72 



THE planter's GUIDE. 



divest themselves of tlie properties adapted to one situa- 

 tion, wlien thej happen to be transferred to another to 

 which the opposite properties are more congenial. For 

 this reason, if a tree of some size, which in consequence 

 of exposure has acquired all the properties already 

 noticed as adapted to that situation, be transferred to 

 the interior of the wood, it will in a few years lay aside 

 those properties, and assume all the others which have 

 been described, as pecuharly adapted to its new circum- 

 stances.'"* Thus the law of nature seems to be, that 

 shelter and exposure — that is, heat and cold — have the 

 power alike of diminishing or increasing, and of even 

 alternately bestowing and taking away, what may be 

 called the Peotecting Propeeties. 



It has been noticed above, that all trees in open situa- 

 tions uniformly attain the highest states of natural per- 

 fection of which they are susceptible — consequently it 

 is by such trees that the best, the toughest, and the most 

 durable timber is produced. Yet it is interesting to 

 observe the beneficence of Providence, in providing for the 

 accommodation of man. Were it not for the way in which 

 the external condition of trees, in woods and close situa- 

 tions, is modified, from whence could we procure the 

 long and powerful beam, the straight, clean, and length- 

 ened deal, and nearly all the wood that is employed, 

 whether in civil or naval architecture '? 



On considering these difibrent phenomena, and com- 

 paring them with other facts respecting the growth of 

 wood, which daily present themselves to our observation, 

 the following conclusions, as adapted to practice, seem 

 irresistible, and are agreeable to the law of nature on this 

 subject. 



First, That in a general view it seems evident, respect- 



* Note VIII. 



