898 



NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. 



nature of such a coat, as enabled him to live in the coldest latitudes; and 

 which the elephant of tropical birth, with his unprotected hide, could 

 not certainly have endured. In the same way, between the tropics, 

 were the trunks of trees not defended from the downward and burning 

 rays of the sun, by a thick, expanded, and umbrageous foliage, there is 

 reason to think that their bark would be scorched and severely injured ; 

 while the same vertical rays harmlessly descend on the woolly head of 

 the negro ; who, without that light and natural turban, would, like the 

 defenceless European, often fall a victim to the " stroke of the sun ; 

 coup de soleil I will not call it, because the phenomenon is just as well 

 and clearly expressed in our own language. 



Note VI. Page 67. 



Aristotle, who enjoyed the double honour of being the father of 

 Natural History as well as of Metaphysics, says {De Bespirat. c. 10. 

 and the same principle is frequently inculcated throughout his other 

 works,) Se h Opyavov XpWi^l^ov as eVei [jia.Tr]V Spcofxev ovbev TTOiovcrau 

 rrjv (j)vaLV^ dvolv 8e ovtolv, ddrepov av rjv jjbdrqv ; meaning to intimate, that 

 Nature bestows not, on either animals or vegetables, any thing in vain ; 

 that, while she wisely effects her purposes by the easiest and most 

 direct methods, she withdraws the interposition of the agents as soon as 

 their office becomes superfluous. This principle is exemplified in no 

 instance better than in trees, and in their uniform possession of pro- 

 perties which are best adapted to their peculiar circumstances. 



Note VII. Page 69. 



The great and leading doctrine with the planters of England, respect- 

 ing the removal of trees, seems to be, that " old trees and young possess 

 similar properties ; therefore, they should be removed on similar prin- 

 ciples ;" which principles, as they sanction the unnecessary retrench- 

 ment of both the tops and roots of young plants, the same retrenchment 

 is applicable to those organs in plants of any age. This doctrine is not 

 new, as it was known and acted on more than a century ago. About 

 forty years since, it was revived by Marshall and others, and is now a 

 favourite one with some of the best writers of the present day, from 

 whom I regret being under the necessity of differing. The fact is, that 

 the basis of the proposition in respect to young plants, being unstable, 

 any superstructure raised upon it must fall to the ground. But were 

 this otherwise, and that it were ri^ht to mutilate young plants, it would 

 not from thence follow that old plants should likewise be mutilated ; 



