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and refer the Reader, for their GENERAL MANAGEMENT, a fubject in itself of great extent and importance, to the different Works which we have published on RURAL ECONOMY: a lift of which will appear at the clofe of thefe Volumes.

LONDON, December 1795.

PLANTING

AND

RURAL ORNAMENT.

GENERAL VIEW OF THE SUBJECTS.

T

HE earth produces an almoft infinite variety of Plants, poffeffing various properties, and different degrees of ftrength and sta ture. In the vegetable, as in the animal world, the ftronger fubdue the weaker: the herbaceous tribes bow to the fhrub, and this to the more robuft forest tree; and, in an unpeopled country, a state of woodinefs prevails. The interior parts of America are at this day a foreft: the Continent of Europe, too, has ftill its foreft; and England once was famous for her's,

As inhabitants increafe, woodinefs gives way to husbandry and the arts; not merely as an incumVOL. I. brance

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brance, but as affording useful materials. Population still increasing, the forest breaks into woods. Commerce and luxury advancing, the canoe becomes a fhip, and the hut a manfion: at length even the woods dwindle away, and plantations, or an import of foreign timber, become neceffary to fupply the want.

ENGLAND has experienced, more or lefs, every ftage of this decline. Its prefent ftate, in respect to timber, we conceive to be this: A few broken forefts, and many extenfive woodlands, ftill remaining; a great number of plantations of different growths, and a vast supply of foreign timber of various kinds. Indeed, we are of opinion, that had it not been for this foreign fupply, fcarcely a timber tree, at this day, would have been left ftanding upon the ifland.

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OUR existence, as a nation, depends upon and certain fupply of fhipping; and this, we may venture to fay, upon an internal fupply of fhip timber. That there is no want of oak timber, at prefent, in this ifland, is, we believe, a fact; but that the article of fhip timber is growing scarce, as we shall explain more fully in its proper place, is, we believe, alfo a fact which cannot be controverted. This is an important matter, which demands the firft attention of Government, and

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is not unworthy the notice of every landed individual.

MANKIND, however, do not view the face of nature in the light of felfprefervation only; the great Author of creation has wonderfully adapted our fenfes to the enjoyment of its delights; the eye is gratified by tints of verdure, and the ear by the mufic of the woods and the mellowness of echo and both by the voice and majesty of a forest, roused by the breath of Nature. Our plan therefore, has two objects, UTILITY and ORNAMENT; they are nearly allied, however, as exercife and recreation, or as the ufe and the ornament of drefs.

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NEVERTHELESS, to treat of them with greater advantage, it will be proper to confider them separately, as two diftinct fubjects.

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