vift PREFACE. 



thought, that I have in fome inftances reveal-* 

 ed too freely the fecrets of the bufmefs. But* 

 what is of more confequence, wherever the 

 fcene of planting is extenfive, I have ftrongly 

 recommended the eftablifhment of private nurf- 

 eries ; and I have decidedly advifed \hejbwing 

 of the larger kinds of tree feeds, fuch as acorns^ 

 chenrats and walnuts, in the fpot where the trees 

 are deftined to grow, in preference to \keplant* 

 ing of young trees taken from any nurfery what- 

 ever. For thefe things I alone am refponfible. 

 In my. defence, I may appeal to every pa- 

 triot Briton,- as to the extreme importance of ad- 

 opting the moil fpeedy and effectual meafures 

 to increafe the quantity of foreft plantation in 

 thefe Iflands, in order to meet the extraordinary 

 expenditure of our native timber which is now 

 unavoidably taking place, owing to the unpa- 

 ralleled war which has clofed the ufual fources of 

 our fupply from the Continent. Now, where 

 the defigns are extenfive, the planting will cer- 

 tainly be greatly facilitated and forwarded by the 

 formation of private nurferies ; and in no other 

 cafes will fuch nurferies ever be found advan- 

 tageous. Further ; few, I prefume, would be 

 found difpofed to difpute the propofition r that 



private 



