Library of Entertaining Knowledge. 93 



diameter, can never form valuable wood for future generations, he con- 

 cludes : — " While we state these things, we are far far from wishing to 

 undervalue Sir Henry Steuart's efforts to diffuse the knowledge of an im- 

 proved method of retransplanting large trees ; which, we think, must be of 

 advantage to landscape-gardening. All that we wish is, that the system may 

 rest upon a sound basis, and occupy its legitimate place in arboriculture. 

 From the very nature of things, this place must be both subordinate and 

 circumscribed; for, before a proper subject can be obtained, it must be 

 nursed for many years, with great assiduity and much outlay. Therefore, 

 to talk of a person by such means anticipating so many years of his life is 

 sheer drivelling ; for no man, by labouring fifty years to obtain an object, can 

 be said to anticipate that period, merely by removing the object from one 

 place to another." 



In p. 17. 21., the author points out an error into which we have inadvert- 

 ently fallen in the Encyclopedia of Agriculture, in attributing to Mr. Sang the 

 doctrine that plants have not a power of renewing their tap-root, and that 

 the tap-root is of importance to full-grown trees ; and a further error which 

 we have committed is, in making him say " that strength is gained as effec- 

 tually by a few branches to a head as by many." It appears from quotations 

 given in the pamphlet from the Planter 's Kalendar, that Mr. Sang is of the 

 same opinion with Sir Henry and ourselves, and that he had published this 

 opinion sixteen years before either of us. We have not the Planter's Ka- 

 lendar before us ; nor, if we had, is it probable that we could, at this distance 

 of time, account for having fallen into the very singular error of misrepre- 

 senting the sentiments of an author whose work every page in our article 

 Planting, in the Encyclopedia of Agriculture, will show that we took as a 

 text-book: but, in the edition of the Encyclopedia now passing through the 

 press, we shall take care to rectify the error ; and this, we trust, will be a 

 sufficient apology to Mr. Sang, than whom we do not know a man more 

 worthy of esteem, both in his professional and moral character. 



Whoever possesses the Planter's Guide will do well to possess also these 

 Strictures. 



The Library of Entertaining Knowledge. Vol. II. Timber Trees and Fruit 

 Trees. London. 12mo. 4s. 



The following letter is from a scientific practical gardener of considerable 

 experience. What he says respecting pruning the pine and fir tribes we 

 consider highly important. 



" Sir, In turning over the leaves of Vol. II. Part I. of that delightful 

 publication the Library of Entertaining Knoivledge, it is most gratifying to 

 find so rich a store of useful as well as entertaining information, compressed 

 into so small a compass, and yet written in a style so well calculated to 

 please and excite the general reader, for whose use and benefit this volume 

 on vegetable substances was avowedly published. 



" However, notwithstanding every disposition to be pleased with the per- 

 formance, should it appear that even but a few errors have crept into it, 

 no matter whether through inadvertence or otherwise, it is, I conceive, 

 every man's duty, if able, to correct them, especially when we consider the 

 high character of the Society for intelligence, by whose sanction and under 

 whose superintendence the work in question was ushered into the world : a 

 Society whose object is not to perpetuate but to correct error, by dissemi- 

 nating truth ; and, certainly, the correction of an error, however trifling, 

 under these circumstances, must be commendable. 



" I have been led into these remarks from observing a few inaccuracies in 

 this amusing little book, and will briefly state them as they occur,, 



" In page 6. there is a quotation from the Quarterly Review, respecting 

 the introduction of a spurious foreign variety (sessiliflora) of our old Eng- 

 lish oak (Quercus .Kobur) ; and awful misgivings we ought to have if what 



