larger, and, at the average expense, in both years (according to a statement by himself in my possession), of somewhat less than 8s. each. Notwithstanding the severe drought in 1826, it may be considered as a remarkable circumstance, that only two died, probably owing to the want of sufficient covering and watering: And when I ṣaw, in July last, the Trees of the present year, they all carried a healthy leaf, and promised to succeed admirably.

The plantations of Lee not having been thinned to wide distances, this ingenious planter was much limited in his choice of subjects; and, although what he has selected are very handsome and stately plants, they are yet somewhat deficient in the Protecting Properties, and consequently in fitness for the open field. He must not, therefore, be surprised or discouraged, if, according to the important doctrine stated in Sect. V.,* the Trees should become stationary for a few years, instead of being progressive, until, as I have said in the passage alluded to, these Properties are supplied by time, and this deficiency is made up. The effort of Mr Hamilton, nevertheless, is spirited and meritorious; and it serves to show what may be done, by the diligence and attention of a single individual, who, with very cursory instructions from me, and with no assistance from experienced work

* Pp. 146, 147.

men, has been able to give Immediate Effect to Wood, in a manner so creditable to himself, and at so small an expense to his employer.

The fifth person, to whom I shall refer, is a particular friend of mine, in whose Transplanting experiments I have had some concern, and, on that account, I can speak of them more particularly, and from personal knowledge. This is William Elliot Lockhart Esq. of Cleghorn, representative in Parliament for the county of Selkirk, and whose residence is at Cleghorn House, in Lanarkshire.

Cleghorn is situated on the steep and romantic banks of the river Mouse, which falls into the Clyde, a little below the town of Lanark. The banks of this stream, which may be called classical ground, and are abundantly celebrated in Scottish story, are rocky and precipitous, rising, in many parts, above the bed of the river, from two to three hundred feet in height, and every where wooded to the top. It was to the inaccessible caverns, natural or artificial, of these woody banks, that the renowned and patriotic Wallace used to retire, and found a secure refuge from his own, and his country's enemies. It was also, as it is said, in the same fastnesses, that the well-known and intrepid Balfour of Burleigh, in a later age, was often able to set at defiance the utmost diligence of his pursuers. In the present day, the fine sce

nery

of the Mouse is rendered familiar to the traveller, on the great line of Carlisle and Stirling road, as he views it with wonder from the stupendous Bridge of Cartland, at nearly an hundredand-thirty feet above the bed of the stream.

Although Cleghorn partakes in the woody character of this singular and romantic district, and has been abundantly planted, according to the fashion of a former day, yet there are many parts of the park, and especially near the House, where the aid of the Transplanting Machine might be called in, with great advantage. This idea had frequently occurred to the good taste and discernment of Mr Lockhart; but his occasional residence in a neighbouring county, and the reports, which had reached his ears, of the vast expense of my method of Transplanting (which was confidently said to amount to Ten and Fifteen Guineas a Tree), for a considerable time prevented him from entertaining any serious thoughts of attempting the experiment.

In the month of December last, this gentleman, who is as intelligent in planting, as he is in every other branch of rural economy, applied to me to learn, if I could put him in the way of procuring a few Large Trees, on any reasonable terms? He had heard, he said, on the best authority, that the art of removing Trees, however it might be improved in my hands, was practised at enormous

cost. To L.2 or L.3 each, for handsome Trees, he observed, no reasonable man could object, if of such a size and figure, as to give the Immediate Effect of Wood, near his residence: But from Ten to Fifteen Guineas, he certainly considered as rather too expensive a luxury for general use. To this I replied, that he had been misled by such information, be the authors who they might. But, in order to undeceive him, and that the cost should certainly not exceed his own estimate of L.2 and L.3 per Tree, I undertook, that a Machine of the Intermediate size should be provided for him, and that two of my best hands should attend at Cleghorn, for the purpose of instructing his workmen, and of putting the thing to the test of his own experience.

Having explained to Mr Lockhart the nature of the principles, which had been applied to the art, he seemed quite satisfied, that they are consonant to the laws of nature, and to what we know of the anatomy of woody plants. Accordingly, in the middle of January last (1827), we commenced our operations on the spot. Having selected some Trees with fine tops, which were far better subjects than woods, not thinned for the purpose, usually furnish, we very speedily transferred them. And, in order to show how readily my friend apprehended the different processes, he soon, like Mr Smith, became his own Director of

the work, and managed the whole with singular address, and intelligence of the subject.

The Trees removed were Eleven in number, and consisted of Oaks, Beeches, Limes, Sycamores, and Horse Chesnuts. Among them was one Beech of the Pendent species, a very singular and valuable plant, which is worthy of an attentive cultivation, and is very rarely to be met with. The dimensions of the Trees were from five-andtwenty to five-and-thirty feet high, and upwards, and from ten to fourteen inches in diameter, or from two feet six, to three feet six inches in actual girth. But, on casting up the Expense, my friend was both delighted and surprised to discover, that, instead of L.2 and L.3, as he had anticipated, they had not cost him quite 10s. per Tree!

The last person, the evidence of whose practice I shall adduce, is Sir Walter Scott Bart.; whom to name, is to name whatever is splendid in genius, versatile in talent, and correct in judgment. This eminent individual has a place, beautifully situated on the Tweed, in Roxburghshire, near Melrose, in the midst of those scenes of traditional and peculiar interest, which have been illustrated and immortalized in his writings. To the variety of attainments, for which Sir Walter is distinguished, he adds the knowledge of arboriculture. He is ardently, and, I may say, enthusiastically attached to the cultivation of Wood. Though