1 66 STATISTICAL SURVEY 



greater ; but the quality of the wood makes up, in a 

 great degree, for its want of fize ; which yet is not, 

 upon the whole, very low. In the weflern parts of 

 the county, where the foil is deeper, the growth of 

 trees is much more rapid ; but I underftand the wood 

 is not near fo hard nor fo durable. In making planta- 

 tions, the nature of the foil ought always to be at- 

 tended to, in the trees that are to be permanent ; thefe 

 might be planted at fuch diftances as they are intended 

 to remain, the intervals rilled with fuch others, as are 

 likely to afford them (heller, which from time to time 

 may be taken away, (as neceffity requires) to give room 

 to the favoured kinds. 



Planting in clumps his been much in fafhion, not 

 only in this county, but in other parts : this does not 

 feem very well adapted to an unequal furface. In a 

 hilly country, fldrtings or belts round the "hills have a 

 much better effect, by tending to take off from the too 

 great inequality of the general outline ; an extenfive 

 hill all under planting, is, without doubt, a noble ob- 

 ject, and gives fome fcope to the imagination, but a 

 clump on the top of a hill has not, in general, fo plea- 

 fing an effect ; befides, trees are much flower in making 

 a progtefs in that fituation ; and I believe it is very 

 well known, in expofed countries, that the only way 

 to make trees thrive on the top of a high ground is 

 by beginning to plant at the bottom. The natural 

 flicker afforded them, when fo placed, and the general 



fuperiority 



