From this time, however, it appears, that it has made no advances among the Irish, as Walker, and others of their late writers, pass over the subject without notice.

The principal English authors, who, of late years, have treated of the Art, are Boutcher and Marshall; and, being both men of practical skill, as well as various knowledge, what they have written is deserving of particular consideration. About the time when Brown's reputation was at its height, that is, between 1750 and 1780, Boutcher, Nurseryman in Edinburgh, one of the most intelligent Arboriculturists that this country has produced,* with the view of promoting the fashionable art of the day, struck out what he conceived to be a considerable improvement in the method of Removing large Trees of all sorts. His theory was, to equalize, by a gradual and certain process, the Roots and the Branches of Trees relatively to each other, so as to enable both to perform their functions successfully, and at any given period.

With this view, he commenced his training on plants just out of the seed-bed, and began to fit them, from the second year, for their ultimate destination in the lawn, or park. After standing in the nursery, in the ordinary way, for a few years,

*See Note II. on Sect. I.

they were removed to a second nursery; on which occasion, extraordinary care was taken to prune, dress, and shorten the roots. There they stood, two and three feet distant, for three or four years more. A third nursery, at still more open order, next received them, for a like space of time. A fourth, a fifth, and even a sixth removal succeeded, leaving the plants no less than ten and twelve feet asunder, but encreasing in strength and symmetry, still more than they encreased in height. At each and all of these reiterated removals, the Roots, as well as Branches were shortened and pruned, with extraordinary accuracy, and every attention was bestowed, to multiply and invigorate the former. When twenty feet high, or more, and of fifteen and sixteen years' growth, the plants were supposed to be ready for ultimate removal, by conveying them, on men's shoulders, to their permanent destinations. By this elaborate course of training and discipline, all mutilation of the tops was to be avoided; and, in this way, he hoped so judiciously to second, and even direct the efforts of nature, as should render violence useless, and effectually preclude the errors, which haste or ignorance had hitherto committed.*

It is to be regretted, that this theory, which is sufficiently ingenious, it is impossible to apply to

* Treatise on Forest Trees, p. 14-17, &c.

any practical purpose, although it contains valuable lessons for the planter of skill. The time alone, which would be required for its completion, and the tedious preparation, and consequent expense incurred by the process (supposing it were even more faultless than it is), have probably prevented its being attempted by any one, except the ingenious projector.

Besides this, Boutcher had another plan, on which he seems to have highly valued himself, for removing Trees of a large size, that " had stood long in woods and nurseries." But the very terms of this proposition, in as far as regards the previous situation of the Trees, are almost quite enough to insure miscarriage; and no more needs be said about it, than this, that it is a better edition of Lord Fitzharding's system, but with infinitely worse subjects. The roots were to be more elaborately trained, and in every way more scientifically treated; but entire decapitation is held forth as a leading feature in the plan, which that ingenious nobleman had the skill to avoid.*

The other author, to whom we have to refer, is Marshall, an intelligent and voluminous writer on Rural Economics in the end of the last century. Marshall was, by profession, a West Indian planter; but, on coming home in 1775, he dedi

* Treatise on Forest Trees, p. 256–259.

cated his attention to planting, and landscape gardening, and, in general, to rural affairs, in all of which he displayed considerable skill. He is one of the few among our writers, who studied the Removal of large Trees as an Art, and laid down rules to regulate the execution. His precepts, therefore, as well as his practice, are entitled to regard, not only from their own intrinsic value, but as they serve to bring down the History of the Art nearly to the present day.

This judicious writer was too well aware of the difficulty and hazard of removing large-sized Trees of any sort, to practise on subjects of great magnitude. For " thinning plantations," he says, "for removing obstructions, or hiding defects, or for raising ornamental groups or single Trees expeditiously," he conceives, that the practice may be recommended; but he declares it to be decidedly "the most difficult part of planting," and, therefore, is of opinion, that it is inapplicable to general purposes, and not often practised for any purpose," with uniform success."*

At the various places, where Marshall was consulted, whether as a Landscape Gardener, or a surveyor of estates, he frequently gave specimens of Transplanting, and these were conducted with a skill, certainly unequalled by any one who had

* Rural Ornament, Vol. I. pp. 40, 41.

preceded him, and which no one, who follows him, will easily surpass, with the same sort of subjects. Yet it is surprising, that a planter, so versant in practice, a man too of talents and information like Marshall, seems not to have arrived at much acquaintance with principles. After succeeding in a manner superior to most others, was it not natural, that he should have enquired why he so succeeded? -and that knowledge, enlarged by reflection, and confirmed by examples, would probably have led him to some general theory, that bore on practice, and suggested systematic improvement. Had he been more acquainted with Vegetable Physiology, and the Anatomy of Plants, he would have seen, that Trees growing in close woods, and Trees standing in the open lawn, are endued with very different properties; and that something of firmer stamina, and greater magnitude, than what the strength of two or three persons could transport, was necessary for Park-wood, which we expect is to grow vigorously, and resist the elements, in open exposures.*

His judicious method, however, of preparing the pits; of putting his Trees into the ground; of applying the mould, when so put; of preserving, distributing, and dividing the roots, obviously results from an attentive study of the difficulties of

Rur. Ornam. Vol. I. pp. 360, 361.

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