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SECTION VIII. 



Note I. Page 209. 



I BEG to take this opportunity of accounting to the critical reader for 

 a few new words, which I have taken the liberty to introduce, such as 

 the one to which reference is here made ; and my only apology is, that, 

 in a new art, the practice may perhaps be admissible. 



"To machine a tree," is an expression, which I have, for many years, 

 applied to the act of putting a tree on the machine. Hence, " the ma- 

 chiner" is the person who operates in this way; and both words have, 

 for some time, been current in this part of the kingdom. In the same 

 manner, I have taken the liberty to introduce the expression, that ground 

 is "sinky," when it yields easily to the foot of man, or other animals ; 

 that plants are " stemmy," when they are tall and slender, and have few 

 branches on the stem; and that earth is "spadeable," when it is capa- 

 ble of being worked with the spade. I have said " decalcation of the 

 surface," for treading it with the foot ; "to spade earth," for to throw 

 or turn up earth with the spade ; " to handle roots," for to distribute or 

 arrange them with the hand ; and hence, " a handler," for one that so 

 distributes or arranges them. Of these it may probably be said, that some 

 are fair derivatives, particularly " decalcation, sinky, stemmy, and spade- 

 able ;" and that, according to the rule of Horace, they may be consider- 

 ed as adding to the copiousness of speech. In favor of " machiner" 

 and " machining," " handler" and " handling," I have little to offer, only 

 that they stand us in good stead in field-practice. 



On the same ground, I have also to apologize for the application of a 

 few known and established expressions, which is rather different from 

 that generally in use. Thus, I have said " to transfer a tree," for to 

 transplant or remove it; and " transference" for transplantation. These, 

 however, I consider as good words, though pure Latinisms. But " a 

 severe exposure," for a place severely exposed ; " a staring view," for a 

 view stared at; these and such like terms are not so defensible, although 

 they may have been used by landscape gardeners and others. In this 



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