't'LANTAtlONS OF ASH TREEf. 353 



SIR, 



If you tMnk the following information, relative to my 

 |)lantations of ash trees, likely to be of advantage to the 

 l)ublic, I wish to lay it before the Society of Arts, &c. 

 The Rewards I received from the Society have stimulated Stimulated to 

 me to exertions in this line, and I have been very successful, ^ewzrdl^fmn^^ 

 I have declined all business but that of raising ash trees for the society. 

 my own amusement, and for improvement of the landed in- 

 terest ; and I flatter myself, that I know it as Avell as any 

 man in the kingdom. I am so certain of the success at- 

 tending ash plantations, that I am willing, on landed se- 

 curity being given me, to advance any sum as far as thirty 

 thousand pounds, on having the execution of such improve- 

 ments under my own inspection, either jointly, or on the 

 owner's account. I have travelled over a considerable part 

 of England, and was sorry to see such a waste tract of land 

 as Bagshot Heath, when I know it might be improved by Bagshot heath 

 cultivation or planting, as has really been done at Farnham, "J.Jfy'^^^j^^ '™' 

 and many other commons in the kingdom. Where there 

 •are, at present, wild or uncultivated woods, I would re- Wild or un- 



commend to grub up the old wood, and either put the land '^"'^w^^ed 



o sr 7 f woods. 



in tillage, or plant it properly with fresh wood, which 

 would produce four times as much both in timber and un- 

 derwood. 



I have made from the underwood of some of my planta- Profit of plan- 

 tions 94^ per acre, at only ten years growth, and I am **"°"* °^ ^*^- 

 now falling some plantations, of which the underwood 

 alone will produce me 150/. per acre, exclusive of the ex- 

 pense of falling. It cannot be expected that noblemen or 

 gentlemen, brought up in expectation of possessing large 

 estates, can have a knowledge of improvements like the 

 executive man, and they are deterred from them by the im- 

 positions they meet with in attempting their execution. 

 Few servants will exert themselves properly in improve- 

 ments without having an interest in it themselves : But my 

 plan is no speculation; I know from long experience it 

 will yield an ample profit to the persons who engage in it 

 with attention. When the plantations are once put in Valuable por- 

 order, they require but little to be dons afterwards, and, V°"^^°'' 



Vol. XX. Supplement. 2 A tJierefore, 



