The Gardener's New Director. 471 

 their flems; but do not diveft your trees of all their fide 

 branches, tor this would ruin their heads. If your young 

 platus which you fowcd, do not thrive after the firft 

 three or four years, cut them down, and they will loon 

 after fend up good young fhoots, which in time will 

 make large trees. 



Thefe coppices may be cut every twelve or fourteen 

 years, or may ftand longer if you fo incline; but no 

 large wood mufl feel the weight of the axe, till it is fifty 

 years old. 



Before I leave this fubjecl, I cannot but regret the 

 univerfal negleft that at prefent prevails, in the article of 

 woods and plantations. Oak-woods, formerly our glory, 

 are now fcarce known, though our Acorns and foil are 

 equal, if not fuperior, to thofe of former times. What 

 effe£t this may have on our commercial interefl: time on- 

 ly can difcover. I fhall jufl: fay, that it is far from being 

 improbable, that neceflity at laft will oblige us to perform 

 what inck)lence or falfe tafte at prefent hinders us from 

 executing. 



It is indeed matter of furprife, that a culture of this 

 kind, which in a courfe of years, is attended with lb 

 much profit to the planter, or his fuccefTors, fliould be 

 fo greatly negle6led in this.induftrious age. One would 

 imagine that interefl, if no other motive could prevail, 

 would have the efFe6l: to engage many in iuch a purtuit. 

 — But experience fhews us quite a different profpe^V. 

 PrcTent profit, or prefent pleaiure, is the objetl of every 

 wifh ; and there are but few who bellow one thought on 

 the advantages that would accrue to pofterity from rai- 

 fing woods and forefts. On the contrary, even where 

 fuch woods are raifed, and perhaps in a thriving conditi- 

 on, how often do we fee the befl: trees culled out for 

 fome favourable avenue or Lnclofure; and even the woods 

 themfelves margled^and cut down, and the very befl and 

 moll promifiiig trees deftroycd, to torm a villo to fome 

 antiquated ruin; or, to be ftill more modern, to fome 

 Indian Pagod or Chincfe Temple. 



The author of this work fympathizes on fo wocjfu! a 

 degeneracy. He hopes the few hints he has thrown out, 

 may have fome effeft to correct a tallo lo gentr dly de- 

 (Iruclivc. The rulES he has laid down, are niortly 



1 i 2 founded 



