446 On the Supporting of 



was impossible to have made such subjects stable by any- 

 other means," 



Planting is very generally understood, and is scientifically 

 described by many ; and by none better than Mr. Reid, gar- 

 dener at Balcarras {Memoirs of the Caledoniayi Horticultural 

 Societi/, vol. iv. part ii.) : but, when he comes to supporting 

 his recently planted trees, what does he do ? Why, " the 

 stem of the tree is then made fast to the stake with a hay- 

 band." 



Now, I make no doubt but our first parent (if he took the 

 trouble to prop trees at all) proceeded precisely in this man- 

 ner ; and that if he were now to do us the honour to look at 

 a newly propped tree, he would use the same expression that 

 the witty Count Oxenstiem represents him to have done when 

 revisiting Spain : — " On n'y a rien change depuis mon de- 

 part." (" Things remain here just as I left them.") 



To the success, however, of every transplanted tree, it is 

 absolutely necessary that motion of its roots be jirevented^ so 

 that all, and particularly the very first, fibres that issue from 

 the injured roots may be preserved, their services being early 

 and eminently needed to supply sap before the buds shall 

 have perished, or the tree become stunted by the contraction 

 of its vessels. 



A recently removed tree, that has been once or oftener 

 tossed about or upset by the wind, so as to have its shooting- 

 radicles broken or injured, may, perhaps live ; but, if so, it 

 will languish, and be several years before it becomes either 

 fruitful or ornamental. It therefore becomes a great deside- 

 ratum " how to prop a tree without inflicting injurj^, so as 

 effectually to prevent all and every motion of its roots, and at 

 the same time to admit of these roots being placed in a situ- 

 ation the most favourable to vegetation." 



This is the problem I purpose to solve ; and I hope to do 

 so without placing my trees in the magical cup of Sir Henry 

 Steuart, or borrowing a single flickering ray from the aurora 

 borealis of Allanton House. 



To accomplish this object, I am in the habit of using two 

 different methods, according as the one or the other is more 

 applicable to present circumstances ; or rather, I practised the 

 first for several years, before I had the good fortune to think 

 of the second or more perfect method. Both plans I believe 

 to be new ; at all events they are both effectual^ and may rea- 

 dily be put in practice by any dexterous workman, at a very 

 small expense either of time or material. 



I shall now proceed to describe the method I first prac- 

 tised, and of which I have most experience, although I believe 



