brance, but as affording useful materials. Popula tion ftill increafing, the foreft breaks ipto woods. Commerce and luxury advancing, the canoe becomes a fhip, and the hut a mansion: at length even the woods dwindle away, and plantations, or an import of foreign timber, become neceffery to fupply the want.

ENGLAND has experienced, more or lefs, every ftage of this decline. Its prefent state, in respect to timber, we conceive to be this: A few broken forefls, and many extenfive woodlands, still remaining; a great number of plantations of different growths, and a vaft fupply of foreign timber of various kinds. Indeed, we are of opinion, that had it not been for this foreign fupply, scarcely a timber tree, at this day, would have been left standing upon the island.

Our existence, as a nation, depends upon a full and certain fupply of fhipping; and this, we may venture to fay, upon an internal fupply of fhip timber. That there is no want of oak timber, at prefent, in this ifland, is, we believe, a fact; but that the article of ship timber is growing scarce, as we shall explain more fully in its proper place, is, we believe, also a fact which cannot be controverted. This is an important matter, which demands the first attention of Government, and

is not unworthy the notice of every landed individual.

MANKIND, however, do not view the face of nature in the light of felfprefervation only; the great Author of creation has wonderfully adapted our fenfes to the enjoyment of its delights; the eye is gratified by tints of verdure, and the ear by the mufic of the woods and the mellowness of echo and both by the voice and majesty of a foreft, roused by the breath of Nature. Our plan therefore, has two objects, UTILITY and ORNAMENT; they are nearly allied, however, as exercife and recreation, or as the ufe and the ornament of drefs.

NEVERTHELESS, to treat of them with greater advantage, it will be proper to confider them feparately, as two distinct fubjects.

SUBJECT THE FIRST.

PLANTING.

DIVISION THE FIRST

MANUAL OPERATIONS.

B

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS,

EFORE we attempt to give directions for cultivating WOODLANDS, or raifing ORNA MENTAL PLANTATIONS, it will be proper to give a comprehenfive view of the MANUAL OPERATIONS incident to

PROPAGATING,

TRAINING

PLANTING and

TRANSPLANTING

Trees and Shrubs in general.

But before the young planter put his foot upon the fpade, we beg leave to caution him, in the

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strongest terms, against a WANT OF SPIRIT 11 Planting. A flovenly planter ranks among the most extravagant order of flovens: the labour, the plants, and the ground are thrown away; befides the confequent difgrace, not only to the individual, but to the profeffion. Anxious and interefted as we are in the cause of planting, we would rather want pupils, than have them pass through our hands unfinished: we therefore reject all fuch as have not industry, fpirit, and perfeverance, to go through with what they undertake; and we recommend to fuch as are poffeffed of these valuable qualifications, to begin upon a small scale, and to let their seminaries, their nurferies, and their plantations, increafe with their experience.

WHILE, however, we caution our readers against entering, immaturely, upon the business of planting, we cannot refrain from mentioning the PLEASURES which refult from it. How rational, and to a contemplative mind how delightful, to obferve the operations of Nature ;-to trace her in every stage, from the feed to the perfected plant; and, from beneath the leaf ftalk of this, through the flower bud, the flower, and the feed veffel, to the feed again! Man must be employed; and how more agreeably than in converfing with Nature, and in feeing the works of his own hands, affifted by her, rifing into perfection.