Stemrfs Piatiter's Guide. 123 



But to return to the question, how far pruning is right or 

 wrong ; according to physiological facts and reasoning, no one 

 can withhold for a moment his consent to the able arguments 

 brought forward in support of the position stated by Sir 

 Henry. It is impossible that any man in his right senses can 

 expect magnitude of stem and active roots, without a corre- 

 sponding magnitude of head. This has always been the settled 

 opinion of you, myself, and every one else acquainted with 

 vegetable economy ; although, for particular purposes, we may, 

 and indeed must, occasionally depart from natural principles 

 to obtain artificial results. And as to the charge of unnatu- 

 rally lightening the heads of transplanted trees, I frankly 

 admit, and I may venture to do the same for you, that we 

 have certainly embraced the plausible practice of thinning the 

 top, not altogether as a means of assisting the growth, but as 

 a precaution for securing the position against winds. In cases 

 where the roots are curtailed and broken, our physiological 

 tenets may have been neutralised by the urgent calls of the 

 mutilated plant, v/hich seemed loudly to demand a provisional 

 equalisation of its conservative organs. 



But, accoi'ding to Sir Henry's method of proceeding, there 

 appears no cause for the dereliction of physiological, common 

 professional, or rather practical rules ; because previous pre- 

 paration, and the extreme care bestowed in taking up, tran- 

 sporting, and replanting, dispel all fear of success ; no violent 

 endeavour at equalisation of branches to the root seems neces- 

 sary ; the patient preciseness of placing and " handling " the 

 roots, the consolidation of the fresh soil, the immediate and 

 subsequent waterings, are all processes of so conservative a 

 character, that a failure would be really a wonder ! All this 

 is entirely Sir Hetiri/s owji, and very different from any thing 

 I ever saw or practised out of a garden. 



The prerequisites which the Allanton system (for so it 

 henceforth deserves to be called) requires are, nunndrous- 

 ness of roots, strength and hardihood of stem, large and well 

 balanced branches, and suitably prepared soil. These, with 

 the precautions above described, a proper truck, and two or 

 three steady horses, are the means by which Sir Henry Steuart 

 has embellished his own park, and, by advice, those of some 

 of his friends, thus setting a bright example to all improvers 

 of landscape. 



I had written thus far, when I received from you the Qicarteiiy 

 Beviewfor March, 1828, with the information that it contained 

 a review of the Plaiiter's Guide. I turned to, and read with 

 pleasure, this veiy able paper. It is the offspring of a penetrat- 

 ing mind and powerful pen [Sir Walter Scott]. The Planter's 



