215 



fell out, that the cords, which secured the rack-pins of tjie 

 root, unfortunately gave way. This happened so suddenly, 

 that the root at once struck the ground, with a force equal to 

 the united weight of the mass, and the momentum of the 

 movement, and pitched the balancemen (now suddenly lifted 

 to an elevation of nearly thirty feet,) like two shuttle-cocks, 

 to many yards distance, over the heads of the horses and the 

 driver, who stood in amazement at their sudden and aerial 

 flight ! Luckily for the men, there was no frost upon the 

 ground, so that, instead of breaking their bones, they fell only 

 on the soft turf of the park ; from which soon getting up and 

 shaking themselves, they heartily joined in the laughter of 

 their companions, at the extraordinary length of the leap 

 which they had taken. Fortunately also, the driver and the 

 horses escaped a worse fate, which had impended them : for 

 the steersman and his assistants, with great presence of 

 mind, never quitted their hold ; and their weight, added to 

 the weight of a ponderous mass of roots and earth, kept the 

 tree upright, and prevented it from overwhelming both the 

 team and the driver. This accident, which was at once 

 dangerous and ludicrous, made us extremely cautious 

 afterwards, in securing the bracers ; but the imagination of 

 the balancemen was forcibly impressed by it ; and it proved 

 impossible to persuade them to resume their elevated func- 

 tions for many months after. 



It now only remains to say something of the nature and 

 dimensions of the transplanting machines which have been 

 employed, in order that those, who set a value on lightness 

 and efficiency in such implements, may not be without a 

 guide, whereby to provide similar machines for themselves. 

 Planters, however, residing within a moderate distance, 

 would do well to procure them from Thomas Nesbit, Carpen- 

 ter near this place, a very ingenious man, who has been 

 much in the habit of making them for some years. 



It appears hitherto to have been the opinion of the con- 



