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Show A Difcourfe of Foreft-Trees. 188 Chap. XXXI, 23. Finally, for theule of our Chimneys, and maintenance of fre, the plenty of wood for fuel, rather than the quality is to be ‘looked after 3 and yet there are fome greatly to be preferr’d before others, as harder, longer laffing, better heating, and chearfully burning ; for which we have commendedthe 4/h, &c. we ie going Paragraphs, and to which pretend nothere to a os ; for the avoiding repetitions; though even an Hiftory of the beft way of Charing would not mif-become this Difcourfe. MS But fomething more isto be faid fure, concerningthe felling of Fuel-wood : Notetherefore, that you firft begin with the #ndermood : Some conceive between Méartle-mas and Holy-Rood; but, generally with oaks as foon as "twill ftrip, but not after May 5 and for 4fhes, ‘twixt Michael. mas and Candle- mas 5 and fo fell’d, as that the €attel mayhave the browfing of it, for in Winter they will not onely eat the tender twiggss but even the very Afofe 5 butfell no more in a day than theycan Eatforthis purpofe : Thisdone, kid or bavin them, and pitch them upontheir ends to preferve them from rotting : Thus'the Under-wood being difposd of, the reft will profper the better,and befides it otherwife does but rot upon the Earth, and deftroy that which would fpring. If you head or top for the fire, ‘tis not amifs to begin three or four foot above the Timber, if it be confiderable ; but in cafe they are onely shakezTrees and Hedge-rows y {trip them evento thirty foot high, becaufe theyare ufually fullof boughs ; and ‘twere good totop fuch as you perceive to wither at’ the tops a competent waybeneath , to prevent their ficknefie downwards, whichwill elfe certainly enfue 5 whereas by this means even dying Trees may be preferved many years to good emolument, though they never advance taller 3 and being thus frequently fhred, they will produce more, than if fuffered to ftand and decay : This is a profitable wote for fuch as have o!d, doating, or any wayesinfirm Woods : In other Fellings , fome advife never to commence the disbranchingfrom the top, for though the incumbericy of the very boughs upon the wext, caufe themtofall off the eafier, yet it endangers the{plicing of the next, which is very prejudicial, and therefore advife the beginng at the neareft. Andin Cutting for fuel youmayas atthe top, foat the fides, cut a foot,or more from the Body; but never when you fhred Timber.Trees : We have {aid how dangerousit is, to cut for wood whentheSapis up, itis a mark of improvident Husbands; befides it will never burn well , though abundance be congefted :: Laft: ly, remember that Eaft and North.winds are unkind to the fucceeding Shoots. Nowfor directions in Stacking ( of ‘w hichwe have faid fomething in Chap. of Copfes) ever fet the loweft courfe an end, the fecord that onthe fides and ends, viz. fides and ends outwards the third thwart the other onthe fide , and fo the reft, til] allare placd, {pending the up-moft firft. Thus we haveendeavoured to prefcribe the beft direGtions we could learn concerningthis neceflary Subje&, And in this penu ry of that dearCommbodiry, and to incite all ingenious perfons:, {tudious Chap. XXXI, 184 A Dicourfe of Forett-Trees; ftudious of the benefit of their Countrey , to think of wayes how our Woods may be preferved, by all manner of Arts which may prolong thelafting of our fwel, I would give the beft encouragements. Thofe that thal ferioufly confider the intollerable mifery of the poor Cawchi (the then Inhabitants of the Low Countri es ) defcrib'd by Pliny,lib 16.cap.1,(how opulent foever their late Inds Jfiry has render'd them)for want only of mood forfxel, will have rea: fon to deplore the exceflive decay ofour formerftore ofthat ufeful Commodity; and by what fhifts our Neighbours the Hollanders, do yetrepair that defect, be invited to exercife their ingenuity : For befides the Dung of Beats, and the Peat and Turf fot their Chitaneys, Cowfheardes, Gc. they make ufe of Stoves both portable and ftanding 3 and truly the more frequent ufe of thofe Izventi ous in our great, wafting Cities (as the Cuftomis through all Ger.many ) as alfo of thofe new, and excellent Ovens invented by Dr. Keffier, for the incomparably baking of Bread, c. would be an extraordinary expedient of hufbanding our fuels, as well as the right mingling , and making up of Char-coal-duft, and loan, as ’tig hinted tous by Sir Hugh Plat: and is generally us'd in Ataftric ht , and the Countreyabout it; than whichthereis nota more {weer, lafting, and beautiful fuel; The mannerof it is thus : 24. Takeabout onethird part of the {malleft of any Coal, Pit , Sea,or Char -coal,and commix them very well with /oam ( whereo thereis in fome places to be found a fort fomewhat more combutt f ibleJmake thefe up into bal/s(moiftned witha little Urine ofAfan or Beaft ) as big as an ordinary Goofe-egge, or fomewhat bigger or you willin anyother form, like brickbats, &c. expofe thefein if 4ir till they are throughly dry; they will be built into the moft the orderlyfires youcan imagine, burz very clear, give a wonder ful} heat ; and continue a very long time. But firft you muft make the fire of Char-coal, or Small-codl, covering them with your Eggs or Hovilles (as they arecall'd ) and building them up in Pyramis ; or what fhape youpleafe ; they will continue a glowing , folemn and conftant fire for feven or eight hours without being ftirred , and thenthey encourage and recruite the innermoft vvith a fevv freth E; gs, and turnthe reft, vvhich are yet quite reduc’d to Ci#ders. Twoorthree fhort BiZets cover'd with Char-coal laft much longer, and with morelife, than twice the quantity byit felf, whether Char coal alone, or Bilet 5 and the Billets under the Char-coal being undifturb'd , will melt as it were into Char-coalt of fach a lafting fize. If Small-coals be {pread over the Char coal, where you burnit alone, ‘twill bind it tolonger continuance; and yet more, if the Sma'l coal be made of the roots of Thorns, Briers, and Bramble s, Confult L. Bacon, Exp.775. 25. The Quercus Marina, Wrack, or Seaweed which comes in our Oyfter barrels, laid under New.Caftle-coal to kindle it (as the ufe is in fome places) will (as J am inform’d ) make it out-laft Ce two |