Croc's System of Pmnhig Forest Trees.- 439 



too many suppose, an inanimate substance, but a living being 

 like themselves; that in its constituent parts it possesses the 

 same chemical principles as they do, though with different pro- 

 perties, and under different laws of organisation." 



My system is to shorten the branches till the tree is above 

 18 feet or greater height, and not less than 15 inches or any 

 greater circumference, before close pruning commences. This 

 system has extended to the royal parks, London, and other parts 

 of England, Germany, and Scotland. Trees which I have pruned 

 may be seen at Sir R. K. Dick's, Bart., Prestonfield, Eagle and 

 Henderson's nurseries, and at the East Prince's Street Gardens, 

 Edinburgh. The Right Hon. Lord Douglas got trees pruned as 

 a specimen. The Hon. Admiral Fleming, from what he had got 

 done, expressed his approbation by stating that my system was the 

 first of the age. The late Lord Advocate, now Lord Murray, on 

 seeing trees that I had pruned for above twenty years, said it would 

 be of national advantage if the system were adopted in the royal 

 forests, and that he would recommend it in the strongest terms 

 to Lord Duncannon. The late Sir Henry Steuart, Bart., after 

 pruning and repruning, expressed his approbation in his Planter''s 

 Guide ; and Sir Thomas G. Carmichael, Bart., Sir John Nasmyth, 

 Bart., and Dr. Thackery, M.D., Chester, England, gave compli- 

 mentary letters, and were pruning above 800 acres on my system : 

 and the late William Elliot Lockhart, Esq., M.P.; W.Scott, Esq., 

 Teviotbank ; A. Dickson, Esq., Hasendeanburn ; Robert Dick, 

 Esq., Prestonfield; George T. Stoddart Esq., Oliver; Charles 

 Ferrier, Esq., Baddinsgill; W.Lock, Esq., Rachan; David Dick- 

 son, Esq., Kilbucho; Adam Sim, Esq., Culter Mains; R. G. 

 Baillie, Esq., Culter; Robert B. Campbell, Esq., Cornhill; George 

 Gillespie, Esq., Biggar Park ; Lawrence Brown, Esq., Edmonston ; 

 Charles Cunningham, Esq., Newholm ; Robert Somerville, 

 Esq., Cormiston ; James Wyld, Esq., Springfield ; John Wyld, 

 Esq., Westernbank ; Alexander Wright, Esq., nurseryman, 

 Edinburgh ; Dickson and Sons, do. ; Mr. Scott, East Prince's 

 Street Gardens, do. ; Mr. J. Reid, do. ; Mr. Barnet, do. ; Mr. 

 Nicol, do.; Mr. Spalden, Peebles; Mr. Lamb, Selkirk; Mr. 

 Thomson, Lanark ; Mr. Robert Brown, forester, Carnwath ; 

 and Mr. Andrew Turnbull, forester, Biggar Shiells, have all 

 expressed themselves favourably in regard to my system. 



Gavin Cree respectfully intimates to noblemen and gentle- 

 men that he continues to give directions to others, and to prune 

 forest trees on scientific principles. He will likewise give 

 rules, mathematically established, on the thinning of plant- 

 ations, including planing and draining. 



He begs also to refer to Professor Low, in his Elements of 

 Agriculture (on Wood), as a proof of his qualifications. In that 

 treatise it is stated that Mr. Crce has brought the system of 



