OF FRUIT AND FOREST TREES. 



293 



feating the ends propofed by the provident care and vvifdom 

 of their anceftors, depriving the public of a valuable fource 

 of timber, either for domeftic purpofes or national ufe, and 

 reducing their country to a dependance on foreign produce 

 for fupplying the demands of her fleets and manufactures. 



I mall efteem myfelf mod happy, if, in giving this tribute 

 of information to the general flock of public improvement, I 

 mould promote an influence that may excite noblemen and 

 gentlemen, and proprietors of land of every denomination 

 throughout the kingdom, to be actively folicitous in planting 

 and preferving oak-timber, the native growth of their coun- 

 try ; that Great Britain may never be under the dangerous as 

 well as difagreeable neceflity of trufting the fafety of her fea- 

 men to the inferior texture and lefs durable quality of foreign 

 growths ; while the hardy oaks of England, which for ages 

 paft have been confidered as affording the beft timber in the 

 world for this building, and may have been faid to have 

 brought home victory and commerce from every part of the 

 globe, are no longer fuffered to diminifh, as they have done 

 of late, to the manifeft detriment and difhonour of our 

 country. 



Such an evil (and it is of no common magnitude) proceeds 

 from the negligence and inattention of the landed men, who, 

 from a fpirit of patriotic ambition, as well as private intereft, 

 mould pay a very vigilant attention to the maintaining of a 

 fucceflion of healthy, well-growing timber, for the fervice of 

 their country, nor any longer fuffer the internal refources of 

 the kingdom to fail in furnifhmg materials for that great 

 national object, the fupport of the Britifh navy ; as well as 

 for the many various demands of domeftic utility. By 

 making fuch a provifion for the public wants, they will add 



to 



