PREFACE. 



XV 11 



future purpofes they are meant, or to whatever lltuatlons they 

 are defthied; and that if they are but barely fupported from in- 

 fancy on meagre ground, they will never afterwards become 

 ftrong, though removed to that which is rich and feeding. The 

 caufes for this, when the fubjedl is fearched to the bottom, are 

 demonftrably plain : From their harfh and unfriendly food tliey 

 contrad difeafes, which, if not immediately mortal, are certain- 

 ly incurable ; they neceffarily have bad roots, they are hide- 

 bo\md, and their branches weak and crooked ^ in fhort, tho' 

 they may long languifli in the ftate of bufhes, they will never 

 arrive to the magnitude of what may properly be called trees. 



But though I have advifed trees to be raifcd on good land, 

 let it be underftood, I mean that only which is naturally fo, 

 and not what has lately been forced and pampered with dung, 

 or at leaft before that dung has been mellowed and reduced to 

 the confiftence of earth, fuch being yet more baneful to trees in 

 general, than even the pooreft foils. 



I AM not furprifed at the frequent complaints made by Gentle- 

 men, on the trees they often have from the nurferies about Edin- 

 burgh. I know from fome quarters they have too good caufe for 

 fuch complaints. I have feen confiderable portions of thefe gar- 

 dens covered five or fix inches deep with new-made horfe and cow 

 dung, immediately dug into the ground, and, without the in- 

 tervention of a fingle week, planted with trees and hedge-plants. 

 I fliould be forry to think, nor do I believe, that many of my 

 readers will require a defcription of the effects, arifing from this 

 fliamelefs pradlice ; but, to the few yet quite uninformed, I fliall 

 only mention, that from this corruption at the root of the 



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