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Show A Difcourfe of Fore{t-Trees. Chap.TIL. ——— Fav dv-uorgagtsxO. 1a ai froma Tree fo expos d 5 ne Dydimus gives theireafon, Té 73 &% dveurp (fays he) wacor — y Sea, se,&c. For that being continually weather-beaten they become hardier and tougher. ‘The refult of all is, that Rae of {pecial Timber, there isa very great and confiderable di pope 6 fo as fome Oaken Timber proves manifeltly weaker, more pungie, and foonerdecaying than other: The like maybe affrm'dof Afhy and other kinds; and generally fpeaking, the clofe-grain'd is the ftouteft, and moft permanent: But ofthis let the induftrious confult that whole teath Chapter in the fecond Book, of F itruvius, where he expretly treats of this Argument,De Abiete fupernate &infernate, cum Apennini defcriptione : Where we note concerning Oaky that it neither profpers in very hot, nor exceflive cold Countries5 and therefore there is little good of it tobe found in Africa, ox indeed, the lower, and moft fouthern parts of Italy (for the Venetians have excellent Timber) nor in Denmark, or Norway comparas ble to ours; it chiefly affecting a temperate Climate, and where theygrownaturallyin abundance, ‘tisa promifing markeofit 3 If I were to make choice of the place, or the Tree, it fhould be fuch as grows in the beft Cow-paffure,or,up-land Meadow, wherethe mould is rich andfweet(Suffolk affords an admirable inftance) andin fuch places you may alfo Tran/plant large Trees with extraordinary fuecelss And therefore it werenot amif§to bore, and fearch the ground whereyouintend to plant orfow before you fall to work; fince Earth too fhallow or rockie is not fo proper for this Timber ; the Roots fix not kindly, and though for a time they may feem to flourifh, yet they will dwindle. 5- But to difcourage none, Oaks profper exceedingly even in gravel, and moift Clays, which moft other Trees abhor; yea, eventhe coldeft C/ay grounds that will hardly graze: But thefe Trees will frequentlymake Stands, as they encounter variety of footing ; and fometimes proceed again vigoroufly, as they either penetrate beyond, or out-growtheir obftru@ions, and meet better Earth, 5. whichis of that confequence,that I dare boldly affirm, more than anhundred years advance is clearly gain'd by Husbandry. \ have yet read, that there grow Oaks (fome soil and of which have contain’d ten loads apiece) out of the very Walls of Silcefter in Hantfhire, which feem to {trike root in the very Stoves; and evenin our renounedForef? of Dean it felf, fome goodly been noted to grow upon Ground, which has been Oaks have as ic were a Rockofantient Gzders buried there manyagesfinc e. It isindeed obferv'd, that Oaks which growin rough ffony grounds, and obftinate clays,are long before they come to anyconfiderable ftature 5 for fuch places,and all fort of Clay,is held but aftep-mother to Trees 5 but in time they afford the moft excellent Jong, and got good rooting: The fame may Timber, having ftood weaffirm ofthe lighteft fands, which produces a {moother-grain’d Timber, moft ufeful for the Joyner ; but that which grows of all other the in Gravellis fub-ject to be Frow(as they term it) and brittle. What improvement the fire Chap. III. A Difcotirfe of Forett-Trees: fiirring ofthe ground about the roots of Oaks isto the Trees I have already hinted; and yer in Copfes where they {tand marm, and fo thickn’d with the wnder-mood, as this culture cannot be pradti s'd, they prove in time to be goodly Trees. I have e tried the Graffing of Oaksbut as yet with flender fuccefle 3.oflat Ruelli affirms it will take the Pears and other Fruit, and if we us indeed may credit the Poet, mo Anrea dure ‘The fturdy Oak do’sGolden Apples bear. Mala ferant quercus. And under Elmes fwine do the Maft devour. Fel.8. Slandemque faces fregere (ub Ulmo. Geor. WhichI conceive to be the more probable : for that the Sap of the Oak is of an unkind tincture to moft Trees. Butfo r this Improve- ment, I would ratheradvife Inoculation, as the ordinary Elz upon the Witch-Hajél, for thofe large leaves we th all anon ment ion, and which are fo familiar in France, 6. That the Tran{planting of young Oaks gains them tex years Advance {ome happy perfons have affirmed : from this belief, ifina former Imprelfion 1 have defir’d to be excufed, and produc t my Reafons forit, | fhall not perfift againft any fober mans Experi and therefore leave this Articleto their choice; fince (as theence; Butehers phrafe is) change of Paffure makesfat Calves; and fo Tranfa plantations of thefe hard wood-trees, when young, may poffibly; by an happyhand, infit feafon, and I o ther circumftances of Soi/ z Sun, and Room for growth, bean improvem ent : But as for thofe who advile usto plant Oaks of too greata ftatu any confiderable:progrefie in an Age, and therere, they hardly. make fore I cannot encotrage it Unleffe the ground be extraordinarily qualified ; Yet if any be defirous to make trial of it let their Stems be of the {mootheft; and tendereft Barks for that isever an indication of youth , as well as the paucity of their Circles, which in difbranchi ng, and cutting the head off, at five orfix foot height (a thing , by the the French ufually {pare when they Tranfplant this way, which Tree) may (before youftir their Roots) ferve for the morec ertain Guide; and then plant themimmediately, with as much Earth as will adhereto them, in the place deftin'd for their flation 5 abati ng only the tap-roots, whichis that down right, and {tubby part-ofthe Roots (which alk Trees rais'd of Seeds do univerfally produce) and quick ning fome ofthe reft with a tharp wife (but {paring the Fibro us, which are the main Suckers and Afouths of all Trees) {prea d themin the fof, or pit which hathbeen prepar'd to receive them. fay in the fofs, unlefle you will rather trezch the whole Field, which is incomparably the bef{t 5 and infinitely to be preferr'd before narrow pits andholes (as the manner is) in cafe you plant any numbe r confiderable, the Earth being hereby made loofe, eafier and penetrable for the Roots, about which youaretocaft that Afoul d ing of the Trench) you took from the. Surface, andwhich (in openpurpo apart ;. becaufe itis fweet, mellow, and better impre fely laid gnated : But In 17 |
