OF FOREST-TREES. 87 



great esteem long before Pliny, we have the spear of Agamemnon cHAP. III. 

 formed from a tree so exposed ; and Didymus gives the reason, " For ''■^V^^ 

 that being continually weather-beaten, they become hardier and tougher." 

 Otherwise, that which is wind-shaken never comes to good ; and there- 

 fore when we speak of the climate, it is to be understood of valleys rather 



versant in the practice of planting ; but as all countries differ in a variety of circumstances, 

 I wish to be understood as only laying down rules subject to a necessary variation. There 

 is nothing so dangerous in planting as obeying too servilely the directions given in books : 

 something must be left to the planter himself. 



I have a particular satisfaction in laying before my readers the following letter, written 

 by Mr. Speechly, gardener to the Duke of Portland, describing the method of forming 

 plantations upon his Grace's estate in the county of Nottingham. It is a valuable piece 

 of practical information, and merits our utmost attention. 



■ — - — "Few Noblemen plant more than his Grace the Duke of Port- 



" land : and I think I may say, without vanity, none with greater success. But as no man 

 " should think of planting in the very extensive manner that we do, before he is provided 

 " with well-stocked nurseries, it may not be amiss, before I proceed further, to give a short 

 "sketch of that necessary business, as also to inform you of the soil and situation of our 

 " seat of planting. The greatest part of our plantations is on that soil, which, in Not- 

 " tinghamshire, is generally distinguished by the name of Forest-land. It is a conti- 

 " nuation of hills and dales ; in some places the hills are very steep and high ; but in ge- 

 " neral the ascents are gentle and easy. 



" The soil is composed of a mixture of sand and gravel ; the hills abound most with 

 " the latter, and the valleys with the former, as the smaller particles are by the wind and 

 " rains brought, from time to time, from the high grounds to the lower. It is on the hilly 

 " grounds we make our plantations, which in time will make the valleys of much greater 

 " value, on account of the shelter they will afford. 



" After his Grace has fixed on such a part of this Forest-land as he intends to have 

 " planted, some well-situated valley is chosen, (as near the centre of the intended planta- 

 " tions as may be,) for the purpose of a nursery : if this valley is surrounded with hills 

 " on all sides but the south, so much the better. After having allotted a piece of ground, 

 " consisting of as many acres as is convenient for the purpose, it is fenced about in such a 

 "manner as to keep out all obnoxious animals. At both ends of the nursery are large 

 " boarded gates, as also a walk down the middle, wide enough to admit carriages to go 

 " through, which we find exceedingly convenient when we remove the young trees from 

 " thence to the plantations. After the fence is completed, the whole is trenched (except 

 " the walk in the middle) about twenty inches deep, which work may be done for about 

 " three pounds ten shillings, or four pounds, per acre, according as the land is more or 

 " less gravelly ; this work is best done in the spring, when the planting season is over. If 



