been considered as the visionary schemes of a disordered imagination ;-as matters improper to be attempted, because, in themselves, impossible.

In descending from general to particular objects, it is gratifying to notice the successful exertions which have, for several years, been made in the improvement of the soil.-AGRICULTURE, in all its branches, advances with rapid step, while an object so nearly allied to it as the improvement of TIMBER remains nearly, if not absolutely, stationary.-The objects of Horticulture too, (its other kindred science,) are studied with every possible degree of attention;-even our Mushrooms are tended with a nurse's care;-— while the OAK, the pride of our woods, the chief material of our navy, and, consequently, the Bulwark of our Country, is left to thrive or rot by chance; unheeded, if not forgotten!

That the quantity of Timber, in this island, keeps constantly upon the decrease, is certainly a very old, and not less common observation, and such a one as, I think, no person of experience and observation will pretend to dispute; the rapid increase in the value of the article, and the large quantities imported, seem evidence sufficient to ascertain the fact. Nevertheless, of late, I have observed, with some degree of national pride, that such importation must, in a reasonable time, receive a considerable check, provided the exertions which have prevailed among our planters, be continued *; and followed up by the necessary attention to PRUNING.

*It being an indisputable fact, that, for the last three or four years, Planting has increased astonishingly, in most parts of the united kingdom, we are authorized from thence to conclude, that the number of Timber Trees is increasing, will increase, and never more (by the friends of Britain,) be materially diminished.

To suppose, that, when a tree is established in the ground, the planter's care is ended, is an error equally common and pernicious; for it ought never to be forgotten, that a man may understand the planting of a tree, while he is totally ignorant of its culture; though both are essential to the planter's ultimate success. Indeed the former may now be said to be, in some degree, common;every gardener knows something of it, and every planter more ;—it is also found diffused in books, so far, as he that reads with attention, may be able to practise with some tolerable degree of success. But is that the case with the latter?-I apprehend not. Hence the necessity of investigating the subject; when it will probably appear, that the scarcity of such knowledge is, in a considerable degree, the true cause of the scarcity of timber. Certain it is, that nature has been abundantly bountiful to us, in regard to the production of TREES; and our wants

call loudly upon us, to improve that bounty to the utmost:-therefore the inquiry is indeed important, Where shall we find the much needed instruction?

It is now many years since the subject struck my mind, in the manner above stated; the consequence of which was, that books were resorted to in the first place;-there, however, I experienced nothing but perplexity and disappointment; as scarcely any two of them agreed in one opinion. However, it soon was evident that little assistance was to be expected from that quarter, as no writer, that fell in my way, seemed to have studied the subject sufficiently to assign a satisfactory reason for his own practice. From books I naturally turned to men, (woodmen,) and with much the same sort of success. Their practice, it is true, did not materially contradict each other; but to me, at least, it seemed that they were all at variance with Reason and Na

ture. The point indeed was soon so obvious, that, rejecting the two former sets of instructors, I had recourse to Reason and Nature only :-from which sources alone have been collected all I know, with any tolerable degree of certainty upon the subject.

However, though neither Books nor Men have been serviceable in elucidating, still it is confessed, they have thrown considerable difficulties in the way of discussing the subject. Mens minds are generally prejudiced in favour of old established opinions; assertion from one quarter is equal to the same sort of argument from another.-Therefore, before we can work conviction, we must resort to a better species of evidence; we must, in fact, show the reader, by reasoning from what he already knows, on which side the truth lies. The Book of Nature is open, and we must study it attentively; otherwise we shall in vain expect the