TRACTS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS, «&c. 33 



grain, beautifully veined, and resembling in some degree, a pale 

 mahogany. 



It appears, by the printed laws and ordinances, that the im- 

 portance of planting trees has been often, during the last century, 

 strongly pressed upon the landholders by the Court of Directors: 

 but leaving what is past, and looking forward to the next five 

 and twenty years, it may be useful to take a view of the invalu- 

 able benefits which might be conferred on this denuded island, l)y 

 a due attention to the orders of the Company ; and above all by 

 forming plantations of pineasters, particularly on the leeward 

 sides of the mountains, and other parts in the interior of the 

 island, where, on account of a greater moisture, and a cooler 

 atmosphere, it may be expected they would produce even larger 

 timber than in the vicinity of Plantation-house. 



As Governor Roberts's directions on the 31st May, 1709, (which 

 require the distance from one tree to another not to exceed seven 

 feet, or at the rate of 888 trees to an acre) are difl^erent from the 

 practice of the present time: it may be proper in this place, to 

 say a few words upon the number of trees that should be planted 

 on an acre. 



In the Transactions of the Society of Arts, Vol. XXVI. there is 

 an account of Dr. A. Bain's plantations in Dorsetshire, of 338,199 

 forest trees, upon 250 acres of poor land. He allotted 2000 to 

 each acre. His plantations are of a mixed sort, consisting of 

 289,555 Scotch firs ; 4362 oaks ; 12,290 larch ; Spanish chestnut 

 5647; spruce 3450; ash 11,050; pineasterl900; sycamore 4050; 

 birch 1700; and hazel 4195. The Scotch firs and pineasters 

 succeed far better than any of the other trees. 



The same number of trees to an acre has been also allotted 

 in the Duke of Portland's plantations in England ; where trees 

 of various sizes are placed in an irregular manner. And Mr. 



F 



