206 
air that, between the gases evolved from the 
earth and the dews that had been deposited from 
the clouds, may be termed medicated to the 
plants that require its nourishment, is not wasted, 
is not swept away, or dried up; neither is it 
scorched or rendered stagnant; but, by moderate 
shelter, is rendered duly warm, and applied in 
quiet; and the plant and the animal alike enjoy 
the genial influence. In short, by shelter we 
create a climate; and is it necessary to say any- 
thing more ? 
“here is hardly a spot in Scotland, nor, of 
course, in England, or Ireland, that might not 
be rendered of a kindly temperament by shelter. 
It is not absolute height that renders our plains 
and mountains cold,—it is merely relative height ; 
that, being the highest, and unsheltered by any- 
thing higher, the air passes over them unchecked 
and unmitigated, and, acquiring strength as it 
goes, becomes at last scourging and destructive. 
Upon a surface so swept, the sun can take no 
effect, nor can the earth impart any warmth ; 
the influence of both is overborne by cold and 
scourging winds. But where the gale is checked, 
and the air over any particular spot is rendered 
tranquil, it soon becomes warm, either from the 
direct heat of the sun_or the latent warmth of 
the earth. The enclosed space, though on the 
highest hill, becomes in effect a valley, for it is 
surrounded by higher objects. Its air becomes 
attempered, its climate and consequently its soil 
improved ; for it becomes the seat of vegetation, 
and draws nourishment from the previously idle 
and scourging air; and the blast that was pre- 
viously destructive, and, like a marauding army, 
overrun the space, leaving desolation only behind 
it, is now arrested, and made to yield, to the very 
woods that arrest it, the nourishment they need, 
—is turned from an enemy, levelling all before 
it, into a subservient drudge, to yield food and 
water to the hills, as well as to the plains, and 
enrich where it had previously impoverished. 
Need I say to intelligent readers that this is no 
fancy picture? No, for every object around them, 
and every reflection upon it, will convince them 
of its truth. The lowest plain, if swept by a 
scourging wind, is barren, or next to barren, 
whatever may be its soil; and on the other hand, 
on the highest hills, if we find a valley, it is fer- 
tile, precisely because it is not swept by cold and 
scourging winds.” 
“ Let any one look at a moor where planta- 
tions have been raised, and he will find as fol- 
lows:—First, if the wood has been properly 
planted, and fenced, and thinned, that is, if pro- 
per care has been taken to make the plant reach 
the subsoil, to shelter it while growing, and in 
due time to provide room for its growth, the 
wood is thriving; and instead of heath, as was 
the original covering of the soil, it is now cover- 
ed between the trees by a rich, and if they are 
close, an exceedingly silky grass. Even the 
heath at the outskirts, if any remains, has a 
SHELTER, 
softer and more luxuriant character than the 
stunted article of the same description without 
the enclosure. It may be said this is produced 
by the manure annually furnished by the falling 
leaves,—and this may promote the richness and 
luxuriance of the grass; but the efficacy of 
shelter is evident from this, that the grass is 
often finest and richest where there is shelter 
only, and no manure from the falling leaves, that 
is, in casual openings of the plantation. Next, 
if corn-fields have been created under shelter of 
the woods, they will generally be found luxu- 
riant, while beyond this, there is first coldness, 
and a light crop,—and beyond this perhaps 
heath ; or even one side of the wood is thin and 
stunted, and the other, which has been sheltered 
by this stunted part, is thriving and vigorous. 
A more remarkable evidence of the benefits of 
shelter, and of the consequences of the want of 
it, may be stated as follows :—where a dyke has 
been raised of a certain height, and trees planted 
within it, the trees are cut by the blast as if by 
a hedge-knife, exactly in the direction the blast 
has received from the coping of the wall; that 
is, if the wall is flat af the top, the wood has suf- 
fered far in; if the angle of the top is small, the 
cut of the trees is exactly of the same angle, 
and extends far in, in proportion to the flatness 
of the angle; but if the angle is very acute, and 
sends the blast almost directly upwards, the 
wood almost escapes,—the tree by the wall is 
slightly cut, and no more. These facts may not 
have been noticed in any scientific publication, 
but they are open to every observer ; and they 
suggest many ideas of the utmost importance, as 
regards this division of the empire. They sug- 
gest, first, the great utility of shelter as a general 
principle ; next, that where woods are planted, 
the wall opposed to the most prevalent or most 
destructive wind, should be of considerable 
height ; and, third, that even the form of the 
coping of dykes for woods or fields, is of conse- 
quence, and that it should always be of such an. 
angle, as to send the blast (which in all cases 
will obey it more or less), almost directly up- 
wards. 
“By proper shelter, almost every part of this 
kingdom might be brought into a state of warmth 
and productiveness. Ranges of moor, apparent- 
ly the most barren, might be rendered warm 
and kindly to every species of vegetation. Hven 
hills, were it worth while to contend with them, 
might be conquered by successive belts of wood ; 
and if not cultivated (as they evidently have in 
many instances been), at least made of double 
or triple value for pasture. But our common 
moors and moorland require nothing so much as 
shelter ; and even where the lands are not 
moorish, but much exposed, shelter is necessary 
both to the fields and flocks, and nothing can 
so much enhance their value. And it is not 
continued ring-fences, clapped down any where, 
or any how, that should be recommended in this 
