80 



on a tree of the same age imremoved, it woiikl so much 

 stint the growth, as not to be recovered in several years ; 

 nor would it ever arrive at the size of such, as had all their 

 branches left upon them."* 



He is, therefore, no advocate for the removal of large trees ; 

 and the reason evidently is, that he never saw it executed, 

 but on principles utterly at variance with phytological science, 

 and the law of nature respecting the growth of plants : — 

 For Miller seems to have been well acquainted with their 

 history and constitution, and with the l^eautiful action and 

 reaction, which all their parts constantly maintain on one 

 another. 



Although it is pleasing to observe so much good sense, and 

 so much sound science displayed, at so early a period of our 

 arboricultural history, yet it is a curious fact, that neither the 

 precept, nor the example of Miller produced any good effect, 

 nor any material change in the general practice, and by con- 

 sequence, any improvement in the art. The fact is, that 

 from the days of Evelyn down to the present times, or more 

 probably from the time of the Romans under Nero and Ves- 

 pasian, the practice of the art has suffered no great alteration 

 or improvement ; and, with the best planters of England, it 

 is still as much a matter of physical force, as it was with 

 Prince Maurice of Saxony, or Lewis the Fourteenth. 



I can speak partly from my own knowledge of the general 

 transplanting system, now established in England and this 

 country, and partly from the information, communicated by 

 some of the most experienced planters of both countries, in 

 asserting, that the method so justly reprobated by the judi- 

 cious Miller, is in pretty general use. I will not affirm, that 

 there is no planter, who preserves the tops of his trees entire : 

 but the ordinary method still is, to transfer old trees, in the 

 same way as nursery-plants, that is, by lopping off a third 



* Miller's Gardener's and Botanist's Dictionary, voc. " Planting." 



