137 



I have eiicleavouied to show the impoitance of the four main 

 properties or prerequisites, which trees should possess to ren- 

 der them fit for removal to exposed situations. 1 liave also 

 given a cursory idea of the nature of the diHTerent organs of 

 woody plants, by which those properties are designated. 

 From what has been said, the intelligent reader will perceive 

 that the principle adopted, for a new theory of the art, is 

 founded on the laws of vegetation, and the researches of the 

 most eminent phytologists. By reducing it to practice, the 

 mutilating system, now generally prevalent, will be rendered 

 unnecessary, and a method established, which is obviously 

 superior in itself, and more agreeable to observation and ex- 

 perience. This system I shall venture to call the Preserv- 

 ative. But, before concluding these remarks, it is but fair 

 towards the existing system, to take a short view of the actual 

 merits of both, and by giving them in a comparative way, en- 

 deavour to show how each applies to practice. 



We will suppose that a planter, according to the Mutilating 

 method, is to remove, to an exposed situation, a tree eight- 

 and-twentyor thirty feet high, three feet and a half in girth (or 

 fourteen inches in diameter), at a foot from the ground. We 

 will suppose further, that it displays the most perfect symme- 

 try of form, having an expansion of top from five-and-twenty 

 to eight-and-twenty feet, with boughs descending to within 

 three or four feet of the ground. Such a tree we may con- 

 sider as a very handsome subject, and such as has frequently 

 been removed at this place. 



Having prepared the roots, according to Lord Fitzhard- 

 ing's method, three or four years before, and taken them up 

 as well as he can, perhaps, seven feet out from the stem, 

 (which, according to Marshall, is well rooted for its height*), 

 we will suppose that this planter then proceeds to lighten and 

 lop the top, in order to reduce it, as the same intelligent 



* Rural Ornament, Vol. I. p. 367. 



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