48 



THE planter's GUIDE. 



carefully matted up in order to preserve it entire. The 

 plants were then put upon a platform with four very low 

 wheels, in an upright position, (as was practised in the 

 time of Evelyn,) and transported about a mile and a-half 

 to the new garden. In removing the trees, owing to the 

 immense friction occasioned by the lowness of the wheels, 

 ten and twelve horses were occasionally employed ; so 

 that the procession through the suburbs for many days, 

 consisting of men and horses, and waving boughs, pre- 

 sented a spectacle that was at once novel and imposing. 

 The citizens of Edinburgh were surprised and delignted 

 with the master of an art which seemed more powerful 

 and persuasive than the strains of Orpheus, in drawing 

 after it, along their streets, both grove and underwood of 

 such majestic size — 



" Threi'cio blandiiis Orpheo 

 Auditam moderari arboribus fidem." 



On arriving at the place of their new destination, where 

 the ground had been prepared at great expense, and forced 

 up to the depth of three feet or more, the trees and 

 bushes were carefully planted. Numerous ropes, fastened 

 pretty high from the ground, and extending from the 

 stems to the distance of from twelve to four-and-twenty 

 feet out, in the fashion of a well-pitched bell-tent, pinned 

 them to the spot with immovable firmness, so that injury 

 from wind seemed altogether impossible. In this way, as 

 may be easily conceived, little or no loss of plants could 

 be sustained by the operation : the depth and richness 

 of the soil; the sheltered site of the garden, almost as 

 low as the level of the sea ; the steadfastness of the 

 plants, in consequence of their fastenings ; added to 

 careful waterings daily repeated, almost precluded con- 

 tingency. 



