upon exposed heights, as well as sheltering Groves, and slips of planting, to fill up the inconvenient crookednesses of the borders of arable fields, may be productive of real and substantial improvement to an estate.

THE next step, which a Gentleman ought to take, before he set about raising plantations, upon a large scale, is to look round his neighbourhood, and make himself acquainted with its present state, as to woodlands; as well as with the comparative value which these bear to arable and grass lands. He must go still farther; he must learn the natural consumption of the country; not only of timber in general, but of the several species. Nor must he stop here; he must endeavour to pry into futurity, and form some judgement of the particular species, whether it be Oak, Ash, Elm, Beech, the Aquatics, Pines, or Coppice Woods, which will be wanted, at the time his plantations will arrive at maturity.

Ir is possible, there may be situations, in this island, where, from a superabundance of Woodlands, it would be unprofitable to plant, even hangs, and bad top soils: it is not probable however, that any such places are to be found; for, in a country situated near water carriage, (and if the present spirit of cutting canals continue to

prevail, what part of this island will, a century hence, be out of the reach of water carriage?) ship timber will, in all human probability, always find a market; and, in situations remote from such cheap conveyance, foreign timber will always bear a price proportionably high; consequently, the timber raised, in such a country, will, in all probability, find a market in the neighbourhood of its growth.

BEFORE we begin to speak of the several species of Plantations or Woodlands, and the methods of raising them, it will be proper to ENUMERATE, here, the different SPECIES of TREES, which we conceive to be most eligible to be planted, for the purposes of timber and underwood, in this country.

UNDER the article CHOICE OF TIMBER TREES, it appears that

THE OAK,

THE ASH,

THE ELM, and

THE BEECH,

are the four principal domestic timbers, now in use, in this kingdom: To which must be added

THE PINE TRIBE, particularly

THE LARCH; and

THE AQUATICS;

as substitutes for foreign timber, at present imported, in vast quantities, into this island: And to those must be added, as coppice woods;

THE ASH,

THE CHESNUT,

THE HAZEL,

THE SALLOW,

THE WILD SORB, and

THE OZIER *.

THERE are four distinct SPECIES of WOODLANDS:

WOODS,

TIMBER GROVES,

COPPICES,

WOODED WASTES.

By a Wood is meant a mixture of timber trees and underwood; by Timber Grove, a collection of timber trees only, placed in close order; by Coppice, stubwood alone, without an intermixture of timber trees; and by Wooded Waste, grass land over-run with rough woodiness; or a mixture of Woodland and grassy plots; which being thought an object of pasturage, the wood is kept under, by being browsed upon by stock, while the grass, in

The mode of PROPAGATION, and the soil suitable to the several species, appear under their respective names, in the ALPHABET OF PLANTS.

its turn, is stinted by the roots of the trees, and rendered of an inferior quality, by the want of a free admission of sun and air.

In practice, these Wooded Wastes ought first to be taken under consideration; for while a Gentleman has an acre of such land upon his estate, he ought not (generally speaking) to think of setting about raising fresh plantations: for, if grassiness prevail, and the soil be unkind for Wood, let this be cleared away, and the whole be converted to pasture or arable. But if, on the contrary, woodiness prevails, fence out the stock, and fill up the vacancies, in the manner hereafter described: for, in a systematic Treatise on Planting, we think it most consistent with method, to treat of Woodlands in the order already set down.

SECTION THE FIRST,

WOOD S.

OPEN WOODS are adapted more particularly, to the purpose of raising TIMBER for SHIPBUILD ING, and, perhaps, for some few other purposes,

where crookedness is required. Where a straightness and length of stem, and cleanness of grain, are wanted, CLOSE WOODS or GROVES are more eligible; and, where Stubwood is the principal object, COPPICES, unencumbered with timber trees, are most adviseable.

Ir follows, that no timber tree whatever, but the Oak, can be raised, with propriety, in open Woods, and this, only, when a supply of ship timber is intended; conséquently, open Woods are peculiarly adapted to places lying conveniently for water carriage, or which may, in all probability, lie convenient for water carriage, a century or two hence.

VARIOUS Opinions prevail, with respect to the most eligible METHOD OF RAISING A WOOD: some are warm advocates for sowing, others for planting; some again are partial to rows, while others prefer the irregular culture.

THE dispute about sowing and planting may, in some measure, be reconciled in the following manner: Where the strength of the land lies in the substratum, while the surface soil is of an ungenial nature, sow, in order that the roots may strike deep, and thereby reap the full advantage of the treasures below; but, on the contrary,