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THE planter's GUIDE. 



dry state, as the cinders are of little value and injurious 

 to the roots of plants. 



No one, who has not seen it, will easily belieye the 

 surprising effect which this compound produces on park- 

 wood some time removed, and to the most exposed 

 situations, if it chance to be in a backward condition, and 

 by thus merely adding to the surface, and thereby 

 enlarging the pabulum of the trees. I rather imagine 

 that the process is peculiar to my own practice : but, be 

 that as it may, I have repeatedly tried it on all sorts of 

 subjects, young and old, removed and unremoved, that 

 seemed to be backward or stationary in their progress, 

 and its vivifying powers have proved extraordinary in 

 every instance. It is, however, to be observed, that in 

 the case of old trees, as there is a complete exhaustion of 

 the original soil around them, so a much larger mass of 

 fresh matter must be superinduced upon it. A tree of 

 three or four feet in diameter would require twenty cart- 

 loads at least, in order that any material renovation of 

 its strength might be effected ; and few men, I think, 

 would grudge so small an expense and labour to save or 

 improve a favourite tree. 



The practice of gardeners, I am avfare, is considerably 

 different from this. If they find their trees in any wise 

 unprosperous, their usual resource is to stir the earth 

 among the roots, instead of leaving them undisturbed, 

 and to dig in well-rotted dung, or rather manure ; and it 

 is to be presumed, that, in their management of park- 

 wood, they would pursue a similar system. In favour of 

 such a practice, in the horticultural department, some- 

 thing may be said ; because the great depth of soil in 

 garden-ground admits of the roots of fruit-trees descend- 

 ing far deeper than can be expected in the park ; not to 

 mention the advantage of cultivating leguminous crops on 



