46 DISTRIBUTION OF 



gardener cultivates several thousand of distinct 

 species of plants ; and yet he is generally able to 

 adapt each species to that sort of soil which is found 

 to be best suited to its nature. The gardener, in cul- 

 tivating a heath, for instance, gives it a hght, sharp, 

 mossy soil and a cool dry situation ; and he does so 

 because he knows that the heath, in its native coun- 

 try, is an inhabitant of a light dry soil, and liilly or 

 mountainous situation ; and so on with every other 

 plant he cultivates. Now, the principal thing to be 

 observed here is, that the gardener who cultivates 

 his plants with the most success is he who can by 

 his art give his plants most nearly that soil and situ- 

 ation which is found to be their condition in a state 

 of nature ; which is just the point that the forester 

 ought to attend to also. 



Foresters, knowing that trees in the natural forest 

 develope themselves to the greatest magnitude there, 

 ought to make themselves aware of the particular 

 circumstances which induce or assist that full de- 

 velopment ; and upon knowing the peculiar circum- 

 stances attending the full development of each 

 species in the natural state, they ought to make their 

 practice agree therewith ; which is the only way 

 that any man can arrive at perfection as a forester. 



I shall here give a short statement of the natural 

 peculiarities of the principal sorts of trees grown in 

 our home woods ; and also point out the particular 

 circumstances which are favourable to the healthy 



