58 



at an advanced time of life, when men naturally wish to 

 plant for themselves, although they generally do so for pos- 

 terity.* Virgilj in the same way, in describing his old 

 Corycian, takes care to celebrate his skill in the planting of 

 wood of a large size, as one of the accomplishments of a 

 Roman husbandmen.t But no ancient author, as far as I 

 know, has left us any body of practical precepts, respecting 

 the execution. The only two, who have handed down any 

 thing like a description of it, are the younger Seneca, who 

 lived in the time of Nero, and Anatolius, a Greek physician, 

 and one of the Geoponic writers, who, according to the best 

 critics, was contemporary with the Emperor Constantine.t 

 These accounts, therefore, may properly be considered, as 

 describing the Greek and the Roman methods of transplant- 

 ing ; and, as the subject is curious, it may be worth while 

 to give their respective statements, in their own words. 



Anatolius, as far as we can judge, possessed considerable 

 skill in this department. "If (says he) you would remove a large 

 tree to advantage, open a very deep trench or pit. (This plant- 

 er, we may suppose, had a very porous subsoil.) Be careful 

 to cut away the spray and smaller branches, but without in- 

 juring the larger ones ; and also to leave the whole of the 

 roots entire and untouched. Then place the tree carefully 

 in the pit, covering up its roots with a quantity of good mould 

 and manure. Observe, however, (adds he,) this special pre- 

 caution ; that, to whichsoever side it inclined or leaned at 

 first, let it incline to the same side, in its new situation."!! It 

 is true, these directions are given for trees bearing fruit ; but 

 we may fairly conclude, that they equally applied to forest 

 trees ; and it would be well for modern planters, were their 

 practice not more defective than that of Anatolius. 



The account, given by Seneca of the Roman practice, is 



* Note V. f Note VI. !! Note VII. 



\ Nicks, Proleg. in Geopou. p. 48. 



