231 



is treated alike ; no matter what the con- 

 sequence. 



But custom cannot alter the nature of 

 things; means which may only retard the 

 growth of the timber on a good soil, wdll 

 ruin it upon a bad one. The woodman*s 

 method of leaving the whole produce of 

 an oak stump upon it, till the next fall, 

 operates thus. On a good soil, though 

 the wavers are found not large, still, as 

 no obstruction takes place, they are in a 

 condition, to grow tolerably freely, as 

 soon as the stump is disburthened of its 

 unnecessary load. On a bad one, such 

 wavers are all found to be what is called 

 stunted, or hide-bound ; in consequence 

 of which, the quantity left upon a root 

 seldom attracts the whole of its sap, and 

 therefore it breaks out in new shoots at 

 the bottom ; and these, having larger 

 sap-vessels than the wavers, soon engross 

 the greater part of that article to them- 

 selves : soon after which, their poverty 



