164 



commendation \vhich in 1828 the Society of Arts gave one of 

 their Medals to Mr. Withers of Holt, for advocating. — Sec. 4th. 

 on raising Trees from Suckers, contains little else but an 

 anecdote in support of Salmasius's declaration that the Elm 

 can be raised from Chips of its own trunk — Sec. 5. of raising 

 Sallows, Scc. by slips or Truncheons is equally unimportant — 

 Sec. 6. of Layers — contains directions for the common method 

 of pegging down shoots that proceed from stubs or stools. — 

 Sect, 7. On Cuttings, grafts, kc. is insignificant, and con- 

 taining little to the purpose — Sec. 8. is a bare recapitulation — 

 Sec. 9. comprises the treatment necessary in the Nursery to 

 which the plants are conveyed from the seed beds. — He here 

 insists upon the benefit of removing them with speed from the 

 one to the other, carefully shading their roots ; even recom- 

 mending a kind of close barrow for moving them in — so im- 

 portant he was aware it was to prevent their fibres becoming 

 dry — Yet this practice we have lately seen treated of, as if it 

 was a new illumination. — Sec. 10. Treats of pruning and 

 dressing the Trees in the Nursery. — In this section he is uni- 

 formly judicious-^he directs an annual autumn pruning of the 

 side shoots to keep the tree streight and handsome, specifying 

 that they should be " close cut off" a particularity of direction 

 ■which might be attended to with no inconsiderable advantage 

 by most timber growers of our time?. — If ever Timber Trees are 

 pruned al all it is usually by some ruthless Hedger with his 

 Bill, needless wounds are inflicted which check the growth, 

 and stumps of branches are left, which decaying, gradually 

 carry infection into the heart of the Tree. — He directs manur- 

 ing and stirring the surface with restrictions accurate and me- 

 thodical — though one of his axioms that Timber trees cannot 

 shoot too fast (p. 236) if durability is to be considered, may be 

 successfully disputed. — As also the practice of cutting their 

 roots round to keep them together conveniently for moving, 

 which is very erroneous — as indeed is the practice of shifting, &c. 

 which he pursued, it is better to sow where the tree is to re- 



