The spokes are 3 inches broad, and 1 inch thick; the fellies 4 inches broad, and 2 inches thick; the iron rims inch thick, and in one piece.

In using a machine like this, it may, on extraordinary occasions, be proper to add a third wheel, in which case the one above described might answer the purpose. But were a third wheel to be made for this particular machine, it would be in better proportion at 6 inches lower.

The weight of the intermediate machine is considerably greater than that of the small-sized one, being about 63 cwt. avoirdupois; and it is calculated for trees of from eighteen to more than five-and-thirty feet high.

For underwood, large shrubs, or the like, of which the roots and branches are not extensive, I have sometimes made use of a machine still lighter, and more manageable, than any of the three above delineated. It consists of the pole of the small-sized machine, as already described, mounted on a pair of old coach-wheels, from 4 to 4 feet high, with one stage only upon the cross-bar. To these have been added fellies 4 inches broad, with an iron rim inch thick. Such a machine may be drawn by a small pony, and is admirably adapted to light work. Whether with or without a horse, it can be conveniently introduced into woods and plantations, where a larger implement would not be productive of the same despatch, and where the latter could not by any means be brought to operate.

As to the taking up of underwood, little needs to be said on that head. He who attends to the directions above given, for the removal of large trees, will find no difficulty with bushes or underwood. Excepting in very particular cases, I have not been in the habit of preparing them by cutting round their roots. The chief prepara

tion I have given, is to allow them to stand free and open in plantations or woods, for a certain period, in order that they may acquire that expansion of roots, and that share of the other protecting properties, which, according to the law of nature, may fit them for the situation which they are intended to occupy. As to transplantation, the branches of most bushes being tougher and more elastic than those of large trees, three or four, or even a greater number of plants, can be carried away at one time by the smallest machine. It is only for the open park that much nicety is required in any part of these processes.

On considering these different machines, the planter will find that they possess advantages, not at first sight apparent, but which will fully develop themselves in practice. The breadth of the stages-which are movable at pleasure, the shortness of the stays, the curvature of the axle, the iron sunk into the pole, &c.; the position of the third wheel, the relative proportions and adaptations of the different parts to one another-all these tend in the most eminent degree to combine lightness with strength, and accuracy and despatch with a due preservation of the roots and branches, during the transportation.

It is particularly to be noticed that these implements, as well as the trees recommended to be removed by them, are of very moderate dimensions, and intended solely for the meridian of Scotland. In England, I am aware that far larger operations are carried on, and it is possible that far greater success may be attained than any we can here boast of. But the scale in question is perhaps highly enough estimated for a country whose power, according to the philosophical notion of it above mentioned, is of such inconsiderable extent. In England, where that

power is vast, I had almost said unlimited, a much larger scale may very properly be adopted. Size of subjects, as has been already observed, offers no material impediment to successful removal, except increased expenditure. If the true principles of the art be once fully established, and clearly understood, it will be easy to apply them to any scale of operations, from the least to the greatest.

SECTION IX.

PLANTING OF THE TREES IN THEIR NEW SITUATION.

IN the foregoing section we have seen the method by which the tree is taken up and transported on the machine; let us now follow it to its destination in the open park.

It has been above observed that, for the safety and success of the operation, the rate of moving along the ground cannot be too slow. At that already pointed out, of two miles and a half an hour, the difference between travelling a mile, and half a mile, does not very materially increase the labour of transportation. If the pit have been prepared a twelvemonth beforehand, the opening of it now is an easy business; and for that purpose, should it not have been done previously to the taking-up, two or three workmen should be sent forward to throw out the earth regularly on all sides, to the depth of fourteen or fifteen inches at first, leaving, next to the inside edge, a space of eighteen inches or two feet clear; so that the excavation can be enlarged, if requisite, without the necessity of removing the mound thrown up.

When the machine has got within forty or fifty yards of the place, it is proper to halt the horses, in order to make two necessary arrangements, the one in which the root, and the other in which the top is concerned. The director of the work first rapidly measures with his eye

the depth of the root, (that is, the thickness of the mass of roots and earth together, from the upper part of the collar to the under-bed of the roots,) in order to ascertain if the excavation be of the proper depth. Supposing the depth of the root to be fourteen or fifteen inches, (which in a Beech is very supposable,) and the whole depth of the prepared soil of the pit to be two feet, then he directs the workmen to prepare a bed in the centre somewhat deeper, say three or four inches, to receive the tap-roots, should they be prominent, which with the Beech seldom happens; sloping the pit upwards in the cup-fashion, but leaving it at the sides as high as before.

It is a matter of first-rate importance to get the tree set in the pit as shallow as possible, and to allow sufficient pabulum for the downright roots on the one hand, and a sufficient cover at top upon the other. If the subsoil be dry, the director may give and take a little in making his estimate; but if it be tenacious of moisture, better that you should have a cart-load or two of earth to add to the mound afterwards, than that the roots should be deprived of the full influence of the sun and air by being insufficiently raised up. No stagnation of water can ever occur in the prepared soil of the pit, if the directions given in the last section, as to judicious excavation, be properly apprehended and followed out.

The second thing he has to advert to is, to ascertain the position of the mark previously made upon the stem, while the tree stood upright, for designating the side where the longest boughs are thrown out, so that, in moving towards the pit, such a course may be steered as to bring those boughs to the stormy quarter, which generally is the west or south-west. Almost all trees, as already stated in section IV., are unequally balanced,