THE planter's GUIDE. 



155 



the same fate. When these rocks are near the surface, 

 the oxide with which they abound is generally injurious 

 to vegetable life, and trees die as soon as their roots come 

 in contact with it. Of these rocky strata the greater part 

 of the Western Highlands and Islands of Scotland furnish 

 remarkable examples, excluding of course, in most districts, 

 the ingredient of iron. But it is from a want of soil, and 

 not of climate, that woods of any given extent cannot be 

 got up in those unsheltered but romantic regions. Nature 

 is every where impartial in her gifts. Where wood abounds, 

 the character of a district is often tame and uninteresting. 

 Were the grand scenery of these " high -featured countries," 

 their sublime mountains and blue lakes, crowned with the 

 forests of the south, they would in point of picturesque 

 beauty be the paradise of the earth. 



Happy, then, is the planter who has none of these dry 

 rocks for his subsoil ; for it clearly appears that neither 

 general planting nor removal of trees is possible, of what- 

 ever size, where they are present. Still happier is he 

 who, with clay and sand intermingled beneath his surface, 

 or even with those untoward substances separately com- 

 posing his soils, can by industry and skill prepare them 

 for his purpose. But happiest certainly of all is the man 

 who can boast the possession of that enviable greenstone 

 or rotten whin, with the deep, friable, and dark-coloured 

 mould of the 0 chills superincumbent on it ; for then he 

 may plant or remove whatever trees he pleases, and with- 

 out preparation either chemical or mechanical. 



In conclusion, I have to observe, that there is perhaps 

 some reason to claim the indulgence of the general reader, 

 for the seemingly elaborate manner in which I have been 

 obliged to point out the chemical and scientific principles 

 on which soils should be improved and rendered proper 

 for the food of plants. It has been said above, and it 



