414 



The time of our survey not being the planting season, we have to 

 regret, that no account of this phenomenon (the absence of props), so 

 clear as we could have wished, was obtained by us. From Sir Henry's 

 explanations, however, we gathered, that the firmness or steadiness pro- 

 duced, was chiefly owing to the selection of such subjects, as had a 

 certain weight and strength of stem ; and more especially to a new, and 

 peculiar method of disposing and securing the roots under ground, at 

 the time of removal, attended with such advantage in giving stability 

 to the tree, that when it is placed in its new situation, and before any 

 earth has been laid on the roots, a veiy considerable force may be 

 applied, without throwing it down or displacing it. But Sir Henry 

 further informed us, that roots of great number and length (sometimes 

 to the extent of twelve and fourteen feet of a side), were also employed 

 to secure the larger trees, when set out single, in exposed situations- 

 Considering the season of the year, at which our inspection took place 

 (although unquestionably the best for witnessing the effects of this inte- 

 resting art), the Society will, of course, not look for any account, from 

 our own knowledge, of the mode of execution. We may venture, how- 

 ever, to state from what we saw, that the unexampled success with sin- 

 gle trees, necessarily the most difficult object, must imply methods not 

 less new than scientific. 



Respecting the management of this department, we were informed, 

 in general, that the greatest attention is constantly paid to the previous 

 cultivation of the soil, by meliorating and stirring it, to the depth of 

 eighteen inches, or two feet, and to some little distance round the spot, 

 on which the tree is to be planted. That for this purpose, no pure ani- 

 mal manure is ever used, but solely composts of different sorts, made 

 up with dung, or a small quantity of lime ; and that better effects are 

 found to be produced, towards this primary and grand object, by the 

 intermixture of soils of different qualities (for which the amplest oppor- 

 tunity is here afforded), than by any other given method. That for the 

 rest, new modes have been discovered by experience, of training and 

 preparing both the stems and branches of the tree ; for multiplying and 

 taking up its roots ; and lastly, for removing it to its new situation. But 

 that, which has contril)utod as much as any thing else to the success 

 we had witnessed, is a careful and judicious adaptation of each particu- 

 lar species, to that soil and situation in winch it is best calculated to 

 succeed. 



Next, as to the Second branch of our investigation, namely, Close 

 or Inclosed Clumps or Masses of Wood. These are usually intended 



