[ '75 ] 



of their beauty, is much (horter than that of deci- 

 duous trees, provifion Ihould be made for the perma- 

 nency of the plantation as well as for its prefent 

 beauty; and in plantations where fcarce any thing 

 but Scotch firs will grow, and fuch foils there arc, 

 the Iquirrels, if any (hould find their way thither, 

 cannot live through one winter for want of food, 

 and of courfe may eafily be kept under; befides (as 

 was before obferved) the bark of the firs growing on 

 fuch foils, will be fo hard and rugged, that the 

 fquirrels will be able to do very little mifchief. 



The fociety will, I hopi-, excufe my giving my 

 opinion (the refult of my own experience and ob- 

 ■fcrvations) on modern plantations in general. 



The fault is not fo much in the kind of trees 

 ufually planted, for all trees are fit for fomething or 

 other, and the worft may be applied to fave the ufe in 

 many cafes of thofe that are better ; aiid in general 

 that is the mod proper kind of tree to plant, which 

 agrees beft with the foil and fituation ; but the great 

 fault has been owing to the mode of making the 

 plantations, and in the management of them after- 

 wards. We do not fufficiently follow nature as our 

 guide. We do not firft confider what kind of a wood 

 we wi(h to have, and then take the methods which 



nature 



