged, by frequent attention. Of
courfe, a fcreen (hould confift of three
defcriptions of plants : viz. trees proper
for principals, for underwood, and for the
fronts.
//
V/'.. ^2. ^5 all ^]^£ grounds, to be planted in
'**'^^— the immediate neighbourhood of the man-
'^J fion, (hould be prepared by trenching, or
^*/ '''digging at lead:, fo the principal trees for
y/^ them fbould be fomewhat large; if they
differ as much in height as from three to
I 189 ]
eight feet fo much the better, as thefe
with the underwood, which (l^ould differ
in height from three feet to one, would
collectively foon exhibit a clofenefs of
bottom and a lightnefs of fummit; circura-
(tances without which fuch fcreens can
never be more than in a hmited degree
either useful, be autiful, thriving,
or LASTING.
It fliould be remarked, that, in planta-
tions of this defcription, trees which form
very clofe heads (hould be fparingly ufed
as prmcipals: the fir tribe for inftance,
fhould chiefly be ufed near the verges
lead feen, and more efpecially where the
fcreens ar€ narrow; as there they (hould
be rather dark; for otherwife we lofe
much of" apparent breadth. But it is to be
noted, thai though fuch verges (hould be
darkened, this method would have an ex-
tremely bad effetl, were the clofe heads
of fuch trees to rife fo high as to exhibit a
[ m ]
.. clofe fummit to the diflant beholder; as
that would reduce the apparent breadth
at any feafon, by bringing forward the dis-
tant outline; the effeft, however, would
be much the worft in winter. Still per-
fons need not be afraid of ufing a moderate
quantity of firs, as principals, in fuch
places; becaufe, where they are allowed
tolerable fpace, they feldom i:ife fo quick
as the bulk of deciduous trees; and fhould
too many appear, fome of them may be
taken down in preference to other fpecies,
when thinning becomes neceffary; fo that
the effe6l alluded to might be completely
avoided.
Prefuming that an equal quantity of
principals and underwood make an excel-
lent proportion of plants for a fcreen, the
method of planting them will be found
very eafy ; as the fize will fufhciently mark
the diftinftions. If the whole ground is
holed, fo as to plant at three feet diftances.
[ 191 ]
and luilf of tliefe are planted with each
defcription, the plants would ultimately
ftand at regular diftances. It is not intend-
ed here to di6late what proportion of each
individual fpecies fhould be rnSae ufe of,
or how mixed, but certainly a regular
mixture of either principals, underwood,
or front trees, would be one of the worfl
that could be adopted.
The lift for underwood may comprife
all or part of the following ; Firft, — beech,
hornbeam, lime, oak, and common thorns,
of about two feet high; as thefe will bear
to have their heads reduced occafionally,
and will fpring afrefh from the ground
upon being cut down.
Second, — Birch, horfe chefnuts, moun-
tain a{h, and laburnums of two feet: —
thefe (hoot freely on being cut down, but
become unfightly on having their heads
reduced.
[ m ] '
^i^t.*^ T.hird, — Spruce and filver firs of one
footij^thefe will grow under other trees
w^re tlie cover is not very clofe, and
\^^^^s*^n^ji^w form broad bufhes, by
^^ frequently mortening their leading (hoots.
Fourth, — Common hollies, laurels, box,
and privets, of a foot high : — the general
properties of thefe are well known ; all of
them grow very well under trees, more
particularly the three former.
In planting of fcreens it will be necef-
fary to leave two ranks of holes, in the
principal fronts, open ; in the firfl: place,
in order to be filled with front plants on-
ly.— For w^hich purpofe, the foregoing
hfl: of underwood will all be proper, with
the addition of areatheaphrafl:i, ornamen-
tal thorns, golden willows. Sec. — as thefe,
colieftively, could not fail to form that
clofenefs and variety of front, which is al-
ways defirable, but very rarely feen.
[ 19S ]
Pofifibly fome perfons may fuppofc, v^^i^^
that fuch methods would be particularly
cxpenfive: — the fa6l, however, ^ig. other-
wife ; for it is to be recolle^^ *hH num-
ber of plants would be the fame as is com-
monly ufed; three feet being the ufual
diftance for fuch purpofes : mean time,
only half the plants need be large, or of
the common fizes.
If the plants for any given defign,
planted in the ufual method, be fuppofed
to cod twenty pounds, we may, by that
rule, eftimate the expence of the impro-
ved one, as under :
£. s. d.
Half of the plants being of the"^
Wo o o
ufual fize and value .
One eighth of them double do. . . . 5
Three eighths of them being of "i
...J ^
»5
half the common value
BB
[ m ]
v^^/u-^. Here we fee that, after making ample
allowance for fuch plants as are of more
than common value, a perfeft ornamen-
tal and lading fcreen, poflefling every de-
firable property, may be planted for lefs
than what is ufually devoted to one which
proves completely the reverfe; and the
circumftance is the more provoking, as
mifmanagement of this fort is rarely difco-
vered till it is almoft impoffible to retrieve
it: prevention is faid to be better than
cure; in this cafe, it certainly is abundant-
ly lefs difficult. The former requires no-
thing but what is eafy, it is only fubllitut-
ing a good method in the place of a bad
one. The cure can only be effeded by
much time, confiderable labour, fome
fnill, and not a little expence : ftill the
worft of it remains to be told; it requires a
facrifice of trees, too confiderable for moft
perfons to fubmit to, without the utmofl
reludance.
f 195 ]
When we confider, how much the ar- t-^^<^,v*v
rangement of the grounds and trees about J^! /i^*^^^
a place contribute to its embelhfhment ^-f-^t^^
and comfort, and, of confequence, its in-
trinlic worth; one cannot help wondering
that a fcience which embraces fuch impor-
tant obje6ls, fhould be flill fo much enve-
loped in myftery. A bad defign is often
quite as expenfive as a good one ; and
hence gentlemen could have no induce-
ment to adopt the former in preference
to the latter, if they had any criterion or
rule, by which to judge of the merits of
the one, and the defefts of the other.
That this art may be traced to certain
and fixed principles, there can be no
doubt. If the fame means never fail to
excite pleafurable fenfations in the mind
of intelligence, it appears that fuch prin-
ciples reft upon a bafis much deeper
founded than the fafhion of the moment, ,
[ 196 ]
c*>^i^ The truth feems to be, that, for near a
tA,«^7t?century, tafte in ornamental gardening has
'^*^*r*y, been conftantly verging towards nature
and fimplicity. The beft fcenes in uncul-
tivated nature are clearly our beft models
when working upon a large fcale : and,
even upon a fmall one, we have no bufi-
nefs to completely overlook them. Thefe
fcenes may be fimple; as where the grati-
fication arifes from the contemplation of
one fort of obje6t only, as the ground,
water, trees, or profped : or they may be
compound, or fuch as arife from the com-
bination of two or more of them; — ge-
nerally artificial fcenery proves of the lat-
ter defcription.
As it will not be difputed, but that the
fcenery alluded to is calculated to capti-
vate alike the untutored and the cultivated
mind, it follows, I think, of courfe, that
we have here, what may be called, the
bajis of a ta/le Joundcd on nature. It
[ 197 ]
will not, however, be fufficient to difco-^ <**-^'
ver, that fuch fcenery pleafes in the grofs; ^^p^,
as in that ftate it can rarely be the fubjcft'^
of clofe imitation; and, therefore, it will be
neceflary to diflinguifh corredly, how far
each diftinft caufe contributes to the ge-
neral effe6l.
It cannot be difputed, but that an in-
timate knowledge of the means, by which
the beft effefts are produced in natural
fcenery, is neceflary to combine them in
what is purely artificial. In fa6t, where
the moft of art is exerted, there nature
will ultimately appear mofl of all pre-
dominant.
I do not here mean thofe combined
exertions of art and labour, which fre-
quently go the length of altering, what
may be called, the genius of thejpot, at a
prodigious expence ; but that art which
can as it were feize upon exiflmg circum-
[ 198 ]
^^- fiances, and, by flight additions, or cur-
""•^^tailments, made at a fmall expence, con-
^**^Y'^ vert them into what will, at once, har-
monize with, and improve, the natural
features of the place. Certainly a pro-
penfity to more of alteration than is ab-
folutely neceflary, is no proof of either
tafle or (kill, but the reverfe. A tafte for
expence is one that ought to be fmcere-
ly deprecated ; whether it exifts in the
proprietor or the defigner ; as it ferves to
deter perfons, of moderate fortunes, from
engaging in improvements that may be
abfolutely neceflary.
Still the greateft of all difcouragements
to improvements is, the ignorance of the
bulk of thofe who undertake to condu6l
them. — Undoubtedly, there are many ex-
ceptions to this remark : we fee the men
in their works ; but, by that rule, which
all muft allow to be an unerring one, we
may fafely pronounce it to. be applicable
[ 199 ]
to a great majority of the profeflion. — /t^*^^ ^
The truth is, they grope their way in the?^'^^''^*^
dark ; and hence, if they mifs it, it is what '"**^^^*^
might reafonably be expefted : all we can
look for from them as original, is a fome-
thing, which nature and propriety mud
equally difown; or a clumfy imitation of
fome PLACE they have feen. — Perhaps, as
matters are circumftanced, it may be ren-
dering an effential fervice to gentlemen,
to furnifh them with a. rule, by which they
may, in fome degree, meafure the " capa-
bilites" of fuch perfons as may be introdu-
ced to them in the above capacity. — The
method might be fomething like the fol-
lowing :
After ample time has been allowed for
obfervation, the perfon (hould be requefted
to explain the reafons for every diflin£l
projeded alteration, and how far each was
to contribute to the general efFeft. He
fhould, likewife, be defired to ftate the
:uu
>«^»**^incans to be made ufe of in prcJucii!^
7'*^*'' efFe61s fpeedily, by planting, and how they
K./ might be made lading wherever dehrablc ;
as there is nothing in the above but what
every praftitioner either has, or, at leail,
ought to have, clear ideas of.
I am confident, that there is not a man
in the profeflion, who deferves employ-
ment, that would not go through the or-
deal with eafe to himfelf, and in a manner
that would convince every one, that he
had, at leaft, ftudied caufe and efFeft, fo
far as applicable to his profeflion. He
would eafily be able to make the diftinc-
tion, between what might be called the
great and what the inferior natural features
of the place; and alfo (how, in fome con-
fiderable degree, how far each might and
ought to be worked upon to advantage ;
aild, in doing fo, he would conflantly keep
in mind what was pradicable in itfelf, and
confiftent with the general circumftances
[ 201 J
of ihe place. — But eafy as all this would/J
be to the man of fcience, to the mere co-/-^'^^
pleil and clafhing adventurer it would, in-
deed, be a tall;, in the performance of
which, their deficiencies would be plainly
manifeft. The difference between the re-
ports of fuch perfons, and that before
mentioned, would fufficiently mark their
different attainments ; the former would
dwell principally upon matters peculiarly
applicable to the place, the other on what
would be as applicable to any other: the
former would tell us, how the work was
to be done, and what fpecies of trees to
be planted, and -where; the latter would
content themfelves with talkmg about
fuch matters generally.
Having faid thus much, on the ufes of
trees, as applicable to the immediate
neighbourhood of a manfion; and, like-
wife, hinted at fome common circumftan-
ces of mifmanagement, I may now advert
GC
/1.<V>»L«,^i
[ 202 ]
/«//t«. /lo their value, as (belters and ornaments
^^/*.'^,-generally ; more efpecially to lands at once
-^^-^^/vbleak and bare, of which the country ex-
t^^s -^^bits many very extenfive trails.
r^^ . Some people feem greatly alarmed,
lead the bufinefs of planting fliould be fo
far extended as to intrench upon agricul-
ture ; the danger however, I conceive, lies
entirely on the other fide; for, though an
old planter, I have never known much
land devoted to planting that was of con-
fiderable value for corn or grafs, except
fo far as taking a part to improve the reft,
by Ihelter; a fpecies of planting which,
very unfortunately for the country in
general, and its agricultural interefts in
particular, has been but little praftifed;
perhaps fcarcely thought of till within the
lad forty years; and which, to the prefent
moment, is not pra6lifed to one hundred
part the extent it ought to be.
[ 203 ]
If any one, inclined to doubt of the *'^>^*'^"»j
truth of the above ftrong afTertion, has
an opportunity of vihting Stanmcr, near
Brighton, in SufTex, the feat of Earl
Chicefter; or Sledmere, in the eaft-riding-.-^T^P^zi
of Yorkfhire, the feat of Sir M. M. Sikes,
I am perfuaded he will find reafon to
think with me, that inflead of detrimenting,
planting may be made to materially pro-
mote the interefts of agriculture. Every
fituation that is elevated and bare is, in
confequence, lefs or more barren; the
Woulds and Downs, which certainly in-
clude no inconfiderable proportion of the
culturable lands of the country, come very
generally under this defcription, It is ad-
mitted, that they are produftive in their
prefent flate; but certainly that produce
would be abundantly increafed, were they
properly fheltered by planting.
At the two places juft mentioned, the
bufinefs of (belter has been worked upon
[ 204 ]
<%-;r^.<- by planting to an extent, and with a de-
/.j. gree of" judgment, of which I have feen no
parallel eifev/here: — indeed, with me, it is
a queftion, whether the immediate defcen-
dants, or ihe country in general, are mofl
obliged to thefe truly noble minded per-
fons, the late Eari Chichefter and Sir
Chiiftopher Sikes, who projetled and ex-
ecuted thefe equally fplendid and invalu-
able improvements? The former will,
I underftand, in confequence, have a pillar
ereftcd to his memory by his noble fuccef-
for. I have not heard that any thing of
the fort is intended in regard to the latter;
but fo much is certain, he has well defervcd
fuch a tribute of refpeft.
Of the value of thefe plantations, as
flielters, as ornaments, and as producing
timber, I do not pretend to fpeak; further
than that it muff be prodigioufly great;
nor is it poflible to eftimate their worth,
in the way of example ; he muft indeed be
[ 205 ]
a cold-blooded mortal, who can contcm- i^w^«^^
plate fuch united utillity and magnificence, 7^^?^'
without feeling '*how low, how little " ^^^^t-^
are moll of the earthly purfuits, which fo ^e^^f-
generally engrofs men of rank, in compa-
rifon of the elevated, I had almofl faid,
the fublime fcience of planting.
The manner of planting general fcreens
may be much the fame as in the neigh-
bourhood of the manfion, only rejefting
the dearer fpecies of plants. As here re-
gard muft be had as well to the future as
the prefent, a moderate quantity of the
following articles fhould be introduced as
principals, wherever the foil proves fuita-
ble, viz. oak, beech, fycamore, and the
Englifh elm, the laft being grafted. The
afh ftiould never be admitted into any o-
ther than broad fcreens, it being a bad
(belter, and a worfe neighbour.
[ 206 ]
^lejrt.^tTi ^s enough has been advanced, to ex-
/&r^ plain what is ncccfTary to the formation of
,, £^^. the mofl perfect fcreens, I need liere only
refer the reader back to the fu!)je6l, re-
commending him, at the fame time, to at-
tend particularly to what has been advan-
ced, in the former part of the work, on
the properties of the larch, fpruce, and
Scotch firs ; as, by the proper ufe of thefe,
moft fituations may not only be complete-
ly (heltered, but the fcreens rendered high-
ly produftive in timber produce.
It may be of importance to obfervc
here, that fcreens, planted for the purpofe
of fhekering lands of inferior value, (liould
by no means be narrow ones ; for though
it may be poflible to preferve them com-
plete (helters, it can only be done by fucli
continued attention as can fcarcely be ex-
pefted in large concerns : nor is it poflible
that either the principal trees or under-
wood (hould thrive fo well as in broad
[ 207 ]
Ones. But the beft reafon For breadth re. ^^^^^^^^
mains to be noticed : — Such lands may ge- ^^^'^'^ '
nerally be as profitably employed this way ^ "^"^
as in any other, frequently more fo : be-
fides the fencing of the two fides of a fcreen,
whether it be twenty or a hundred yards
broad, will be precifely the fame. Of
courfe, narrow breadths muft be the worft
kind of policy.
The value of broad ones, as covers for
game, is too obvious to need comment. —
With moft gentlemen, the proteftion of
game is a matter of much importance. —
Broad belts, partially cut down, from time
to time, fo as to produce a conftant fupply
of underwood, are peculiarly calculated to
encourage the breed. In fhort, the fame
means that will (belter the land, will alfo
flielter the trees and game: and, with all
thefe pecuniary advantages, they are be-
yond comparifon the moft ornamental. A
narrow belt, on the fummit of a hill, com-
[ 503 ]
^^*'* /i^okd of treca v/iili naked flems only, lias
'U^UZ^ none of the properties of a flielter, but the
c.ifCi^ reverfe: it is indeed but httlc ornamental,
and lefs ufeful. — The proper fituation for
fuch fcreens will be, in fome degree, obvi-
ous. Generally they will be moft effeftive
on the fummits of hills. In moft places, it
is known from what quarter the wind
blows moft violently ; generally from the
weft : — the rule, however, admits of ma-
ny exceptions ; and, therefore, this point
ftiould be clearly afcertained, in the firft
inftance; when the dirc6lion of the plant-
ing will follow of courfe.
Confiftent with what has been advan-
ced on planting fteeps, it will be found
defirable, that the line of the fcreen to
windward, ftiould be as near the fummit
of the fteep as may be found convenient ;
as, by that means, much of the current of
the wind will be thrown rather over, than
in among the trees ; and hence they will
"Z^^^*t,i
[ 209 ]
thrive better than if the line was lower in ^^
the afcent. ^^M\je^
When, as fometimes happens, the cur-
rent of the wind takes the diredion of a val-
ley, it is peculiarly prejudicial. In fuch
a cafe, the line of the fcreen mud be acrofs
the valley, from the fummit of one hill to
that of the other : and, if fuch valley con-
tinues to afcend for a confiderable length,
a fecond fcreen may be neccflary. It is
not laid that fuch things rank high as or-
naments ; but they may frequently prove
extremely ufeful.
Where it is neceffary for a road to
crofs the fcreen, it fhould either be turned
about half a point from the direftion of
the current, or be made to bend fo far
that the wind, driving in a (Iraight direc-
tion, will lofe its force among the trees.
It is almoft unneceflary to add, that fuch
roads (hould be no wider than what is ab-
D D
[ 210 ]
'^^, z:^ folutely neceflary ; for, otherwife, they
^c^"^^ would not only hurt the general efFeft,
but alfo occafion a degree of cxpofure.
In narrow ones, by a little attention, the
trees may be made to arch over at any
given height ; fo that a matter of conve-
nience may be made produ6live of variety.
In clofing this fubjeft, I may obferve,
that not only elevated fituations require
(helter, but any bare one may be greatly
benefited by it. Any one, who has clear
ideas of agricultural affairs, mufl know
that it is highly valuable ; but none who
have not experienced it, can juflly efli-
mate its extent. The beft proof, that I
can advance, of its worth, is the opinion
of the noble poflcfTor of Stanmer, before
mentioned. This attentive obferver has
himfelf affured me, that, in confequence
of the fhelters, he confiders many of his
fields of three times the value they other-
\vife would be: while others, not fo fa-
[ 211 ]
vourably fituated, appear evidently to be -^"^z**^'
benefited in proportion to the fhelter.*^%' *^'
Neither is there much danger of miftake
in this refpeft ; as the eftate is large, and
affords numerous fituations Jiill expqfed,
the natural circumflances of which cor-
refpond exa^lly with fuch as are fhel-
tered; and, therefore, the rent each would
let for, clearly afcertains the value of the
(helters.
I have been the more particular on^ '^-^
this head, becaufe it appears this part of /'"^V '^
the fubjeft is more imperfeftly underftood'V^'^'"^
than mod others. Indeed, from a pretty
extenfive knowledge of what is doing in
the country, in the bufinefs of planting,
there feems to be abundantly more need
of direBions than incitements : and the
better a perfon underftands the fubje6l
generally, and that of fcreens in particu-
lar, fo much clearer will be his views of
the general utility of the purfuit.
[ 212 ]
.^t.'Y " It is certainly a matter highly confola,
'^-y tory, to find fo confiderable a number of
/'**^/ opulent perfons, in different parts of the
united kingdom, exerting themfelves to
provide a fupply of timber for our in-
creafing wants ; and more particularly fo,
to find the prejudices, in regard to fir tim-
ber of home produce, very much upon
the decline. If it is true, that we can
grow fuch timber, proper for every pur-
pofe to which the foreign has ufually been
applied, it is furely matter of national dif-
grace not to know it; at leaft, the cir-
cumftances of the prefent moment impe-
rioufly demand, that the queflion fhould
be determined,jy^^ or nay. — In the prefent
publication, as well as in the " Forest
*' Pruner," it has been a leading objeft
with the author, to affifl; the reader in
forming juft ideas on this fubjeft ; and
perhaps the famples, prefented with this
treatife, may, in fome degree, tend to the
fame good purpofe. Indeed I fufpeft.
[ 213 ]
that if many of thofe who are mofl aftive a^^-**^
in depreciating Britifh produce, were
called upon to examine thefe famples,
without knowing them to be fuch ; they
would find themfelves in the fituation of
the woodman, mentioned in page 62. But
thus it muft always happen, fo long as
men are content to take their opinions
upon truft.
The praQice of confiding in common-
ly received opinions, without examining
either their truth or tendency, is what the
author has never adopted ; becaufe he is
fully aware, it tends to the exclufion of
every idea of improvement; he believes
it is to a conduft direclly the reverfe, that
he is indebted for whatever fuccefs has at-
tended him, either as a profefiional man
or as an author; and hence, upon the
prefent occafion, he has ftriftly perfevered
in it. He can, at leaft, fay with confi-
dence, that he has done his duty, in ufing
[ 214 ]
his beft endeavours to elucidate the prin-
ciples, improve the praQice, reduce the
expence, and increafe the value of gene-
ral planting.
I have juft been favoured with the QUERIES
of the Commiffioners of Woods and Forefts,
(dated the 21ft of Dec, inft.) " relative to the Cul-
'^ tivation. Management, 8(c. of Navy Timber,''
inclofed in the following Note.
Sheffield-Place,
Dec.9.A, 1807.
Lord Sheffield is requejled, by Lord
Glenbervie, to forward the inclofed to the
perfons beji acquainted ivith the management
and grozvth of timber trees, and therefore
fends it to Mr. Pontey.
As his Lordfhip has adopted the Author's
Syftem, of managing his Oak T\mhc\\ probably
the fineji in the Ki?igdo?n, the above Note will
[ 215 ]
be fufficient to exhibit his opinion of the
Forest Pruners and, therefore, the Author
has only to exprefs his hncere fatisfaftion, that
Government now fees the neceflity of fome
meafures to encourage the Growth and Im-
provement of Oak Timber. It is, indeed, the
more pleafing, becaufe the neceffity for fuch
meafures has not only been pointed out by him-
felf, but, enforced by arguments, that he pre-
fumes to be unanfwerable, in the above work,
{publiflied in 1805,) p. 262—270.- The
book is of itfelf a fatisfaftory ANSWER to many
of the Queries alluded to.
FOFJLAKS.
Mr. Liddell, Agent to Sir Thomas Pilkington, of Chjvett,
near Wakefield, has juft favoured me with the following particulars,
which I confider of much importance; as, while they demonflratc
the quicknefs of growth, they alb prove the peculiar p-opriety of
uGng means, to afcertain the ujeful application of fuch articles.
A Black Italian Poplar, planted in Mr. Liddell's Garden, at
New-Miller-Dam, near Wakefield, in the fpring of 1799, and then
only fix feet high, is now thirty-eight; the Trunk being twenty, and
[ 210 ]
the Top eighteen feet. The average Girt of the former being,
twenty-four Inches. This tree loft about feven feet, from its top,
ill the fumnier of 1802.
Another Poplar, of the fame fpecies, planted in the fame
Garden, in March, 1801, had about ten feet cut off its head, after
two years' growth, at eight feet and a quarter high, to prevent its
damaging fome fhrubs ; after which, it produced three branches,
which now form as many diftinft heads, at the above height ; the
lead of which is twenty feet long. The Girt of the Trunk is twen-
ty-four inches. The fUuation of this Garden is rather elevated,
the foil LIGHT and dry.
Another Poplar (of the common white fpecies, or what is call-
ed in fome places, the White Willow,) growing on the banks of
the river Calder, near Wakefield Mills, planted fourteen years
ago, being then about the fize of a common walking cane, is now of
the following dimeiifions.
The Height fifty-feven feet.
Average Circumference, to eight feet high, fixty-four inches.
Ditto ditto from eight to twenty ditto, forty-eight ditto.
From the trunk, at eight feet high, it has fcnt out an arm or
branch, which is twenty-four inches in circumlerence and about
thirty-five feet long; the whole containing not lefs than thirty
CUBIC FEET OF TIMBER.
Though all the above may be confidered as aftonilhing inflan-
ces of quick growth, the kill gives the cleareft refult; as having
come to an age and fize in which trees, of this defcription, may be
faid to feed in trunk, rather than expend their llrength in top. A
fcalc of progrcfTive incrcafc would certainly (late the produce of the
laft year at not lefs than fix or feven feet of timber. The hiftory
of this tree is as fingular as its increafe is ajlonijiing: — It was found
floating in the river !
INDEX.
ABELE, the Properties of, *79.
Floors of, at Sheffield-Place, *80.
a good Subflitute for Mahogany, *80.
Autumn, the beft general Seafon for making
Holes, 162.
Authors, erroneous Opinions of, 28.
confider Firs as only fit to nurfe other
Trees, 28.
Author, erroneous Opinion of one, 56.
himfelf, formerly prejudiced againft
Firs, 31.
offers to furniih Plants of the Black
Italian Poplar, *79. — ^^ote.
Afh, the proper Soils for, 100.
Afh, the Mountain, a bad Nurfe, 60.
Beech, the proper Soils for, 103.
Birch, method of treatment as Nurfes, 153.
Breaks, in Plantations, effeas of, 80—185.
Chefnut, the Spanifh, the proper Soils for, 103.
grows well on poor Sands, lO^.^-Note
EE
[ 218 ]
Chalk Soils, method of filling up Plantations^,
on, 153.
Drought, method of preventing the effects of,
Defigners, wiiat tlieir proper Qualifications, 186.
Expofure, its Confecjuences to Plants, 128.
Elm, the Witch, or Scotch, its properties, 66.
the proper Soils for, 101.
Elm, a new and fuppofed valuable variety, 102.
■ Englifli, the proper Soils for, 101.
the beft raifed by Grafting, 66.
Firs, of Britifh Produce, vague Opinions con-
cerning them, 20.
now planted for profit to a large extent,
24.— iVo/e.
Reafons why we have few large ones, 23.
general Obfervations on, 30 — 32.
Reafons for afcertaining their ufes, 53.
American Spruce, Silver, Weymouth
Pine, and Pinealler, ^^.
" Spruce, general Obfervations on, 38 — 48.
Proofs of its durability, 41.
the beft general Shelter, 43, 116.
the Plants of it dear, and why, 46.
Scotch, why its Timber often proves of
inferior Value, 49.
[ 219 3
Firs, Scotch, the fame fpecies as Red Deal, 49.
■ its general properties, 48 — 66.
Soils proper for, 112.
— - remarkable for not exhaufting the Soil,
113. — N'ote.
as a Shelter on Expofures, 55.
Fir Timber, the Ruflian and Swedifh method
of preparing for falling, 51.
Heathy Soils, how far improper for deciduous
Trees in general, 56.
general Obfervations on, 127.
method of making Holes on, 162.
Heath, Reafons for planting among k, 131.
Holes, the proper fizes of for Trees, 169.
Lands, ufelefe for other purpofes, proper for
planting, 15.
Larch, never fails to command purchafers, 32.
its general properties, 33 — 37-
inferior to the Scotch Fir as a fhelter, 60.
thrives on calcarious Soils, whether light
or ftiff, 96.
its properties as a Nurfe, 116.
the proper Soils for, 106.
Obfervations on its Infe^l, 107.
Mattock, for making Holes, defcription of, 177.
its ufes, 159—162.
[ ^^20 ]
'A-
Mineral Taint prejudicial to Trees, 99-
Nurfe Plants, important Obfervations on, 5^. iiS^
— — • general errors in regard to, 114-120
Oak, the proper Soils for, 100.
an excellent Soil for, analized, 98.
Government's Queries, in regard to, 214.
Ornamental Gardeners, theoretical, their works
like bafe Coin, 186. .^ , . --
Poplars, the proper Soils for, 106.
• inftances of their quick growth, 216.
Black Italian, its properties, *74.
in what refpeft fuperior to other
Trees, *78.
Puddling, the method of, 1 73.
2/^ ^^Prejudice, a curious inftance of, 62. — Note.
Planting, in rnixture, its advantages, 120.
thick, ObjealonsTorT63~~ ^^'
— deep, bad confequences of, 170-175.
thebeft general Seafon for, 174.
new and expeditious method of, 179.
■ the common method of, 174. /
Planters, the Tools, defcription of, 177-
ufesof, 179.
Plants, large ones, why objeftional, 167.
Soils, deep ones, advantage? of, 70.
^ J 7 ^^^-^ -T Jr, 1 /
[ 2'il ]
Steeps, the advantages of planting them, ^^.
— - — method of Ilormg them, 161.
Sands, Reafons for and agauift breaking them
up for planting, 124.
fertile in AVood-Prodiice to a great
depth, 125.
Soils, preparatioiji of, for planting, general Ob-
Sandy, 125. ^
Heathy, 127—132.
^ thin and ftiff, 132—144.
deep and ftiff, 144.
chalky and thin, 147-
light and deep, 154 ■
light and poor, 156.
fmall Patches, generally, 156.
Sea Breeze, curiousEtTe£ls of, 89. — Not^.
Sycamore, Sods proper for, 105. /
Screens, generally mifmanaged, 187-
improved method of planting, 188.
their cheapnefs demonftrates, 193.
. for fheltering Expofures^/^P^? . i.d^.
Trees, a(Jpj)ting. proper fpecies, 94 — 117.
cautions in regard to, 95
[ 222 ]
Trees, deciduous, thrive beft among Evergreens,
n9,.~Note, ^
' diftances proper i(^ 163, A-Sn.y^ ^^JT.
fize of, what a good one for general put*
pofes, lQ5.
bad rooted, require a good Soil, 165.
large ones ditto, 167-
tranfplanted, why the beft, 167-
' free growers, the neceflity for afcertain-
ing their properties, 38.
— naturally produce both Shelter and
Ornament, 181.
extraordinary EfTefts of, 182 — 18.5.
for principals, what a proper Proportion,
115
Tools for planting, defcription of, 177.
ufes of, 178.
Willow, Huntingdon, its properties, 68.
Upland or Red Twigged, 73.
improved by fteeping in Water, 69.
proper Soils for, 106.
Wood young, moft fpecies of inferior value, 1 17.
of the Larch, and Spruce Fir
highly valuable, 118.
Wood, reafon for prefenting faniples, 212.
ADVERTISEMENT.
THE Author gives Directions and Dejigns
in every Department of Ornamental Gardening i
andy likeivife, Injiruciions for the Management
of Timber Trees generally, as well as the ObjeBs
of the prefent Treatife, in every Part of Great-
Britain.
As his prefent Engagements occafon his vifit-
ing the Neighbourhood of London twice, annual-
ly. Gentlemen in that Quarter, and the Vicinity
of the Road, may avail themfelves of his Affifi-
ance, without being charged with the Expence of
the Journey.
Letters addrejed to Huddersfeld, or
to No. 36. St. James's Street, London, will be
duly attended to.
Of the Publifhers of this Volume may be had,
Written by the fame Author^
A neiv Edition y with Additions y
OF
THE FOREST PRUNER;
Or, Timber Owner s AJfiJlant:
A Trcatife on the Training and ^lanasje-
mentofBRlTISH TIMBER TREES; whether intended for USE,
ORNAMENT, or SHELTER: including an Explanation of the
Caufes of their GENERAL DLSEASES and DEFECTS, with the
means of PREVENTION, and REMEDIES, where praBicable:
Alfo, an Examination of
The Properties of EngliJJi Fir Timber;
With Remarks on the Old and Outlines of a New Syftem for the
MANAGEMENT of OAK WOODS.
Witk Eight Explanatory Plates.
The Author thinks himfelf honoured in being enabled to publifli the
annexed Documents.
Society oj Arts, i3c Adeltki.
Sir, London, 0(1. zoth,i^ob.
The Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufatlures, and
Commerce, have direfted mc to return you their thanks, for the prefent
of your valuable and ufeful publication, called the Forest Prunsr.
I have read it with great pleafure, and think it will beproduflive of
very con fiderable advantages to all perfons, who follow yourinftruftions.
Your treatife is carefully depolited in the Society's Library, and has
met with much attention. I am, Sir,
Your obedient fervant,
Charles Taylor, Sec,
Mr. William Pontey,
Huddersfield, York/hire.
ExtraB from the Preface to the 2^th Vol. of the Tranfflions of the Stciety
of Arts, &c page 8, publiflied in Feb. 1807.
•• The mifchief and damage arifmg to plantations in general, from a
bad fviU-m of pruning, or negleft, induced the late public-fpirited Duke
of '5t-dford to dircft a feries of experiments to be made, at his expence,
by W Pontey, of Huddersfield, on his extenfive plantations in the
neighbourhood of Woburn. Mr. Pontey has (hewn great induftry and
judgment in his fcleftion of fpecimens, and in the clear detail relative to
pruning Forefl Trees, which he has communicated in a publication, en-
titled the Torcft Piuner, prefented by him to the Society."
" This i'yUem has been purfucd by Mr. Salmon, agent to the prefent
Duke of Bedford, under his Grace's anfpices, and confirmed by his
certificate, as noticed in the prefent volume. Wc are happy to add it
is continumg with fpirit under his Grace's particular proteftion and at-
tention."
T. Smart, Printer, Huddersfield.
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