OF THE COUNTY OF DOWN. 151 



X 



the public flock, and, in the fame ratio, improving his 

 private property. 



Notwithftanding the fpirit of planting has gone forth 

 amongft the gentlemen of this land, unlefs it lfo 

 pervades, in a certain degree, the immediate occu- 

 piers, the country never can have that afpecl: of culti- 

 vation, that richnefs of tint, which trees alone can give. 

 To contribute to this, landlords (hould hold out en- 

 couragement to their tenants, by fupplying them with 

 .trees, and rewarding them for their prefervation. The 

 expenfe of this would not be very great, and would 

 ultimately centre in the encreafed value of the eftate. 

 At the fame time that I mention this meafure, I am 

 well aware of the difficulty of carrying it into execu- 

 tion, and know that it can only be praftifed under limi- 

 tations, and with thofe, who (hew a fpirit of improve- 

 ment: as for thofe tenants, whofe fole object is aa 

 exiflence, it cannot be fuppofed, that any minor coa- 

 flderation would operate upon them, nor that they 

 could be induced to make and keep up fences for the 

 prefervation of trees, which they fcarcely can be pre- 

 vailed on to do for the protection of their own crops. 

 Every encouragement, therefore, muft be fuggefted by 

 that fagacity, and directed by that prudence, without 

 , which neither public nor private meafures can fucceed. 



The natural wood of this country conflfls of oak, 

 afh, alder, hazel, mountain-afh, birch, holly, white- 

 thorn, and a fpectes of willow called the grey; the fof- 



m- 



