The Planter's Guide

VIII. and IX., and perhaps Section VII. also), has been composed solely for the information of my own countrymen, and is intended to suit the more limited designs, and lighter purses of the Scottish Planters. Should the great Planters of England, therefore, honour these pages with their notice, they will have the goodness altogether to pass over these Sections, as inapplicable to them, and to the greatly larger, and more important style of their works.

In conclusion, I must be permitted to observe, that the limited system, here advocated, stands perhaps on as high ground, in respect of Evidence for its Success, as any new theory ever brought before the public. When the reader refers to the able "Report of the Highland Society of Scotland," on the Woods at Allanton House (which appears in the Appendix), and there finds the mention of "Feet and Inches," as referring to the Height, or the Girth of the Trees, he will, of course, reflect, that all size in the growth of plants is merely relative, and is to be judged by their relative advantages of soil and climate: Hence, a

shoot of Two or Three feet long, in some of the openest exposures of Lanarkshire, must correspond to Six or Eight feet at least, in Hampshire or Devonshire, and so in proportion, in other English climates.

This being premised, I will beg leave, with becoming deference, under the shelter of a greater name, and on a far higher topic, to put in my claim to offer some practical proof for my system. When the late ingenious Dr Kitchiner published his scientific and excellent work, "The Cook's Oracle," he broadly stated, that "It was the

only English Cookery-Book, written from "the real experiments of a Housekeeper, for "the benefit of Housekeepers. * * That he "had not given one Receipt, that had not "been proved in his own Kitchen; which "had not been approved, by several of the "most accomplished Cooks in the kingdom; "and had not, moreover, been eaten with "unanimous applause, by a Committee of "Taste, composed of some of the most il"lustrious Gastropholists in the metropo"lis."

Now, although I sensibly feel, how im

measurably less interesting Arboriculture must be held than Eating, or than what the Doctor learnedly calls "the Science of Gastrology," yet I presume to state, in imitation of so great an example, that the present is one of the few English books on W OOD, that has been "written from the real experiments of a Planter, for the benefit of Planters :" That I have laid down no rule, and recommended no practice, that has not been "proved in my own Park;" and of which the successful effects have not been "witnessed and approved, by a Committee of both skill and taste, composed of some of the most distinguished Planters, in this our antient Kingdom."

ALLANTON HOUSE, 29th November, 1287. (

CONTENTS.

SECTION I.

UTILITY AND IMPORTANCE OF ARBORICUlture.

GIVING IMMEDIATE EFFECT TO WOOD.

ART OF

PLANTING extensively practised, but not scientifically studied

in Scotland, page 1-5.-Importance of a Society, exclusively

for the Improvement of Arboriculture, pp. 5, 6.-Origin of

Landscape Gardening in England-Kent-Brown-Price.

Power of obtaining the Immediate Command of Wood a desi-

deratum in that art, p. 6-9.- Partiality to Wood strong and