68 . I 



the public. What can I, what can the public think of this gen- 

 tleman's judgment ? He has not, in my humble opinion, any 

 real knowledge. Had it not been for Sir Thomas Beevor, 

 he would have imposed upon the world, or endeavoured to do 

 so, to this extent, that in sixty years an acre of land would 

 have yielded £6,435, and 500 trees upon an acre, at one-fifth 

 their height distance. 



Then comes a Mr. Monteath, who published a book, and 

 called himself the King's forester. He says, that " for the 

 "sake of such of my readers as have not an opportunity of 

 seeing Mr. Withers' book and table, I give it a place in my 

 "Forester's Guide;" and adds, "it is the most useful and 

 "interesting table 1 have ever seen." He moreover adds, 

 that " it is no uncommon thing to see a tree, at forty years 

 "old, worth £3 ; and no uncommon thing to see a plantation 

 "at that age bearing more than 500 trees, at the distance of 

 "ten feet, worth that sum." That a tree of that age may be 

 worth £3, I will not deny ; but I do not believe that there 

 can be 500 of them on an acre. This " king's forester" 

 adopts all the errors of Waistell and Withers. What advan- 

 tage can possibly be obtained by consulting Sawyer, Waistell, 

 or Withers ? I cannot see any. I do see great disadvantage 

 to an inexperienced person. No one will be able to grow gold 

 by their advice. 



With whatever disrespect I have mentioned some books, 

 there are others which I must name as worthy of attention, 

 although not to the exact point of my subject. Evelyn's Sylva ; 

 De Candolle on the Organs of Plants; Duhamel sur I'exploita- 

 tion des hois. The latter mentions that the small end of a 

 branch attracts the sap or moisture from the earth with nearly 

 as much force as the large end ; and that force is very little 

 in a branch stripped of its leaves, but greater when the tree 

 is furnished with leaves : that every thing which creates an 

 obstacle to perspiration diminishes the force of suction ; and 



