THE planter's GUIDE. 



303 



have eyery reason to think, from a survey which I not 

 long since had occasion to take of many counties both in 

 the north and south. The above remark, though probably 

 new, is yet of considerable importance to those who , are 

 possessed of extensive woodlands ; and as information, 

 like an article of luxury, is commonly valued in propor- 

 tion to the distance from which it comes, it is possible 

 that these pages, should they attract the notice of the 

 great Enghsh planters, may stimulate them to study the 

 character of their own native Oak. By encouraging the 

 growth of the kind which is the most beautiful and the 

 most hardy, they will at once add value to their own 

 woods, and compensate in some sort for the neglect with 

 which it has been treated. 



In point of beauty, too, it is surprising what might 

 be done by cultivating more extensively the aboriginal 

 varieties of this valuable species. There are few persons 

 who have not probably been struck with the fine and rich 

 appearance occasioned by the young Beech, by way of 

 copse-wood, in plantations during the winter and spring 

 months. The aboriginal Oak is still more tenacious of 

 its fohage than the Beech, as trees of the former, of thirty 

 and forty feet high, are often found clothed with it at 

 these seasons, which does not happen with the latter. 

 This pleasing circumstance forms a striking winter feature, 

 in the ancient copses and woodlands above alluded to ; 

 and it might be transferred, by a planter of taste, with 

 the happiest effect to all the plantations, but more especi- 

 ally to the screens and masses of underwood, whict should 

 give richness and variety to a gentleman's residence. 



Notwithstanding this prominent external mark, exclu- 

 sively of all other botanical distinctions, it seems surpris- 

 ing, that the above property of the Oak should hitherto 

 have been unobserved by our nurserymen. On conversing 



