steuart's planter's guide. 



287 



somewhat different. — The strongest, hardest ash we 

 have seen, was cut from a hard, dry, adhesive clay, 

 of course a young tree. 



Sir Henry, speaking of the Western Highlands and 

 Islands of Scotland, states that " it is from a want of 

 soil, and not of climate, that woods of any given ex- 

 tent cannot be got up in these unsheltered, but ro- 

 mantic situations." Of many situations of these 

 bleak districts, this must be admitted, but we can- 

 not receive it as a general fact ; and even where it 

 holds true, the want of (proper) soil, or formation of 

 peat, is a consequence of the want of climate, al- 

 though this may have reacted to increase the evil. 

 There must have been a greater warmth of climate, 

 at least in summer, when the forests grew% which 

 lie buried in the mosses of the northern part of 

 Scotland, and of the Orkney and Shetland Islands, 

 as some kinds of timber are found in situations where 

 such kinds, by no circumstances of gradual shelter 

 under the present climate, could have gro\\Ti. There 

 are several indications of a greater warmth having 

 been general throughout Britain, and even farther 

 eastward, and that a slight refrigeration is still in 

 progress. We instance the once numerous vine- 

 yards of England, — the vestiges of aration so nume- 

 rous upon many of our hills, where it would now be 

 considered fruitless to attempt raising grain, even 



