THE planter's GUIDE. 



9 



is not merely an art of practice. It is founded on 

 vegetable physiology and tlie anatomy of plants, and 

 constitutes one branch only of general planting, which 

 it is still more important to teach on principles of science. 

 To carry the former into effect, it is obyious that, as mate- 

 rials of considerable magnitude are concerned, so difficulties 

 are found which do not occur in ordinary planting, and, 

 by doing greater yiolence to Nature, it requires far greater 

 dexterity, as well as greater science. To teach the art, 

 therefore, of removing large trees, is to teach, in the 

 most effective manner, that of General Planting on physi- 

 ological principles, which, as they are drawn from Nature 

 herself, cannot err, and accordingly, they furnish the only 

 certain means of accounting for its failure, or teaching it 

 with success. He who can raise a Tree from the seed to 

 the state of valuable timber, whether for ornament or use, 

 must possess a certain acquaintance with the habits ot 

 woody plants : but the man who can remove Trees of 

 considerable age and magnitude at pleasure, must neces- 

 sarily possess the same species of skill, and a knowledge of 

 the laws of Nature, to a much superior extent. 



On a subject like this, which is wholly new but not the 

 less interesting to the British planter, I would earnestly 

 entreat the attention and indulgence of the reader. It 

 is not more than threescore years since chemistry and 

 natural nistory began to be successfully cultivated among 

 us, and applied to the improvement of the arts. The 

 ingenious writings and interesting discoveries of Mr 

 Knight, the President of the Horticultural Society of 

 London, have done much to turn the public attention to 

 vegetable physiology, as important to the advancement 

 of horticulture. The late able works of Mr Keith on 

 Physiological Botany, and of Mr ElHs on Vegetable 

 Anatomy and Physiology, have completely systematised 



