90 PLANTATIONS. 



that " the best methods of preparing the ground 

 for the reception of the plants manner of trans- 

 planting the soils most suitable for each species 

 are all thoroughly and universally understood." 

 My belief is, on the contrary, that comparatively 

 few planters, or woodmen, do "thoroughly" under- 

 stand these matters. If they did, their practice 

 would not be so extensively wrong as it is. If 

 it were so, why have planters so widely differed ? 

 Why is there seen such discrepancy in their modes 

 of management ? But what does Mr. Main wish 

 his readers to understand by the term "practical 

 men" ? If he refer to those who have the over- 

 sight and the direction of the practical operations 

 included in the "preparation of the soil for the 

 reception of the plants manner of transplanting 

 the soils most suitable for each species, &c." ; and 

 if he wish to convey the idea that, by this class of 

 persons, these points are " thoroughly and univer- 

 sally understood" I hold him to be wholly and 

 widely wrong : but if he only mean that scientific 

 men, who have well studied the subject, and who 

 have written upon it, and really intelligent woodmen, 

 are agreed as to the best practice, I do not greatly 



