SECTION VIII. 



Note I. Page 183. 



I BEG to take this opportunity of accounting to the critical reader fof 

 a few new words which I have taken the liberty to introduce, such as 

 the one to which reference is here made ; and my only apology is, that 

 in a new art the practice may perhaps be admissible. 



" To machine a tree," is an expression which I have for many years 

 applied to the act of putting a tree on the machine. Hence, " the 

 machiner" is the person who operates in this way ; and both words 

 have for some time been current in this part of the kingdom. In the 

 same manner, I have taken the liberty to introduce the expression that 

 ground is " sinky," when it yields easily to the foot of man, or other 

 animals ; that plants are " stemmy," when they are tall and slender, 

 and have few branches on the stem ; and that earth is " spadeable," 

 when it is capable of being worked with the spade. I have said " decal- 

 cation of the surface," for treading it with the foot ; " to spade earth," 

 for to throw or turn up earth with the spade ; " to handle roots," for to 

 distribute or arrange them with the hand ; and hence "a handler," for 

 one that so distributes or arranges them. Of these it may probably be 

 said that some are fair derivatives, particularly " decalcation, sinky, 

 stemmy, and spadeable ; " and that, according to the rule of Horace, 

 they may be considered as adding to the copiousness of speech. In 

 favour of "machiner" and "machining," "handler" and "handling," 

 I have little to offer, only that they stand us in good stead in field- 

 practice. 



On the same ground, I have also to ap^ ogise for the application of a 

 few known and established expressions, w^hich is rather different from 

 that generally in use. Thus, I have said " to transfer a tree," for to 

 transplant or remove it ; and " transference" for transplantation. These, 

 however, I consider as good words, though pure Latinisms. But " a 

 severe exposure," for a place severely exposed ; " a staring view," for a 

 view stared at ; these and suchlike terms are not so defensible, although 

 they may have been used by landscape-gardeners and others. In this 



