leaved sweet chestnut, 5 Purple beech, 5 Weeping beech, 5 Flowering ash, 5 Black larch, 5 Red larch, 5 Mugho pine, 5 Weymouth pine, 5 Cembra pine, 5 Athenian poplar, 5 White Egyptian poplar, 5 Scarlet oak, 5 Evergreen oak, and 5 American limes; in all 100. Shrubs for Clumps and Screen Plantations. 50 Common laurel, 50 Portugal laurel, 20 Common green holly, 20 Laurustinus, 10 Shining-leaved laurustinus, 10 Tree box, 20 Arbor vitæ, 10 English juniper, 10 Red cedar, 10 Aúcuba japónica, 12 Alaternus, 6 Arbutus, 6 Sweet bay, 2 Weeping willow, 2 Weeping elm, 2 Weeping ash, 20 Scotch laburnum, 10 Common lilac, 10 Persian lilac, 10 Yew, 10 Spindle tree, 10 Dogwood, 10 Guelder rose, 10 Common syringa, 10 Bird-cherry, and 10 Snowberry; in all 350. American, or Bog, Plants. 2 Rhododendron pónticum, 1 R. máximum, 1 R. catawbiénse, 2 R. hirsutum, 2 R. ferrugineum, 2 Kálmia latifòlia, 2 K. angustifòlia, 1 Azalea viscòsa álba, 1 A. coccínea, 1 A. cárnea, 2 A. póntica (white), 2 Erìca Tétralix álba, 2 E. vàgans rubra, 1 E. vulgàris variegata, 1 E. multiflòra, 1 Lèdum latifolium, 1 L. decumbens, 1 Andrómeda polifòlia mìnor, 1 A. axillaris, 1 Vaccinium Arctostaphylos; in all 28. Gateshead, May 18. 1836. THE ground plan, of which fig. 69. is an engraving, is one of the most exquisitely delicate and beautiful productions of the kind which we have ever seen; and at first sight it appears scarcely credible that it should be the work of a person who has spent the greater part of his life in handling a spade, rather than a pencil or pen. The copy from which the vignette (fig. 68.) is engraved is also executed with great taste, and an obvious knowledge of natural scenery and pictorial effect. The two latter qualities, indeed, were to be expected from the circumstance of Mr. Harland having been brought up partly in the county of Durham, and partly among the mountains and lakes of Cumberland. Mr. Harland, who is somewhere about thirty years of age, has been regularly educated as a gardener, and had filled the situation of head gardener at one or two places before he came into the employ of Mr. Falla. Soon after the death of the latter, about a year ago, Mr. Harland came to London, and is now at work in Mr. Knight's nursery, King's Road. That a man with such talents is fitted for something very different, every reader, we think, will allow; but the difficulty is to find a situation suitable for him. Knowing the private worth and modesty of the man, as well as his knowledge and taste in surveying and drawing, we should wish to see him in the employ of some extensive landed proprietor, who was acting as his own landscapegardener and planter, and who only occasionally called in the assistance of an eminent artist; such as Nesfield or Gilpin. To such a proprietor Mr. Harland would be invaluable. Failing this, we should like to see him assistant to an eminent architect and landscape-gardener; or, lastly, in a good situation as head gardener, where there was a new place entirely to make. Something suitable, we trust, is in store for him. -Cond. ART. IV. A new Guard for single Trees in Parks, &c. WITH respect to tree guards, I have found, by trial, decided objections to all in common use. Those which confine the tree, and thus prevent injury to the bark, are objectionable; the free motion of the tree being essential to its health and growth. Those which stand at a distance from the tree, consisting of three or four posts connected by spars, are very injurious to the bark in high winds, and all are very expensive. I resolved to obtain some fence possessing the following desiderata: allowing free motion to the tree, without producing any friction on the bark; perfect security against the attacks of cattle; durability, cheapness, and neatness in appearance; and, having completely succeeded, I will now describe it. (See fig. 70.) Procure stakes of ash or larch, on thinning young plantations, or cutting down coppices, 6 ft. in length, or more if requisite, and about 2 in. in diameter; and have holes drilled through the tops and bottoms, about 1 ft. from each end. Get a similar hole drilled up the centre of a stake, and saw it off in lengths of 2 in., or rather less; pass a strong wire or thick tarred string through one stake, by the holes at the top and at the bottom; then pass it through the hole made in one of the 2-in. pieces at each end, then through another stake; separating each stake at 70 top and bottom by a piece of wood, until you have enough to surround your tree loosely, leaving plenty of space for growth. Place it round the tree, and fasten the ends of the wire or string. The guard is much the same as the cradle put round the neck of a blistered horse, to prevent his gnawing the irritated part. The stakes merely rest on the ground, and should be cut quite flat at thebottom, to prevent their sticking in the ground. At the upper end, they should have a sharp slanting cut with a billhook, and should be threaded with the slope towards the tree. The motion of the tree will not be in any degree impeded; and the bark cannot be injured, let the wind blow as it may, for the guard moves freely with the tree in every direction. I can vouch for this guard affording perfect protection against cattle; for I had two cows (the most determined barkers of trees I ever met with) in a field in which there were many single trees. They had, sooner or later, contrived to get at my trees, and ruined them; and I was about to fatten them off, and condemn them to death for their offences, when I hit upon the mode of protection just described. My men and myself were curious to see the impression that would be made on these cows by the new guards when they were first turned into the field. They very soon proceeded to the trees, examined the cradles round them, and made several attempts with their mouths. Finding these unsuccessful, they made an attack with their horns; but, as the fence yielded with every blow, and merely turned round, they made no progress in that way. Thereupon they began stamping with their feet, and, as we thought, from sheer vexation and disappointment. Be this as it may, they were completely defeated; and my trees have now continued four years in perfect security, though these identical cows have remained amongst them to this day. One man can fence in this way a great many trees in a day; and the cost of the stakes, if purchased, would not exceed that of one of the posts necessary upon the ordinary plan. Cirencester, Jan., 1837. ART. V. Dimensions of some Trees, and Notes on the Growth of other Trees and Shrubs, indigenous and exotic, on the Estate of Poloc, in Lanarkshire, the Property of Sir John Maxwell, Bart. By JOHN MAXWELL, M.P. THE largest wych elm at Poloc, in Lanarkshire, figured by Mr. Strutt (Sylva Brit., p. 140.), was, in 1812, 86 ft. high, and 10 ft. 10 in. in girt at 5 ft. from the ground; in October, 1836, it was 90 ft. high, and 11 ft. 9 in. in girt close to the ground: the girt, in 1836, was 16 ft. 2 in. The ash at Poloc was, in 1812, 9 ft. 6 in. in circumference; and in 1836, it is 10 ft. 10 in. in circumference at 3 ft. from the ground; and at the surface the girt was 18 ft. 10 in. The oak at Poloc, in 1812, was 7 ft. 9 in. in girt; and in 1836, 9 ft. 3 in. in girt. Close to the ground the girt was 14 ft. 10 in. The common sycamore, or, as it is called in Scotland, the plane (Acer Pseudo-Platanus), at Poloc, in 1812, was 10 ft. 11 in. in girt; and in 1836, 12 ft. 3 in. in girt. Close to the ground, in 1836, the girt was 17 ft. 3 in. The common walnut (Juglans règia), at 12 ft. in girt; in 1836, 12 ft. 3 in. in girt. the girt was 16 ft. 8 in. The hornbeam (Carpinus Bétulus), at Poloc, was, in 1835, Poloc, was, in 1812, 5 ft. in girt; in 1836, 6 ft. 6 in. in girt. Close to the ground, the girt was 8 ft. 6 in. Poloc is an estate about three miles and a half south-west of Glasgow, which is recorded in the History of Renfrew, published in 1710, as being "well planted with barren timber." The trees, the dimensions of which are given above, grow upon alluvial soil, and are very healthy and rapidly growing trees. Their age is not known; but the beech and sycamore appear to be much younger than the others. The wych or Scotch elm, figured by Mr. Strutt, is probably 180 years old; for there is a tree of the same kind near the cascade, which is reported to have been planted by Sir Thomas Maxwell, Lord Advocate of William III., and one of the Commissioners for settling the Union, when he was a child. The climate of Poloc is mild and moist, as this part of Scotland is narrow; and the Firths of the Clyde and Forth rivers make it subject to sudden changes of temperature, and frequent storms. The elms have long been considered fine trees. The Earl of Bute, when minister, as I am informed, requested and obtained seed from them. Almost all of these trees grow in a deep soil, and are exposed to very severe gales of wind, and frosts late in the spring. I believe there is sandstone rock beneath the soil upon which most of them grow; there are, however, five feet of soil above that bed of rock. The sycamore is the only tree which is scarcely, if ever, broken by the wind, and which yet does not yield to it, as most, if not all, the other trees do. The beech very seldom is broken by the wind, but it yields to it. The ash does break, as also do the elm and the oak: the elm less than the two others, as its top shoots incline from the wind until of two or three years' growth. The elm is seldom broken at its summit. The lime grows tall and healthily, and its young shoots incline a little from the wind, as do those of the elm. The horsechestnut breaks when young, but is a straight-growing tree, and very healthy; and, when old, it resists the wind remarkably well. The sweet chestnut yields to the wind when young; but, when old, it grows erect, though slowly, and reaches the height of the ash, the elm, and the beech; but not that of the horsechestnut, which is a shorter and slower-growing tree than the sycamore. The sycamore is called the plane in Scotland, its true name, the great maple, being scarcely ever used to designate it; and the elms here alluded to are wych elms. The ash, sycamore, and wych elm and oak, I have seen in ravines of natural copse-woods, along with oak, ash, birch, and alder, a sort of dwarf aspen, and the mountain ash, or rowan tree, a sort of sorb tree; and they are, I infer, on that account, indigenous to Scotland. I have introduced here the mossy-cupped oak, and an oak resembling the common one, which I received from Mr. Salisbury. Both grow freely, and resist the wind; and promise to be great acquisitions. The former seems as capable of resisting wind as the sycamore, although it grows like the wych elm, inclining from the wind until it gets strength. The ilex, also, and the Lucombe oak, flourish very much here, and resist the wind very successfully; both grow very well on clay soil of the worst description; viz. of a blue colour, and often of an aluminous nature, with iron, and other substances hostile to trees, contained in it. The sugar and Norway maples also thrive extremely well, even in unfavourable soils, and also resist the wind, and grow erect, like the sycamore. The liquidambar is equally thriving and capable of resisting wind. The common maple has the same qualities, and also the flowering one: indeed, all maples seem to resist wind, and thrive here: the wet climate prevents insects from hurting their leaves. The Canadian poplar is the fastest grower in all soils; next to it, the abele, the aspen, and the Lombardy poplar. There is another species of poplar, resembling the Canadian, which I suppose to be the black Italian: it has a whiter bark, more pointed leaf, a more regular and closer form, and a handsomer appearance in winter. The walnut stands the wind well; but, like the chestnut, is brittle, until it reaches a considerable age, and grows less luxuriantly. Although often affected by spring and autumn frosts, it generally ripens its fruit, which the chestnut seldom does. The purple beech grows as well as the common one. The silverleaved and Bedford willows grow rapidly, and to a large size, and resist the wind well, yet are sometimes broken by storms. The spruce of Norway grows rapidly when sheltered; but the white American is, I think, a better tree, and more capable of thriving in exposed situations; and the black American spruce is superior to both for resisting wind, but a smaller tree. Neither of the latter are so much injured by hares: indeed, hares scarcely eat them at all. The white is highly aromatic, and on that account, perhaps, less palatable than the Norway spruce. The silver |