PREFACE. 



diilances, and to give them proper removals, they are conftrain-- 

 ed to go with the current, many piirchafers not being Ikilful e- 

 noiigh to eftimate the vahie of a tree by any other ftandard than its 

 height, vs^ithout attending to the far more effential circmxiftances 

 of its roots, thicknefs, and proportion. To thefe defences I have 

 ever obferved, what I am certain would have been the cafe, that 

 a perfeverance in the beft practice would foon flop the progrefs 

 of thefc invaders, and make them fenfible of their inability to^ 

 overcome the honefty and induftry of good gardeners, and. that 

 as they had ftarted up like muflirooms, they would, vanifh like 

 finoak ; but if thofe v/ho ought to know, better will adopt their - 

 pernicious principles, it is hard to fay how or when they may 

 ftop, if vigorous meafures are not ufed to oppofe.them,. 



In this cafe, if felf-interefl: is juflly confideredj independent of 

 other more facred confiderations, the Scots nurferymen and feeds- 

 men have the mod flattering example before their eyes, to animate 

 them in the purfuit of fuch a pra6lice as I have here endeavour- 

 ed to recommend ; and that is, in two perfons, a father and 

 fon, of their profelTion, who, having made it an invariable rule 

 in bufmefs^ notwithftanding whatever prefent iofs they might 

 fuflain, to fell no articles but the moll excellent of their kinds^ 

 foon were juftly eftabliihed in fo exteniive a reputation and trade, 

 as has acquired them large, fortunes, with unblemifhed charac- 

 ters, and that too perhaps with greater eafe, than many others 

 have procured a fcanty fubfiftence, whofe principles were not efta- 

 blifhed on fo rational and folid a foundation, I have no inten- 

 tipn to flatter by this remark. I never had any obligations to,, 

 or connections with the parties I mean, nor have any further 

 knowledge of them than their cliarad^ers and faces ; but, on the 



