P Ree a CE 
T will eafily be imagined that a foreft of a thoufand miles in length, extending twenty 
degrees in latitude from north to fouth (for fuch is the territory of the crown of Great 
I Britain on the continent of America) muft afford a plentiful variety of trees and fhrubs, 
that may be ufefully employed to inrich and adorn our woods by their valuable timber and 
delightful fhade; or to embellifh and perfume our gardens with the elegance of their appearance 
and the fragrancy of their odours; in both which refpeds they greatly excel our home produc- 
tions of the like kind. But however obvious this may now be, very little regard was had 
thereto at our firft fettling in thofe countries; nor indeed was any confiderable ftep taken 
towards introducing thefe ftrangers into England till about the year 1720, fince which time, 
and ‘through the laudable application of a few perfons only, many kinds of American plants, 
and particularly of foreft-trees and fhrubs, have been procured and raifed from thence; which, 
though hitherto principally in the poffeflion of the opulent and curious, they, it is to be hoped, 
will for the benefit of their country be excited to encourage their propagation and increafe, 
that both Faunus and Flora may be confulted, as well for the benefit of our woods, as for 
ornaments to our gardens. : 
The Mahggony is a remarkable inftance how greatly beneficial fome of the American trees 
may prove; and likewife ferves to fhew, that length of time and proper opportunities are re- 
quifite to difcover their nature and wfes; for this tree could not poflibly have efcaped the 
obfervation of the firft Europeans that fettled in Jamaica ; and yet the excellence of its wcod 
was not taken notice of till at leaft an hundred and fifty years afterwards. And the cafe mult 
certainly be the fame with many other trees, whofe properties lie ftill concealed; and may 
probably fo continue, unlefs by their becoming free denifons of our woods and gardens, their 
plenty may afford opportunities of difcovering ‘their ufes and virtues; which in an infant 
country, little inclined to improvements, and depending on its mother country for all kinds of 
utenfils, cannot be expected. By the concurrent endeavours of the philofopher and artifan, I 
queftion not but many of them will be found ufeful to purpofes, of which at prefent we have 
not the leat conception. 
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