PREFACE. 



ix- 



f»lly comparing localities much knowledge and use- 

 ftil instruction will be gained. It has been argued, 

 tliat this will injure his own employment, as well 

 as that of others in the Forestry. This he grants 

 wdll be the case to a very considerable degree ; but 

 in this he rejoices. He is not seeking solely his 

 own gain, or the gain of any of his profession. He 

 seeks the beauty, the prosperity and the utility of 

 his native soil. He seeks the encouragement of 

 industry, and the employment of the many sulFer- 

 ing poor labourers in the country. He wishes to 

 see every inch of useless land brought to advan- 

 tage, and he will rejoice in seeing a noble profit 

 brought to the treasury, and to the families of 

 those public spirited gentlemen, who, as cultivators 

 of unprofitable and unsightly lands, deserve well 

 of their country, and shall ever hold the highest 

 place in the estimation of the Author. 



My desire as an Author is to be useful, and by 

 giving this volume to the public, my end 1 hope 

 will more likely be gained, as it will extend far be- 

 yond the sphere which I or any individual could 

 reach. It may be said that many of the Planta- 

 tions here treated of, are of a local nature, and only 

 concern individual property. This is in many in- 

 stances the case ; but in all cases w^here names are 

 mentioned, it is only with a view to prove beyond 

 dispute, the truth of the thing asserted, that he 

 may say ** go there and see." And I most sincere* 



