52 



TIIK PK AC TICAL GAIiDKNKR. 



but also for tlic planting, and, in many cases, for tlic enclosing 

 and draining of the land, another evil followed, and of far worse 

 consequences, namely, that the ground, in many cases, was not 

 half planted; bad trees were used, and sorts unfit for the va- 

 rious soils operated on, were injudiciously planted where they 

 should not have been ; and, to crown the whole, sorts were 

 planted which were in the gi*eatest abundance, either in the 

 estimation or stock of the contractor, without any regard to the 

 interest of the proprietor, who, after a number of years of 

 anxious expectation of having fine healthy plantations stocked 

 with the trees of greatest value, found that he had his soil 

 cumbered with Scotch fir, and probably larch, without a single 

 oak or ash on an acre. 



Before proceeding further, we beg most distinctly to be un- 

 derstood, that these remarks are not levelled indiscriminately at 

 nurserymen in general, but to those who, by selling at a lower 

 price than can cover the expense of rearing the trees in a pro- 

 per manner, are without principle induced to adopt measures to 

 ensure a sufficient profit for themselves, at the proprietors' ex- 

 pense and disappointment. Against these men, landed pro- 

 prietors cannot be too sufficiently guarded. From our own 

 knowledge, there are few professions in life wherein a greater 

 number of respect;ible, honest, and honorable men are to be 

 found, than in that of nurserymen ; but in this, as in all others, 

 there are some of the above description, always ready to con- 

 tract to plant and supi)ly at prices which no discrete man can 

 afl^brd to do, without entailing upon himself a serious loss 

 either of capital or credit. These are our views of the founda- 

 tion of private nurseries in general, although some few proprie- 

 tors, for the gi'atification of peculiar fancies, have and still con- 

 tinue to rear their own trees ; still by far the greater number 

 have been induced to do so to prevent disappointment and im- 

 position. 



Proprietors who intend to plant should either rear their own 

 trees under the direction of their gardener or forester, or else 

 ))urchase them at once from a respectable commercial nursery- 

 man, and have the planting executed by labourers on their own 

 estates, and under the direction of a person competent to the 

 charge. There is no i)art of forest-tree planting that should be 



