and the foil, the fituation, and the feafon be dry, we recommend the following method: The requifite depth of the hole being afcertained, and its bottom raised to a proper height, with fome of the finest of the mold, pour upon it fo much water as to moiften the loofe mold, without rendering it foft, and unable to fuftain the weight of the plant; and then proceed as above directed. If the tranfplantation be done in autumn, it will require nothing farther at that time; but if in the fpring, more water will immediately be wanted. Therefore, at once, draw a ring, fome inches deep, rear the outfide of the hole, and, in the bottom of its channel, make fix, eight, or ten holes (by means of an iron crow, or of a spike and beetle), at equal distances, and of a depth equal to that of the roots of the plant. Thefe holes will not only ferve to convey water, but air alfo, to the immediate region in which they are both indifpenfably neceffary to the health of the plant. We have been the fuller in our inftructions relative to tranfplanting, as being a procefs little understood by profeffional men. Every nurseryman, and almost every kitchen gardener, can raise, train, and plant out feedling and nursery plants; but the removal of trees feldom occurs in their practice; and we have met with very few men, indeed, who are equal to the talk. The foregoing rules are the refult of experience.

FOR

FOR farther experience in TRANSPLANTING, fee MINUTES 12 and 15, in this Volume. And for farther remarks on Planting in general, see The RURAL ECONOMY of the MIDLAND COUNTIES, VOL. II. MINUTES 146 and 168.

DIVISION

DIVISION THE SECOND.

CHOICE OF TIMBER TREES.

T

SECTION THE FIRST.

CONSUMPTION OF TIMBER.

IMBER is the great and primary object of planting. Ornament, abftracted from utility, ought to be confined within narrow limits. Indeed, in matters of planting, efpecially in the taller plantations, it were difficult to feparate, entirely, the idea of ornament from that of ufe. Trees, in general, are capable of producing an ornamental effect; and there is no tree which may not be faid to be more or lefs ufeful. But their difference in point of value, when arrived at maturity, is incomparable; and it would be the height of folly to plant a tree whofe characteristic is principally ornamental, when another, which is more useful and equally ornamental, may be planted in its ftead.

THERE

THEREFORE, previous to our entering, at large, upon the bufinefs of planting, it will be proper to endeavour to specify the trees most useful to be planted. In attempting this, we must look forward, and endeavour to afcertain the fpecies and proportional quantities of TIMBER which will hereafter be wanted, when the trees, now to be planted, fhall have reached maturity. To do this with a degree of certainty, is impoffible: Customs and fashions alter, as caprice and neceffity dictate. All that appears capable of being done, in a matter of this nature, is, to trace the great outlines, and, by obferving what has been permanently useful for ages paft, judge what may, in all human probability, be useful in ages to come.

SHIPS,
BUILDINGS,

MACHINES, and
UTENSILS,

have been, are, and most probably will continue to be, the confumers of TIMBER, in this country. We will, therefore, endeavour to come at the principal materials made ufe of in the conftruction of these four great conveniences of life. Indeed, while mankind remain in their prefent ftate of civilization and refinement, they are neceffaries of, life, which cannot be difpenfed with; and are confequently objects which the planter ought not to lofe fight of, as they include, in effect, every thing that renders plantations ufeful; FENCE WOOD and FULL excepted.

I. SHIPS

1. SHIPS are built chiefly of OAK: the keels, however, are now pretty generally laid with ELM, or BEECH; and part of the upper decks of men of war is of DEAL: but thefe woods bear no proportion, in refpect of the quantity ufed, to the Oak. The timbers of a fhip are principally crooked, but the planking is cut out of ftraight pieces. In a feventy-four gun fhip, the crooked and ftraight pieces ufed are nearly equal, but the planking under water is of FOREIGN OAK: therefore, of ENGLISH OAK, the proportion of crooked to ftraight pieces is almost two to one. Mafts and yards are of DEAL. The blockmakers ufe Elm, LignumVitæ, Box, and other hard woods. Upon the whole, it may be faid, that, in the construction of a fhip, OAK is the only ENGLISH WOOD made ufe of; and that, of this English Oak, nearly two thirds are requifite to be more or lefs CROOKED.

II. BUILDINGS. In the metropolis, and towns in general, DEAL is the prevailing wood made ufe of by the house carpenter: fome OAK is ufed for fashes, alfo for window and door frames, and fome for wall plates; but in places fituated within the reach of water carriage, DEAL is becoming every day more and more prevalent: nevertheless, there are many inland parts of the country, where the house carpenters ftill continue to work up great quantities of OAK and ELM. The joiner VOL. I. fcarcely

E