702 Matthew's Naval Timber. 



the scene copied, the beauty produced would be merely that 

 of repetition. But we have neither room nor time at present 

 fully to illustrate this theory. Let it suffice for us to state, 

 for the consideration of those of our readers who have re- 

 flected on the subject, that there is as certainly, in gardening, 

 as an art of imitation, the gardenesque, as there is, in painting 

 and sculpture, the picturesque and sculpturesque. 



Matthew, Patrick : On Naval Timber and Arboriculture ; 

 with Critical Notes on Authors who have recently treated 

 the Subject of Planting. 8vo, 400 pages. London, 1831. 12s. 



In our Number for February, 1831 (Vol. VII. p. 78.), we 

 have given the title of this work, with a promise of a farther 

 notice. This is, however, now' so retrospective a business, 

 that we shall perform it as briefly as possible. The author 

 introductorily maintains that the best interests of Britain con- 

 sist in the extension of her dominion on the ocean ; and that, 

 as a means to this end, naval architecture is a subject of pri- 

 mary importance ; and, by consequence, the culture and pro- 

 duction of naval timber is also very important. He explains, 

 by description and by figures, the forms and qualities of the 

 planks and timbers most in request in the construction of 

 ships ; and then describes those means of cultivating trees, 

 which he considers most effectively conducive to the produc- 

 tion of these required planks and timbers. 



" The British forest trees suited for naval purposes," enu- 

 merated by the author, are, oak, Spanish chestnut, beech, 

 Scotch elm, English elm, red-wood willow (Salix fragilis), red- 

 wood pine, and white larch. On each of these he presents a 

 series of remarks regarding the relative merits of their timber ; 

 and even notices, under each, the varieties of each, and the 

 relative merits of these varieties. Indeed, our author insists 

 particularly on the necessity of paying the greatest attention to 

 the selection, both for planting and for ultimate appropriation, 

 of particular varieties, he contending that vegetable bodies 

 are so susceptible of the influence of circumstances, as soil, 

 climate, treatment of the seed, culture of the seedling, &c. 

 &c, as to s be modified and modifiable into very numerous 

 varieties, and that it is an essential object to select the variety 

 most adapted to the circumstances of the plot of ground to be 

 planted. This may be very true ; but it is also true that 

 extreme will be the difficulty of diffusing, among those most 

 engaged in the operative processes of forestry, sensitive atten- 

 tion to these points. 



" Miscellaneous Matter connected with Naval Timber" 

 Under this head the author has remarks on nurseries, 

 planting, pruning timber, and the relations of our marine. 



