116 Steuati^s Planter'' s Guide. 



in the red book of the designer. His account, however, of 

 the general practice in England, for the last forty years, is 

 perfectly correct; and all his objections to, and condemnation 

 of, the malpractices attending it, are no less relevant. Indeed, 

 it is but justice to affirm, that it has remained for him to 

 reduce the process of removing large trees to a regular system, 

 founded on natural principles, and by judicious rules of oper- 

 ation to enable the planter to secure to himself evei*y advantage 

 he may have in view, or which is derivable from snch expe- 

 dients. 



Sir Henry's opinions and practice are incontestibly con- 

 firmed by his uniform and extensive success, and to which he 

 naturally and triumphantly appeals. It follows that he must 

 wish that his system should only be examined by practical men, 

 who can attest their opinion by experience: this, therefore, 

 renders it necessary that his reviewer should in this place 

 give some account of how far he is qualified for the task, by 

 giving names and facts, which will speak for themselves. 



In the summer of 1795 I entered as gardener into the 

 service of the late Thomas Hibbert, Esq., of Chalfont House, 

 Buckinghamshire. At that time, there was groundwork going 

 on at Bulstrode, then the seat of the late Duke of Portland, as 

 well as at Chalfont House, under the directions of Mr. Ire- 

 land, then foreman for Mr. Lapidge, one of the successors to 

 the business of the celebrated Brown. 



I know not what was done by Mr. Ireland in transplanting 

 large trees at Bulstrode; but at Chalfont House he removed 

 some very large ones most successfully, particularly a white 

 poplar, at least 60 ft. high, and 14 in. in diameter. This tree 

 was planted to break the hedge-like appearance of a row of 

 fine old oaks, which stand on the bank of a stream, a little 

 below the arch over which the coach-road passes from Chal- 

 font village to the house. The branches of this tree were 

 partly cut in, when planted, but it succeeded admirably, and 

 is now a stately tree, 90 ft. high. 



About this time, I think, Mr. Lapidge gave up business, 

 and the works at both places were discontinued. Mr. Ireland 

 removed to the late Samuel Whitbread, Esq., or to Woburn 

 Abbey, in Bedfordshii'e, I am uncertain which ; one or two 

 of his sons, I believe, are still at Woburn, 



Soon afterwards, the works at both the above-mentioned 

 places recommenced, and also those at Shardeloes, the beauti- 

 ful seat of T. T. Drake, Esq., and at Cashiobury Park, the seat 

 of the Earl of Essex, all under the immediate directions of Mr. 

 Repton, then in the zenith of his fame. In all these places 

 every manoeuvre of the art of landscape- gardening was executed. 



