good for it will burn up your seeds or plants this dung is too hot and quick for the seeds of Trees for 't is the nature of Pidgeons to eat Salt and to go to the sea-side early in the Mornings and there to pick up Salt which the heat of the Sun makes by drying up the salt water and then leaving the salt upon the sand Now this Fowl feeding so much upon salt the dung of it is hotter and salter than any Fowl I know Now the Reasons why it is good for cold Lands and withall to sow it Early are these Every one knowes that 't is the Nature of salt that the dryer and hotter 't is kept the more it keeps its own Body and doth not turn to water And when it stands in a cold and moyst place it then dissolves in a little time to water and when 't is turned into this Element of VVater then is it fit for the nourishing and feeding of seeds especially Annuals For they be alwayes prepared to set forward in their Journey provided they meet but with suitable Entertainment But the seeds of most Forrest-trees they will stay the time that their and our great God hath allotted them But then why Salt should be a feeder of Plants or Seeds I take the Reason to be this namely Salt-water yet I do not mean of Salt in a great quantity and in meet places that will turn it into water I have oft observed that Salt if fallen upon a Board or other place it will be long a drying and if Heat have made it drye then Dews or Rain make it moyst again then it steams forth and that it is which nourisheth all Plants VVhen if on a hot and dry ground and late in the Spring if dry weather come then it doth not nor cannot yield its steam or fume as Paracelsus in his Philosophy to the Athenians lib. 3. p. 57. saith Every Body or tangible substance is nothing but a curdled fume whence saith he we may conclude that there is a manifold Coagulation one of VVood another of Stones a third of Mettals but the Body is nothing but Fume smoaking out of the Matter or Matrix in which it is So that which groweth out of the Earth is a fume rising out of the Moysture of Mercury which is various and sendeth forth several fumes for Hearbs Trees c. I do remember when I was a Boy about fourteen years of Age the Sea brake a bank into a Marsh of my Fathers in Lincoln-shire and did over-flow that Marsh and some others with salt Sea-water the next Summer proving dry all our Grass was clearly burnt up so that I was very much concerned for some particular Reasons thinking that all our Grass had been quite killed and indeed so it appeared The next Summer proved wet so that towards the latter end we had some Grass again and the third Summer we had Grass enough but the fourth and many after in abundance So that it appears the ground was stupified with too much Kindness at first but after the Rain had allayed the too much strength of the Salt water then the Grass could well digest the gentle Fume I would have those that lay Salt on their Gravel-walks to kill their weeds observe if in a few years more they do not produce more weeds than some other that had not Salt laid on them at all Sea-sand is a very good Compost for Ground especially for stiffe Ground for there it doth the too main parts to plants or any seed or tree that is it makes way for the tree or seed to root in stiffe ground and makes a Fume to feed it but this is too nimble for the seeds of trees unless a very little observe the Reasons before Mault-dust is a most excellent Compost in a small quantity for many sorts of Annual seeds as I have oft tried with good success but the Reasons are still the same for this being a small part of the roots of the Barley and being very dry drinks in the Element of water which is the principal and first matter of all things as a learned Author hath it in the Genealogy of Minerals p. 44 So wonderfully hath God created VVater the first Matter of Nature which though it be so tender and feeble a substance yet from thence is created the most solid and durable Fruit that is from the fume of an Oyly Earthy water is the Life of all Plants The parts of the dust being thus filled upon the Suns attracting that and the Plant the Root embraces this Fume This little root it having not life to grow turns to Earth and its Grave is a room to lead the root of another Plant in it will give good entertainment to its own Kind Thus you see the Destruction of one is the increase of another A little of this is good for some seed of Forrest-trees but sow it not too thick for any thing lest it mold or turn Musty Note that the place which is best for the root to be in when the Tree or Plant is growing is the place that bringeth it soonest to Destruction when dead and contrary for a Tree cannot live in water or alwayes dry and those preserve the Timber longest when the Tree is dead This may be further improved by ingenuity Note also that the place which is best to keep the Fruit of a Tree in is the very worst for a Tree or Plant to grow in and contrary Old Rags of Woollen Cloth as is found by Experience by the industrious Farmer cut into small pieces are a good Compost for their Ground they draw the Dew and Rain to them and keep it till Sol's presence makes it fit for the Roots of the Plant I judge them to be best for a pure dry soyl because they hold their Moysture long and I suppose 't is a soyl that is lasting for Wooll will not rot with wet suddenly A little of this for the Trees or Seed on a dry Ground will do good to them as appears by the aforesaid Reasons For Annuals better Conny-clippings are of the same nature but I do suppose they will not last so long and are better for a stiffe ground Saw-dust if well rotten and of soft woods is very gratefull to the tender Roots or Seeds of any sort 't is good for dry ground for it holds water and makes way for the Roots of Trees very well and is as good as most Preparers are Rotten-dust out of hollow Trees especially those of soft wood is a rich Leader of tender young Roots the Reason is shewed before Soot is good to kill Moss for its heat kills the Roots for they lye on the top of the Earth and good also to keep worms from doing harm to your Seeds Sea-coal Ashes are very good in cold stiffe ground either for Trees or any other Plant to make that ground work well and to keep it hollow for the Roots to run in c. Rubbish of Buildings that
shot forth that I was forced to cut off some of their Heads that is the side-boughs to keep the Wind from breaking them There is in these four rows of Trees 296. and of these I lost not one Tree the first Year but they did grow and shoot so well that there were several Noble Men that saw them did think as they said that they were not removed the Year before but the year after we had three spoyled by some base Men or Boys Of the very same parcel of Trees my Lord gave Sir William Temple thirty of the best of them which he himself saw chosen out they were Set at Sir William's House at Sheen a much better Natur'd Ground than ours yet they lost all but six of them the first Year I saw a walk of Line-trees but I think they were the Bastard-kind which we have growing in many of our Woods in England set at Debden-hall the Right Worshipful Sir Richard Brown's House the Natural ground was not bad for them but how they were Ordered I do not know for they had the first year not above one in ten that did grow any thing considerably I saw the like or worse spoyl of the same Trees at my Lord Chief Baron Turnor's near Startford where the ground might easily have been made very good for them I onely write this to perswade Noble Men and others that are Lovers of Planting to remember the old saying viz. A thing once well done is twice done And those that are resolved to Plant that they make their Ground fit for those Trees before they set them and not bury them in a hole like a dead dog as too too many do Let me then beg that they may have good and fresh Lodgings sutable to their Quality and good attendance also to preserve them from their Enemies till they be able to encounter with them they that will not do this let them never resolve to Plant Trees for why should they spoil the least of those stately Monuments and in so doing throw away their Monies For let such note that Nature bestows not her gifts but where she finds sutable Convenience therefore order your Ground well and then you may see a good success as my Lord hath had in several of his Plantations though as bad ground as most is to Plant on One Night me thoughts walking up one of my Lords Line-walks I heard the grateful Trees thus Paying the Tribute of their thanks to his Lordship Like Pyramids our Stately Tops wee 'l Raise To Sing our Noble Benefactor 's Praise Freshly we will to After-ages show What Noble Essex did on us bestow For we our very Being owe to him Or else we had long since intombed been In Crop of Bird or in Beasts Belly found Or met our Death neglected on the ground By him we cherish'd were with Dung and Spade For which wee 'l Recompence him with our Shade And since his kindness saw us prun'd so well We will Requite him with our Fragrant smell In Winter as in Gratitude is meet Wee 'l strew our humble Leaves beneath his Feet Nay in each Tree Root Trunck Branch all will be Proud to Serve him and his Posterity Thus having shewed you by Example the good Effects of a light Brick-Earth upon Gravel I could also tell the same of a Fat Sand drift-sand small Gravel upon your Clay or stiff Ground but I hope that I have informed your Judgment so much that you will Reasonably conclude with me that the preparing of Ground for Trees is onely to mix Ground so together that there may be convenient room for the Roots to search for their Nourishment and to humour the Tree so that there may be a good part of the Natural Ground which each Tree delights to grow in I know that if your Ground be a stiff Clay then to trench and mix it with fat Sand drift-sand Lime Rubbish or Chalk and Lime are great helps to such Ground either for Trees or Corn or Grass and more lasting than Dung and for Forrest-Trees full as good as Dung For it doth not onely give leave and make way for the roots to run in the Earth but takes away that over-moistness in the cold stiff Ground which hinders Conception by letting the water down into the Earth and by keeping it from Cracking and so Nourisheth the Spirit of the Earth and also keeps it from spending it too hastily Horse-dung is the best to make your hot beds with for such Plants as are commonly raised of them be Annual Plants but it is too hasty for the Seeds of Trees unless it be rotten and well mixed with Natural Mould It is best for your stiff cold Lands and if you lay it upon Plowed Ground which 't is best for then Plow it in as soon as you can for if it lies there to dry there will a great part of the Oily substance which makes the fume for nourishment of Plants be exhaled out by the Sun Let no sort of dung lie long on the top of your Ground unplowedin but plow or dig it in as soon as you can for by lying so it doth not onely lose a great part of its goodness by the Sun especially if it lies thin but where your Dung-hill lies every shower will wash the strength of the dung into the Ground so that if you take the dung off from that place as clean as you can yet you shall have that place bear Ranker Corn than where you thought the dung had lain much thicker if it lies long in a place The Observation of this taught me many good Uses as first to lay dung about the Roots of Trees is much better than stones as my Lord Bacon Advises in his Natural History for this keeps moist the Ground better than they and Rain washes the strength to the Roots as is aforesaid and if you dig in this when the strength is gone and your Trees strong it then prepares way for the Roots and there is a great benefit to your Trees Or if it is not digged-in but lies on the top and there turns to Earth it then feeds the Roots on the top and leads them upward And seeing where Dung lies the Ground is so much improved by the washing-in of the strength of the Dung it may well inform you that Dung steeped in Water is very good especially if you use Dung in Quantity according to the Nature of your Plants and strength of your Ground the weaker your Ground make your Water the stronger There is in some places in Farmers Yards a Water that washeth from their Dung-hills a Load of which is not inferiour to a Load of Dung yet by them totally Neglected but of Waters I shall speak more in the next Chapter Thus having hinted of these two Useful and Common Dungs Cow and Horse in the Example of these Line-trees onely Observe this and then I shall proceed Horse-dung is best for Plants that are quick of Digestion and Growth
we do not Raise as many new sorts of Fruit as the French And though I do deviate a little from my intended Discourse I shall shew you that we can do it as well as they and I suppose better though we do it not but before I proceed to give you further Judgment of it I will in some measure Answer my Querie which was to know the very particular Fruit that will alter for the best I do not affirm it as true as the Gospel but onely conclude according to Reason First it is known by Experience in Flowers to be true that such Flowers as differ in number of Leaves in shape in Colours the Seeds of such will produce Flowers much different from the Ordinary Kind of Flowers though produced all of one Flower but a Year or two before nay a particular Flower among many others of one Plant shall bring more double ones than twenty others that are not so qualified as it this is apparently known to all that take delight in Raising of Flowers that the Stock-gilly-flower that hath Flowers of 5 6 7 8 or 9 Leaves that the Seed of such a particular Flower or Flowers will produce more double ones than those Plants that bring forth but four leaves Quantity for Quantity of Seed twenty for one You may know these Flowers before they blow out in the bud I confess this Flower doth shew this by its Leaves more than any other I know for this Flower having no thrum in the middle as the most of Flowers have Nature hath given it this Sign to inform Man that those that have a Leaf or Leaves added to them more than their usual kind will bring forth those with many Leaves and make a fine double Flower which when it hath attained to it then is come to the bounds of Nature which the Almighty hath alotted it saying Thus far shalt thou go and no further for when it is thus a double flower it never beareth Seed more but by endeavouring blows it self to Death If you be Curious you may observe the same Rule in several other flowers that have no thrum in the middle as Auriculoes Prim-Rose Wall-flowers Campians and several others and when you find on Leaf or Leaves more than the ordinary number you may conclude there Nature hath set one step forward in altering from the ordinary Kind therefore if you be a Lover of Plants or a Servant of Nature be diligent and whensoever you see your Mistress step out of Door then do you wait upon her to her Journeys end for 't is on the Diligent she bestows her Favours Also those flowers which bear Seed when double as the Gilly-flower Affrican c. Sowing the Seed of such double flowers they will bring you more and better flowers a hundred for one than single ones and in sowing the Seed of such you shall have several Varieties but most marked with the colour the Mother-plant was of and some of these will as it were run beyond the limits of Nature and then they will break or have pods in the middle and then never bear Seed more Gilly-flowers have their sign which will bear Seed and which not Those that will bring Seed if Weather or other Accidents hinder not have their Hornes in the middle of the Flower It is also observed in the marking of flowers that the Seed of those that be striped shall bring the most striped ones and some of different Colours and stripes their Seed all alike But it may be Answered that this may be true in flowers for none can deny it but that such flowers will alter and bring forth such flowers as afore-said but can the altering of the Fruit be known by the flower To this I Answer that you have not onely the Leaves of the flower but the thrum and the Fruit it self to inform you which will alter therefore by the Shape Colour or Thrum in the Flower you may know which fruits will alter and it is possible which will alter for the best for it is commonly known that fruit will alter from the fruit they come of by sowing the Nuts Kernels or Seeds Now when you have made choice of your Seeds Stones Nuts Raise them as is Directed in each Chapter of the Kind in good fresh Ground and by Midsomer that Year they will have shot so strong that you may take off Buds of some sorts and of all sorts the next Year having in readiness some fine thriving stock against some good Wall for that will make the fruit set the sooner when it comes to blow At a fit Season bud these Stocks if Pears on Quince-stocks if Peaches Nectrons or Plumb on some large white Plumb-stocks c. If they be Apples or Walnuts they may be from the Wall bud your Apples or Codlins or Apple of Paradice which is a sort of Dwarf-sweeting and will grow of Cuttings if Walnuts on a fine Young Walnut-tree bud it five or six foot high this doth not onely alter the Property of the Wild Kind but it makes the Tree more Naturally bear fruit much sooner and better if well Ordered your Pears Plumbs and Peaches will bear in three or four years after your Apples and Walnuts in five or six years after I know my Lord Bacon tells you that Peaches come best of Stones unbudded but I advise you to bud all you Raise of Stones Seeds c. though it be to take a bud off from the same stock and to bud it on that as I have often done Those that have great Grounds to look to and good Ingenuity let them but put this in Practice and I am confident they will find great satisfaction therein and in a little time Raise many new sorts of fruit Now the Reason why in France they Raise more Varieties of fruit and flowers than we do is this there are many Ingenious Men in their Monasteries and there they being Seated as long as they Live there they Raise many fine fruits and flowers Now if our Noble Men that take delight in Gardens as all that are Ingenious do would provide themselves of good Ingenious Gardiners and allow them good Encouragement with assurance of continuing in their Service so long as they carry themselves carefully in their Employ and are faithful in their Place this would certainly cause them to improve their Places much for their Masters good and Profit and their own Credit or give them Patents for their Places as His Majesty does to the Gardiners he keeps for which I hope none better served A good Cook can Dress you several Dishes of Meat very well in half a day and if one miscarry they can in a little time make another but the Gardiner must have several Moneths or Years to bring some things to Perfection and if He miscarry he cannot begin again when he will but he must wait his time with Patience therefore he ought the more to be careful But for this Digression I must crave your Pardon and thus
his Hedge-Rows c. or his Predecessors But I could and do wish that Owners would encourage their Tenants by allowing them so much Money for every Fruit-tree and so much for every Forrest-tree they plant in their Grounds and look to them well till they be past Cattles spoyling them this would help both the Owner and his Tenant and many a good Tree might be in waste places where now none is this would make the Farm much better and pleasanter and so we might have more plenty of Fruit and Timber and Knowledge in Planting would be greatly improved Now suppose you should plant on good Land and in open Fields you would be no Loser by it As if you should plant Oak Ash or Elm in pasture-Pasture-ground at three or four Rod asunder they would do your Land no harm nor would you lose any ground save only just where the Trees stand now it must be a good Tree that takes up one yard square nay the Leaves and Shade may do your Cattel as much good as may countervail the loss of that Land as if your Land be worth 20 s. an Acre that is not a Penny a Yard as here I shall shew 160 Rod square makes an Acre and five yards and a half square is a Rod. You see that in one Rod square there are 30 yards and a quarter for the Decimal Fraction 25 is ¼ of a 100 or thus 5 times 5 is 25 and 5 halfs and 5 halfs make 5 whole Rod and a half and a half make but ¼ which is 30 yards and a quarter Here you see that 4840 the yards in one Acre divided by 12 the Pence in a Shilling gives 403 shillings and 4 remain that is one Acre at a Penny a yard comes to 20 l. 3 s. 4 d. But it may be sixty years before a Tree takes up so much ground then at half that Age it takes up but half so much ground then 60 half-pence is but 2 s. 6 d. and your Tree at that Age and on such Land may be worth 30 s. or more which is Profit and Pleasure c to the Planter But to our business Johnson tells you of some ten sorts of Pines but I know but two or three in England one is common and is raised of the Seed sown in good ground and in the shade in the Month of February If it be frosty put it into Earth or Sand and keep it in the house till the weather be seasonable they will not grow of Cuttings nor Laying well they be bad to be Removed when old because the Roots run far from the Body in few years and if broke or cut off they will not readily break out at sides and ends therefore Remove them young at two or three years old and at the times beforesaid and then you may expect glorious stately Trees None of all our green Trees in England may compare with them Prune them as the Firre They be fine to set round a Garden or Bowling-green for the Leaves will not do any harm Of Firre-trees we have two sorts they be easily Raised of Seeds sown as the Pine one sort will grow of Laying or of Slips set about Bartholomewtide but then you must cut them one Inch or two from the Body and cut that Stump close off the March following and cut all other Boughts that be needfull at that time and you need not fear hurting your Tree though my French Curate be against it The best way to keep them is in Stories about a yard between one another but do not cut their Ends as some doe neither let them grow thick on a heap but if you keep them in Stories they will grow taper and you may take off some when you see Cause and so help them up to a great height and straight as an Arrow for they naturally grow in a good shape Lay the Clogs before the fire and they will gape so may you take out the Seeds the better Pliny calls one sort of Pine the Pinaster Johnsons Herbal pag. 1350. CHAP. XXIX Of Raising the Yew Holly Box Juniper Bayes and Laurel c. THere be a great many more Trees some of which shed their Leaves and some keep them all the year besides those I have spoken of before but these be the most of our Forrest-trees and as for those that doe belong to the Garden I shall not so much as mention them The Yew-tree is produced of Seeds rub the fleshy substance off then dry them and when they be dry put them in sand a little moist in a Pot or Tub let this be done any time before Christmas Keep them in house all Winter and under some North-wall abroad all Summer the Spring come Twelve-month after you put them in Sand sowe them on a Bed the ground not too stiffe keep them clean and prick them out of that Bed into your Nursery when they have stood two or three years there you may bring them to what shape you please It is a fine Tree and worthy to be more increased Holly may be raised of the Berries as the Yew or by Laying it loves a Gravelly-ground as most of our Forrest-greens doe it is a curious Tree for Hedges and will grow under the dropping of great Trees It well deserves your love yet is somewhat ticklish to remove but the best time is before Michaelmas if your Ground be stiffe and cold mix it with Gravel but no Dung. Box the English and Edged c. do grow well of Slips set about the latter end of August or in March It is very pleasant in green Groves and in Wildernesses though it hath a bad smell after Snow Juniper is raised of the Berries it is ticklish to Remove it is a pretty Plant for the aforesaid places the Berries are very wholsome the Wood burnt yields a wholsome and pleasant Persume so doth the Plant in the Spring Bayes is increased plentifully of Suckers or you may raise them of their Berries They love the shade and are fit to be set in green Groves Laurel or Cherry-bay is increased by Cuttings set about Bartholomewtide and in the shade best or by the Cherries It is a glorious Tree for Standards on most Grounds but on our coldest and openest it holds out our hard Winters best It may be kept with a clear stem two or three foot high and let the Head be kept round so that if you have a Row of them the Trees all of a height and bigness and the Heads all of a shape no Tree is more pleasant It is fit for Groves Wildernesses Hedges c. It will grow well on any ground threfore make use of this beautifull Tree The Oak at first doth like a King appear The Laurel now at last brings up the Rear The one does tender Plenty and Renown The other offers Pleasure and a Crown The Elm the usefull Ash and Sycomore Together with the Beech and many more They promise all content to those that look To practise what
Hedge and a very fine shew when it is full of its fine Red berryes which appear like Beads of Red Corall among the dark green Leaves It likes our Entertainment so well that it will grow well on most Grounds our Winters disturb it not and 't is very easie to be multiplyed or increased by Laying or Cuttings They that have store of Ground and are Lovers of Plants I hope will not be without these few named and many more that will be very acceptable but they be not some of them so proper for Hedges Many more there be that would make very fine Hedges for pleasure if well kept as the double-blossom Cherry the Laurus Tinus or wild Bay Primme Savin c. These few are only for Ornament and make any of them fine Hedges alone or you may mix them with Judgement and they will then be very pleasant Now I shall shew you a few of those that are for profit and Ornament such are the Summer-Pears on Quince-stocks for that makes them the more Dwarfish Cherries make a fine Hedge but especially the small-leaved as the several sorts of Flanders great Bearers c. Plumbs Quinces Codlins Barberries c. all these make fine Hedges but must have Supporters In the three last there is this fault that the better they be kept I mean the handsomer the worse they will bear But I am got two steps too far into the Garden and now I shall give you an Accompt of such as are proper to fence in your VVoods Orchards c. which is the scope of my Discourse for such are both profitable and pleasant though not so Ornamental as the other before and if you would make a Fence of one particular sort of Wood the very best is your White-bush or White-thorn Your Crab-stocks make also a stout strong Fence and if you leave at every twenty foot one to run up keeping it with pruning till it is five or six foot high and then graft it with Red strakes or other good syder-Syder-fruit such a Hedge would be very pleasant and profitable You may so order your Stock and Tree whilest they be young that by pruning you may have the head of your Tree to hang into your Ground a little over your Hedge Let me desire you to make such a Hedge where you have occasion to make one As for your Stocks they are as easie to raise as Barley and they are as certain to grow on most sorts of Ground as any one wood I know For common and publick Fences there is none to compare with these two for certainty of growing for a thick strong and an armed Fence Black-bush makes a good strong Fence but it hath one Inconvenience that is it will not keep within its bounds but will run very much into your ground and there be very troublesome to keep out Therefore if your Fence be for Wood it may do well for the Reason aforesaid Also when you plash it it will often be ready to die by Reason that it shoots so much from the Root Thus have I shewed you some sorts of Woods to make your Hedges with I shall now give you some Directions how to make them and here observe that for all those which are for Ornament only You must prepare a Border by good digging and clean picking it from weeds adding some good Natural Earth such as the Kinds you set do most naturally grow in which let be well prepared against the season for planting and then make use of your time The greatest sort may be set about a yard one from another such as your Holly Laurel c. the other about two foot or less such as your Juniper Mezereon c. Let this be the most but if you have store of Plants set them thicker be sparing in heading most sorts of Greens For those that are for Ornament and Profit the Ground must be made good trenched deep and mixt well with Dung they may be set about six foot asunder You may make very curious Hedges of Pears Cherries c. But I am too far got into the Orchard or Garden I must retreat to my Forrest-trees to shelter me from the Gardiners Anger Of those sorts that are for Ornament Profit and for Fence I have told you that there are two peculiar sorts viz. the White-thorn and the Crab which are indeed the most proper to fence in our Forrest-trees and woods of any I know I know most Hedges which are mixed with many sorts of wood are apt to come too fast without planting Sets of White-thorn which in most places are plentifull to be had bur if you would Raise them of Haws order them as is shewed of the Cherry or Yew-berries Now to Raise your Crab or Apple-stocks though the Crab-stocks are better than your Apple-stocks for the Crab grows more rugged strong and is more lasting but Stocks raised of Apple-kernels will do well let your Ground be well prepared by Digging and picking it clean from weeds mix it with some good rotten Dung then when the time is that they beat their Crabs for Verjuice or Apples for Syder then prepare your self with so many as you think are convenient for your Ground and as soon as they be stamped sow them if you can for if they lie long in the Stampings that will heat and spoyl your Kernels Therefore if you have them to fetch far or that you cannot sow them instantly then let them be sifted from the body of the Apple and spread thin or mixed with drye Sand till you have opportunity to sow them or you may keep them in Sand the Kernels I mean a little moyst till February and then sow them but be sure your Ground be well prepared before-hand with good tillage and clean picking cover them about one Inch or a little more with fine Mould afterwards when they come up keep them constantly clean from weeds Remembring if you sow at Michaelmas that you take care to keep Traps set for fear Mice rob you of your Kernels Thus may you Raise what Quantity of Stocks you please which at two and three years old you may set where you would have them to stand for to Raise Trees or to make Hedges for fenceing in your Ground Keep them clean from Weeds by Digging or Hoing Thus having shewed you how to furnish your selves with store of Stocks in a little time which will make you as strong and good Fences as most wood whatsoever and are very profitable too both to yield good Liquor for Drink and to bring good Fewel to the Fire I shall now shew you how to plant these Quicksets both for Hedges with Ditches and for Stant-hedges as some call them without Ditches First Strain a Line where the inside of your Ditch must goe next your Hedge then mark along by the Line sloping as you would have the Bank of your Hedge to slope then strain the Line on the other side of the Ditch and mark it out sloping inward
shew the best way for improving your Ground presuming that every man that fenceth in a ground would plant as many Trees as he can in it let such but mind what I have delivered and what I shall deliver in the next Chapter I hope it will be satisfactory to him if it be it will be the like to me But what Order soever you plant your Trees in make your holes good before Set not your Trees too deep and keep them staked the first year covering the ground over the Roots with some Litter or Dung and over that a little Mould to keep the Sun from burning the Dung and exhausting the strength In the Spring walk over the Ground you planted in Winter and set your Trees to right and tread the Mould to the Roots especially if the Spring be drye keep all the cracks filled with Mould after your Trees be set keep your ground with digging or plowing for three or four years at first but the longer the better your Trees will run and thrive in the loose Ground much but if you do not so much mind Order in Planting but would keep your Land for Corn and yet would gladly have Fruit-trees too which may very well be and you may have good store of Fruit and not much the less Corn then plant your Rowes about thirty foot asunder the longest wayes of your Ground and set the Trees in the Rows about 15 foot asunder and let the Trees in each Row stand exactly square so may you have a very fine Orchard and little or nothing the less Corn Many years may you have as much Fruit as is worth a good Crop of Corn off so much Land and not the less Corn which may well encourage you to planting if you dare believe me but if not be but so kind to your self and me as to trye whether I tell truth not Be sure to keep Cows out of your young Orchards Sheep will do no harm provided you wisp your Trees about with Thum-bands whilest young which is the best way to keep them from the destructive Hares and Coneys CHAP. XXXIV Of Pruning Trees some general Observations ALthough I have shewed you how to prune most sort of Trees in each Chapter where I shewed you how to raise them yet I shall say a little more and all will be too little for the Curate of Henonville tells you in his Book of the Manner of Ordering Fruit-trees That it is a Thing very rare among Gardners to Prune Trees well for the doing of it well depends more upon their Ingenuity than upon their Hand It is also very hard to give Instructions for it because it consists not in certain and general Maxims but varies according to the particular Circumstances of each Tree so that it depends absolutely upon the Gardners Prudence who ought of himself to judge what Branches must be left and which are fit to be cut away c. Indeed that erroneous Custome and Saying which is among most men of Timber-trees not to prune them at all or if you doe to cut off the boughs at distance from the Body hath made many a good Fruit-tree lose its life sooner by many years than it would have done and also hath yielded to the Owner much less and worse Fruit than it would have done Therefore whatsoever Bough you cut off from Fruit or Forrest-tree cut it close and smooth and the lowest side closest then will it not hold water and every year the Bark will surround and overgrow the wound by little and little till it hath quite healed the place But if you leave a Stump it 's likely that will hold water and make a hole into the very Body of your Tree and so in little time make it sick and kill it which before would bear you but little and poor Fruit Or if the Stump hang down so that it doth not hold wet then the Tree must be as big as that Stump is long on all sides before it can over-grow that place or if the Stump rots and breaks off then many times it leaves a hole in the Tree which if it tends much upward so that it takes water it certainly kills the Tree and if the Tree be not a very thriving Tree it will be very long before it overgrowes that hole though it do not take wet Therefore what boughs you cut off cut them off close unless the Tree be very old and the boughs great such I do not advise you to meddle with but if you doe cut them at a distance from the Body alwayes remembring to let the wound be smooth and to tend as much from the Horizon as may be All boughs that grow upright be they great or little cut them not right cross over but cut them sloping upward and let the slope aspect the South East or West if it may be and in those boughs that lean from the head cut the slope on the lower side the slope tending downward so will they cover over the better if the wound be great cover it over with some Clay well mixed with Horse-dung to keep it from the weather and it will cover over the sooner Many a good Tree is spoyled by grafting of it in bad places as I have seen in some hundreds of which I have not spared as oft as I could to tell the Owners but few would believe me for sometimes they cut off great boughs till they come to 6 Inches or thereabouts Diameter there they put in four or six Grafts in the Bark and sometimes two in the Clift and saw the bough right cross over though it grow upright in which if the Grafts do grow the head is so great and they growing Round as it were endeavouring to cover over the wound make such a hollow place like a Dish on the Head as holds water and kills the Tree which is many times dead before the Grafts can cover over the head or if the Tree doth not thrive very well they keep that place will covered with Loom or Clay mixed with Horse-dung and sometimes they head the Tree very low and thereby check it so much that it dyes in little time after Sometimes they cut off such great boughs and do it so ill that though the heads grow yet in little time these wounds kill the Tree Though I shall not here teach you how to graft yet let me advise you when you graft high great Trees not to cut them too low but to prune them up till they come to the thickness of your Arm or less and then graft them for then will the Grafts soon overgrow such places Leave a good many of these Heads on according to the bigness of your Tree that if some miss you may take them off the next Spring and yet have enough for the Head If you graft in the Bark you must remember to head your Grafts about Midsummer or else they will be subject to blow off put your Grafts in alway on the upper side
and cut upright Boughs a little sloping off they will heal over the better keep them from Suckers and then you may expect good Trees and Fruit of which I wish your Hedge-rowes were full Of all sorts of Trees whatsoever if any Roots be broke or much bruised or cracked cut them off till you come to firm Wood the slope tending to the Ground like a Horse-foot but be very sparing in cutting the Roots of Greens and also in cutting their heads off yet you may proportion the Head to the Root by cutting off some side-boughs which cut off if your Green be tender the latter end of March or in April and cut the Bough off two or three Inches from the Body and that time come Twelve month take off that piece close and cover the wound with a little Wax or Clay well tempered if your Greens be for high Trees endeavour to make them taper by leaving some side-boughs to ease the head In all Trees you intend for Timber be cautious in cutting off their heads especially those of great Piths such as the Ash Walnut c. Unless your Tree grow top-heavy or much crooked and then at the crooked place cut off the head sloping upward and nurse up one of the principal shoots to be the leading Shoot but such as are subject to die when headed or any Tree very great meddle not with such the Beech is one of the worst to head of any Tree I know Such Trees as you intend for to grow to a certain proposed height you must take care to keep them taper by leaving side-boughs in convenient place and distance to make them taper cutting such boughs off when you find your Tree is swelled enough below still minding to take off the greatest side-boughs and leave little ones and to proportion your head by keeping it small according to the Body and maintaining the leading Shoot letting it have no equals for forked Trees are never straight Thus do till you have got your Tree to the height you intend and there let the Head break out and cut off all the side-boughs but if side-boughs still break out then give them a Summer-pruning a little after Midsummer and cut them off close so will you kill them and have a fine stately clear Body and fine Timber-tree See Chap. 10. Observe this in all Trees you would have grow with a handsome straight body till you have got them to the height you intend they shall head at Whilest your Trees be small you must prune them every year The best time for most is the Spring but hardy Trees and Wood may be pruned at any time in Winter when they be a little older once in two year then once in three and then in four and never seldomer than once in five or six so will the Bough be small the Tree will soon overgrow the place the Knot will not be great to vex the Carpenter or Joyner at all the place will not be very subject to put forth Suckers because the Sap hath had no great recourse to that place Mind alwayes to cut off your Boughs smooth and close to the Body This if you please to doe you may have fine Timber and handsom Trees which I dare engage will pay you or yours well for your helps to them The like doe with your standard Fruit-trees or those you intend for Pollards till you have got them to the height you design they shall head at and at setting if they be tender Trees or Trees that have great Pith. If you must head them let it be in the Spring when you find they begin to bud but then you must take care of the winds in Winter that they shake them not so as to let the Air in to the ground to kill the Roots therefore tie them to good Stocks Or this is a good way for Trees that have not great Piths or are very tender cut off some of the tops of the Boughs when you set them so let them be till the Spring and when you see the Bud break out then cut them on every shoot of the head a little above the lowest Bud or two of each shoot so will the head shoot but with few shoots and they will be the stronger the head being small the Root will endeavour to proportion it to its former greatness or near it but if you have many shoots break out then cut them all off but four or five for so many are enough to make Arms for any Tree but if then you find the Tree to shoot too much and grow top-heavy as sometimes they will if well kept and on good ground then head the Tree again but not so low as you did before for Reason ought to be used in all things this will make your Tree swell in body much and in time be a fine Tree So that I say endeavour to get a good Body for in Fruit-trees this is to be noted that you must in the first place endeavour to get your Tree in such a Condition as to bear you good Fruit and a Quantity rather than little Fruit early and then never good Fruit or Tree after therefore if you have a Tree that doth not thrive but is subject to blow much as most such Trees are cut off the blowing Buds in the Spring as low to a Leafie Bud as you can and some shoots as near the place where the Tree headed as you can but mind to leave some Buds on the head to draw up the Sap or else your Tree may break out in the middle of the Body or a little above Ground but if your Buds once shoot on the head but half a foot then will your Tree come away Thus and by digging about have I helped many a stunted Tree forward which you may doe likewise if you please I have many times observed several Fruit-trees as Pears Apples c. to be full of false-bearing Buds I call them so because they did not blow for the Tree having got more head than the Roots could well maintain had not strength sufficient to spare sap for blossom nor yet for Fruit which by pruning and thinning the heads of such Trees and by slitting the bark on the Body in the Spring hath made them afterwards to bear well when they have put forth new shoots at the head And some sorts of Fruit-trees there be which will blow and bear themselves to death when they be middle-aged as before I told you some young ones would if not helped by pruning but the best wayes to preserve such Trees from death and to make them bear pretty good Fruit is to cut off most of the blowing Buds and to thin the head of some boughs to make it shoot again then will it live many years longer and bear better Fruit Some Trees there be that will run so much into wood that they will not bear of themselves till they come to be old but if you cut off the head of the shoots
So doth your Walnut Chesnut Horse-Chesnut Peaches Almonds Apricocks Plumbs c. and the onely difference from Beans and Pease is that these stone-Stone-fruits put forth at the small ends and the other alwayes at the sides In like manner there be several sorts of Trees and most sorts of Plants that be small which put forth Root at the small end and as soon as that Root hath laid hold of the ground they then send out two false Leaves nothing like those that grow on the Tree or Plant which two false Leaves are the seed which divides into two parts and so stand some small time on the top of the ground and then between these two false Leaves comes forth a Shoot which produceth leaves like those of the Tree or Plant from whence it came Of this way of growth there be an infinite number both of Trees and Plants as the Elm Ash Sycamore Maple Pear Apple Quince and the most sorts of the seeds of Trees which are not environed by Stones or Shells of seeds the Melon Parsnip Carrot Carduus Angelica and indeed most sorts of seeds CHAP. V. Of the several wayes to raise Forrest-trees or others and how to perform the same by Laying THose sorts of Trees which will grow of Cuttings are the easiest to raise by Layings some of which sorts you may see in the next Chapter Now touching the best time for laying your Layers of Trees observe that if they be Trees that hold their Leaf all Winter as Firres Pines Holly Yew Box Bayes Lawrels Elix c. Let such be laid about the latter end of August But if they be such as shed their Leaf in Winter as Oak Elm Line Sycamore Apple Pear Mulberry c. let such be laid about the middle of October I do grant that you may lay at any time of the Year but these times I take to be the best for then they have the whole VVinter and Summer to prepare and draw Root in at that time of the year the Sun having so much power on the sap of the Tree as to feed the Leaf and Bud but not to make a shoot and if that little sap that rises be hindred as it is by some of the following wayes of laying the Leaves and Buds yet gently craving of the Layer makes the Layer prepare for Root or put forth root a little to maintain it self being it finds it cannot have it from the Mother-plant and being it wants but little Nourishment at that time of the Year I think it is better to lay Layers of Trees and to set Cuttings than at other times In Summer when the sap is much abounding or in VVinter when the sap stirres little or in the Spring when the sap begins to rise for then it comes too suddenly to draw sap from the Layer before it hath drawn or prepared for root for Nature must be courted gently though I know in small Plants the Spring or Summer doth very well for they being short-lived are therefore the quicker in drawing root and besides that Trees are many times laid as they are not As for those Trees that are apt to grow of Cuttings take but some of the boughs and lay them into the Ground covering them about half a foot with fresh fine Mould leaving them with the end of your Layer about one foot or a foot and a half out of the ground keeping them moist in Summer and in Twelve Months time you may remove them if rooted if not let them lie longer Another way is take a Bough you intend to lay and cut it half way through right cross the wood then slit it up towards the end half a foot or according as your Layer is in bigness lay the slitted place into the ground and you shall find that slitted place take root if laid as the former and so ordered This way you may encrease many fine Flowers and small Plants but they being out of my Element at this time I shall not speak of the ordering them for fear I seem tedious to some Another way to lay a Layer of a Tree is take a piece of VVyer and tie it hard round the bark of the place you intend to lay into the ground twisting the ends of the VVier that it may not untie prick the place above the VVier thorough the bark with an Aul in several places then lay it into the ground as the first A fourth way of Laying of trees is Cut a place round about one Inch or two where you find it most convenient to lay into the ground and so proceed as is shewed in the first way of Laying A Fifth way to lay some sorts of Trees is to twist the place you intend to lay into the ground as you do a withe and lay it as is shewed in the first way of Laying by this way and the first you may furnish your Woods and Hedges For they being easie any ordinary man will perform the same Thus you may from one Stub as a Sallow or the like between one Fall and another of your VVood for a Rod square of Ground and more if that one Stub produce but strong shoots fill it well with Wood For when the Stub hath got two or three years shoot then lay round it as before at large is shewed there letting them remain to produce new Stubs But if you would increase by laying some young Trees from an high Standard whence you cannot bend the boughs down to the ground then you must prepare either Box Basket or Pot and fill them full of fine sifted Mould putting a little rotten VVillow-dust with this Earth for that keeps Moysture to help the Layer to draw root then set the Pot or Box thus fill'd with Earth upon some Tressel or Post as your Ingenuity will direct you then lay your Bough by the second third or fourth way of Laying leaving not too much head out because the wind will offend it if you doe and by its own motion be likely to rub off the tender young Root and thus lay your Hops this way These things observed you may raise many choyse Trees as Mulberry Hors-Chesnut c. These Rules may instruct you sufficiently concerning the propagation of Trees by Laying but let me tell you it is hard to raise a fine straight Tree by a Layer or Cutting I have hinted at the Reasons before Note the smaller your Boughs be Set them the less out of the ground and keep them clean from VVeeds that they spoyl not your Layers Alsonote that the harder the VVood is then the young VVood will take root best laid in the ground but if a soft VVood then older boughs will take Root best Now you that be Lovers of wood make use of these sure Directions and if you repent then blame me CHAP. VI. Of those sorts of Trees that will grow of Cuttings and how to perform the same IF your Ground be moist you may Set with success any sort of Willow Sallow or Osier
when old Lops in two or three and in all Respects are as usefull for the Fire Then I intreat you be not so wilfull as to make you and yours poor and also spoyl your trees Therefore in lopping of Pollards especially soft wood let it be towards the Spring and let not your Lops grow so great as to spoyl your trees and lose the use of your Money If once you find your Pollard grow much hollow at the Head down with it as soon as may be for it then decayes more in the Body than the Lop comes to and if your Timber-trees be dead-topt or most of the Head dead or that you find Wood-peckers or Nihills make holes in them then fell them as soon as the season is which is from October to February for when they begin to decay they decay apace I know it is the Opinion of most men that these Birds spoyl their Trees but let me tell you they rarely make holes in sound Timber therefore Learn of them and fell the trees of which they give you warning by making holes in them the sooner the less Timber lost CHAP. XIII Of Raising and Ordering the Beech. OF the Kinds of Beech I know but one though some say there be more About the middle of September you will find the Mast begin to fall apace then gather what Quantity you think good to sow and as soon as your seeds be drye make a Couch of Sand as you are before directed for the Ash and sowe them before the Moneth September be past Keep them in the Couch moderately moyst not so wet as you keep the Ash untill the latter end of January then sowe them in a bed of light gravelly Earth made on purpose Or if you fancy to sowe them in your Woods that is the best time or you may sowe them in the Month September in your Woods But if you keep them in the House all Winter and sowe them at the first Rise of the Spring you will preserve them from Mice and other Vermine the better they affect a gravelly light Soyl and will not thrive on Clayes If you would make a Nursery of them your Ground must be accordingly or else they will thrive but badly with you Of all VVoods that are this may the best be pruned up for it growes over the place in little time and is not subject to break out side-boughs It is fitting for Walks where the Ground is Natural for it but it is so nice in its ground that I do think there are few VValks of any great Length but have some Veins of Ground it doth not like CHAP XIV Of Raising and Ordering the Walnut BEfore we come to Raise this Tree or Gather the Nuts there may be these Enquiries made First you will desire to know what kind of Nut is likeliest to produce the best Fruit and to know what Kinds will alter from that Kind to a better as most Kinds of Fruit will degenerate some for the better and some near the same and some worse as also to know the very Nut or Nuts and other sorts of Fruits which will do so As for the Kinds that are likeliest to produce the best Fruit and the most likely to produce better Observe to gather your Nuts Stones or Kernels off from some young thriving Tree that is in its Prime of bearing and hath the Kernels plump large and full and of the best sorts and if it be of Fruit that is too subject to Ripe late with us then let it be of the earliest Kinds and as for the latest Kind preserve them for Stocks onely also if it may be make choice of such Fruit as is lately produced from some other good Kind and is better than the Kind it came of for you cannot expect to have as good an Apple produced from the Kernel of a Crab as you may have from the Kernel of a good Pippin for if the one bring you a good Wilding and the other an Apple either more large or more beautiful and as good if not better and of different taste this is as much as can be well expected for Nature doth not run her Journey all at once but makes several small ones and many times more backward than forward the better to encourage Ingenious Men to try and observe her ways but to those that are diligent she often drops her blessings and requites them well for their diligence And if you would obtain a blessing in you Works by Nature you must frequently be begging it of the great God of Nature and by his assistance and your diligence you need not doubt accomplishing you Lawful desires Of this Truth doubt not The Lord Bacon in his Natural History tells you of an Old Tradition that boughs of the Oak put into the Earth will put forth Wild Vines I wish all such Old Traditions were buried in the Earth in room of the Oak-boughs He tells us also of an Old Beech-tree cut down the Root whereof put forth a Birch See p. 111. This most Learned Man in his next page lays down six Rules though all as he confesseth untried by him concerning the transmutation of Plants The first is if you would have one Plant turn into another you must have the Nourishment over-rule the Seed The Second is to bury some few Seeds of the Plant you would change among other Seeds The Third is to make some Medley or mixture of Earth with some other Plants bruised or shaven either Leaf or Root The Fourth is to mark what Herbs some Earth does put forth of its self and to sow some contrary Seed in that Earth The Fifth is to make an Herb grow contrary to its Nature The Sixth is to make Plants grow out of the Sun or open Air as in the bottom of a Pond or in some great hollow tree I might and could Answer to all these but I think it would be too tedious for I do verily believe that to sow Seeds any way that can be devised by Man will not in the least cause them to be quite another kind of Plant for if you find any alteration in any Plant that is it is from the Conception and Nativity of the Seed for there is no real alteration but by Seed I know that Plants or Trees may bring fairer or smaller Flowers or Fruits according to the Ordering and Natural Situation of the Ground and the contrary For it is in vain to think that the Kernels of an Apple will bring forth a Pear or a Pear an Apple or that Cherry-stones will produce a Plumb or Plumb-stones a Cherry But if you sow the Kernels of good Pears or Apples c. then you may expect good Fruit and of different taste shape or bigness as is afore-said for I do believe all our sorts of Pippins come from one the Burry-pear from the Green-field the Pettit Rouselet from the Katharine c. And so of Walnuts or other Fruit and what should be the Reason then
I have shewed you that it is not the mixing of Earth with other Plants that will make them change into such Plants as you mix the Earth with or make the Plant alter to any purpose for the main alteration of all Plants is from their Seed though it may be mixing such Plants or Shavings with the Earth you sow Seed in may cause them to have some quality of the Physical use of the Plant in them as is the Opinion of the Learned that Misceltoe on the Oak and Polipody of the Oak and Elder on the Willow c. do partake of the Physical uses of those Plants on which they grow for in Nature you may find that many Bodies do not onely by their Qualities Affect their Adjacents but also infuse their Virtue into them and endue them with the same faculty as the Loadstone doth not onely attract Iron but Communicates its Virtue to it and makes it Magnetical by touching c. But I shall leave the Stones and return to the Walnut-tree Let your Nuts be very Ripe and when they begin to fall then beat the rest off from the Tree and lay them by that the outward Husk may Crack then peel them but do not wash them for wet doth make the Kernel Crack and Mould and spoyls it When you have taken off the Husk lay them thin to dry in some dry open Room turn them sometimes with a Broom When they have sweat and are dry about the beginning of October put them into Sand a little moyst making it a little wetter about Christmas for then they will begin to spear and then will digest it Sow them not in their Husks neither steep them as some Advise Set or Sow them about the latter end of January or beginning of February in good fresh Ground minding the aforesaid Rules and you shall not lose one in a hundred and cover them about an Inch and a half or two Inches keep them well Weeded on their first bed and when they have stood two Summers then Remove them into other beds setting them about a yard asunder one Row from another and about a foot and a half one from another in the Rows Cut the Tap-root and all bruised Roots off and the side-boughs but cut not off the Head of a Walnut-tree Keep them with digging and hoing and pruning up till you have got them five or six foot high then bud them it will make them bear sooner and then you are certain of a good Kind for I presume you will not bud them with a bad Kind if you know it If you do not bud them let them Head about six foot high a year or two and then Remove them but keep them not long in the open Air for the Roots being of a spongy Nature will take in the Air so fast that they will soon Mould and Kill your Tree therefore set them as soon as you can when once taken up Remove them young off from the Seed-bed as is before Advised for if you let them stand to be great on the place where they were first sowed they will be much more dangerous to Remove and not so likely to thrive The Ground they Love is a deep Soyl and of a dry Nature on a sharp Gravel if the Ground be shallow they will not prosper but if the Gravel be mixed with Loom they will do well They Love not a stiff Clay but if it be mixed Naturally with stones or Chalk and not too shallow then they will thrive on it It is a proper Tree to set in Woods for it will run up if the side-boughs be taken off to a great height and yield very good Timber for many Uses CHAP. XV. Of Raising and Ordering the Chesnut TOuching the Kinds of this Nut there may be several but I know but three one of them is very good which ought to be the more Increased For the time of Gathering Observe the same as before is said of the Walnut When you have gathered them and taken the Husks off lay them to dry and sweat but not too thick Do not steep them in Water as some Advise you for it is not good to steep any sort of Seed unless some Annuals and to steep them is good especially if lated in sowing but to steep Stones Nuts or Seeds that are not of quick growth watering them may Kill them by making the Kernel swell too hastily and so crack it before the spear causeth it or it may Mould and stupifie the spear therefore let no Seeds whatsoever that are not quick of growth have too much wet at first You must put your Chesnuts then in Sand a little moist about the beginning or middle of November make it a little moister about the beginning of January and at the latter end or beginning of February sow them on beds and cover them about two Inches or you may set them by a Line as you set Beans or you may sow them in drills as Beans or you may sow them where you intend they shall stand and in any of these ways or places keep them clean from Weeds the first or second year then you may Remove them into your Nursery off from the Seed-bed prune off the side-boughs and Roots They are Subject to put forth many side-boughs near the Ground whereby they may be increased by Laying very easily to do which see Chap. 5. But the best way is to Raise them of Nuts Set them in Rows in your Nursery and Order them as is shewed of the Walnut The Soyl they Love is such as the Walnut takes delight to grow in They be Excellent to set in Coppices or Woods the Timber is very Useful and they will grow to be large for under-wood if the Tree be much crooked fell it it will yield great store of strong shoots from the stemme some of which it will be convenient to Lay whereof you may leave some Layed to thicken the place and others to Plant where you please and may have great shoots from the stemme for several Uses also CHAP. XVI Of Raising and Ordering the Sarvice-Tree AS for the Kinds of the Sarvice they may be many there is one whose Fruit is much better than the other but whether it is the Ground makes it so I cannot positively say We have them grow at Hadham on very stiff Ground the Trees bear well and the Fruit is good and at Cashiobury we have them on a sharp Gravel the Fruit naught and the Trees bear very badly It may be Raised of the Seed or Stone that is in the Berries which when they are rotten are then Ripe that is about the latter end of September or beginning of October eat off the Fleshy part or rub it off by Rolling them in Sand then dry them in the open Aire and keep them in moyst Sand till the beginning of January then sow them on moist Ground or in the shade keep them from weeds then let them stand two or three Years and then
plant them in your Nursery as you are directed for Walnut-trees there keep them with digging and pruning till they are fit of stature to plant out they grow in good shape and last long it is a fine tree for VValks it likes best a strong ground but let it be good and there they will bear store of Fruit and grow to be large fine Trees They be very subject to put forth suckers by which they be easily increased from the Roots of the Mother-tree but how to do that see Chapt. 7. there you may be fully satisfied how to raise them When you have got them to five or six foot high bud them they will bear sooner more and better c. CHAP. XVII Of Raising and Ordering the Cherry-tree I Know many will say that it is not proper to rank this among Forrest-trees but if such did but see the fine stately Trees that we have growing in the Woods at Cashiobury they would then conclude it proper for Woods and if for Woods then for Forrests Where they like the ground they make a glorious shew in the Spring their white Blossoms shewing at a distance as though they were cloathed with fine white Linnen their Blossoms are a great Relief to the industrious Bees at that season the way to raise and order them is as followeth And first you must know that the best way to raise them is of Stones Let your Cherries be very ripe for the riper your Cherry is or any other Fruit the plumper and better is the Kernel The time they be Ripe is according to the kind but it is the black Cherry which growes common in Woods and Hedges about Cashiobury which is the Tree fitting for VVoods and therefore how to Raise it I shall shew though there be much difference in these also for we have some full as large and good as the Corowne and at a place called Red-heath at one Mr. Baldwins they have some sorts not inferiour to the black Orleance which are produced naturally from the Stones without Budding or Grafting or any other help but the Nature of the Ground which indeed is very natural to them They are ripe in July and the largest sorts are ripe latest the Fowls of the Aire will give you notice of their time of being Ripe by their visiting them which are as so many Messengers to awaken the industrious to take care in time to preserve them and to the careless man and Sluggard to take that away from him which he will not take care of For as the wisest of men saith Prov. 20. The Sluggard will not plow by reason of cold therefore shall he beg in Harvest so he that will not take care in time shall want when others have But we have such store that what the Jack-dawes Jayes Mag-pies c. eat they are not missed with us and though the Fowls do begin to eat them as soon as they turn blackish yet Nature hath tied them on so fast to the stalk that they can but take off part of the flesh and leave the Stone and rest to feed the Kernel for the wonderfull wise God hath ordered most sorts of Fruit so that some by their bitter sower or other tastes are so well defended that neither Bird nor Beast will touch them till the Kernels be ripe or near it and then the fleshy part and Kernels also are pleasing to their Pallats When the Fruit is Ripe gather them and have the fleshy part eaten off or taken off by rolling them in Sand that is drye with some heavy Plank upon them drawing it too and again to take off the flesh when you have so done drye them for three or four dayes then put them into pretty moist Sand and so keep them till the beginning of February in house and then sowe them in a Bed of light gravelly Mould if your Bed be not naturally so make it so keep them clean from weeds for two years and then you may plant them in Woods Coppices Hedge-rowes c. or in your Nursery to raise other Kinds of or there to stand till they be fit for walks for where the Ground is Natural they be very proper for walks The ground they like is a dry Soil the bottom Gravel the surface mixed with Loom Or you may sowe them on Beds as soon as you have taken the flesh off and they will do very well and come up the Spring following and then you may plant them at two years shoot where you please but if you keep them too long out of the Ground before you sowe them they will lie two Winters in the ground before they come up Note this that all sorts of Stone-fruit would be committed to the Earth as soon as the Fruit is Ripe the Flesh taken off and the Stones a little drye for all sorts of stone-Stone-fruit if well kept and sown or set in time will come up the Spring after but if you keep them too long out of the Ground they then will stay till the second Spring and sometimes never come up at all At any time when you Remove a young Cherry-tree you may prune off his head close if you please to one shoot for they Naturally grow taper and straight They are subject to increase from the Roots of another Tree but if you would help Nature in Raising of them that way see Chap. 7. It is a good wood to plant in Coppices for it produceth a strong shoot and it is like the Elm apt to put forth several young Trees from the Roots of other Trees but especially if you fell a tree that is not too Old and it be in a light Ground for then it will bring many from the Roots of one tree and so thicken your wood much It produceth great Trees in a light ground that being the Soil it liketh but in a stiffe cold Ground it is not so ready to grow nor bring such fine high taper-trees nor increase so from the Roots as it will on light ground Once I measured a Cherry-tree in Cashiobury Wood-walk first by the Quadrant and so I found it 85 foot high but for more Exactness being the Tree leant by reason of another which was blown upon it by a high wind I saw it measured by a Line let from the top-shoot to the Ground and it was 85 foot five Inches therefore I think such trees as this might well be accompted among Forrest-trees When you transplant young Cherrie trees do not set them too deep nor indeed no other sort of tree but especially those that naturally run shallow as all sorts do that be subject to put forth young Trees from their Roots such is the Elm Abele Sarvice Cherry c. This tree is wanting in several parts of this Land But you that want it I would counsel you to get it as soon as your Ground is convenient for it CHAP. XVIII Of Raising and Ordering the Line-tree THis Tree is called by most Herbals the Line-tree or Linden but
Lay your Hedge pretty thick turning the beard on the Ditch-side but do not let the beard hang uncut as the common workmen do though it doth make a good shew at first making but cut off all the stragling boughs within half a foot of the Hedge on both sides then will it shoot strong at these places and thicken your Hedge much the more Of this Reason may inform you as it did me and Experience will afterwards confirm it Fifthly If you have got a good high Bank make your Hedge so low as you think it may but just serve for Fence the first year for it will soon grow high and the lower your Hedge is made the Quick will grow the better and the bottom will be the thicker but take care to keep out Cattel from the Field-side the first year after it is made Sixthly If you would have a good Hedge for Fence you must fell it often doing as is aforesaid and take care at every felling to root out Elder Travellers Joy that is Bull-bine as some call it Briany c. and also leave not too many high Standard-trees or Pollards in it the Elm is one of the best Doe not use too much dead wood in the bottom of your Hedges for that choaks your Quick but if you have a gap make your dead Hedge at a distance Much more I could say of Hedges but I forbear Only I cannot pass by the Learned Esquires good Advice in his Discourse of Forrest-trees pag. 50. which is this I do only wish upon the Prospect and Meditation of the Vniversal Benefit that every person whatsoever worth Ten Pounds per Annum within his Majesties Dominions were by some indispensable Statute obliged to plant his Hedge-rowes with the best and most usefull kinds of them especially in such places of the Nation as be the more Inland Counties Thus far the Learned Author To which I adde that if they did not plant so many Trees and keep such a number planted they should be compell'd to plant ten Crab-stocks for the want of one Tree c. If this were but as much in use with us as it in Hereford-shire and once grown to a Custom we should in few years banish out forraign Drinks by this our excellent and most wholsom one Besides our Trees in shallow ground would thrive better in Banks of Hedge-rowes than in the middle of the Ground Again saith he Vndoubtedly if this course were effectually taken a very considerable part both of Meat and Drink which is spent in our prejudice might be saved by the Countrey-people even out of the Hedges which would afford them not onely the Pleasure and Profit of their delicious Fruit but such abundance of Syder and Perry as should suffice them to drink of one of the most wholsom and excellent Beaverages in the World Old Gerrard did long since alleadge us an Example worthy to be pursued I have seen saith he speaking of Apple-trees lib. 3. ch 101. in the Pastures and Hedge-rowes about the Grounds of a worshipful Gentleman dwelling two miles from Hereford called Mr. Roger Bodnome so many Fruit-trees of all sorts that the Servants drink for the most part no other Drink but that which is made of Apples the Quantity being such that by the Report of the Gentleman himself the Parson hath for Tythe many hogsheads of Syder An Example doubtless to be followed of Gentlemen that have Lands But Envy saith The Poor will break down our Hedges and we shall have the least part of the Fruit However I advise you to go forward in the Name of God Graft set plant and nourish up Trees every corner of your Ground the Labour is small the Cost is nothing the Commodity is great your selves shall have plenty the Poor shall have somewhat in time of want to relieve their Necessity and God shall reward your Minds and Diligence Thus far honest Gerard. And in truth with how small Charge and with how great Pleasure this were to be effected every one that is Patron of a little Nursery can easily calculate But by this Expedient many thousands of Acres sow'd now with Barley might be cultivated for Wheat or converted into Pasture to the increase of Corn and Cattel besides the Timber which the Pear-tree doth afford comparable for divers curious uses with most this also would make Timber the more plentifull the decaying Trees and pruning would be good Fire-wood One thing more I do wish were practised in our Hedges and those fined severely that did not observe it viz. That there should not an Oak in any Hedge whatsoever be headed but that the Owner might have liberty to shread them up as some do Elms though not to stock or fell them till such an Age in such Banks we should have the best Timber and enrich the Owner c. CHAP. XXXIII Of planting several sorts of Forrest-trees in order to making the best advantage of Ground as Orchards or the like SUppose you were to plant one Acre of Ground or more with Walnuts or Chesnuts or the like and would have it planted to the best advantage that is to have your Trees stand in good Order to the Eye and to have as many Trees as conveniently you can in your Ground which is supposed all men would have and yet your Trees to stand at convenient distance Now I say supposing your Ground to be one Acre and a Geometrical square in such a ground you may begin your first Row on which side you please to stake out your Ground for the holes to be made you must first resolve what distance your Trees had best be planted at remembring that if your ground be good and a deep ground then you may plant your Trees at somewhat the greater distance Of the Ground that most Trees delight in you may see in the particular Chapter speaking of each Kind Your Best way is to plant them Triangular and not square as some doe for you can plant them in no form or order whatsoever to be more pleasing to the most Noble Sense than to have every three Trees to make an Equilateral Triangle nor in no other way whatsoever to have so many Trees to stand in such or any piece of Ground whatsoever at such a distance For satisfaction and likewise to demonstrate it more fully observe these two following Figures of the aforesaid piece of Ground which is one Acre and is a Geometrical Square But before I shew you a Draft or you stake out your Ground for your holes to be made first consider well these few Rules First Observe the Distance that your Trees ought to be planted at alwayes remembring that if your Ground be good and a deep Soyl that then your Trees will hold the longer and by consequence grow to the greater perfection therefore plant at larger distance As for Example If I were to plant this Acre of Ground with Syder-Apples as for Instance all red-strakes which is an excellent Syder-Apple and is likewise
a mile two Trees as at Figure 2 is ½ a mile three Trees as at Figure 3 is ¾ of a mile See Fig. 21. Though the Figure doth not show well because the smallness of the Paper will not allow Room to draw the distance of miles as the Trees are according to Scale though my scale is here for the distance of the Trees 160 foot for one Inch yet I presume where this is really acted in Walks it will do well I here begin at the Centre-tree in the Semi-circle and in the Right-hand Row shewing how the ¾ of the mile may be set out and shewed by the Semi-circles on the sides at the other End I begin at the Centre of the Circle and so shew the ¼ ½ and ¾ how they may be set out on the other side Or if you please you may have a Tree in the Mid-line of your Walk at every quarter of a mile with a Circle to break round that Tree three times the breadth of the Walk which Tree must be pruned up high or else it will hinder the Prospect of your Walk I fansie the other way is best as let a Tree stand at every ¼ of a mile as you see in the Figure See Fig. 22. Thus having shewed you how Walks may end in Circles or Semi-circles I shall now shew how Walks may end or come into an Oval and how it sometimes happens that an Oval is the best Figure that Walks can End in If three Walks meet acutely at one place then it will be necessary to have the Mid-line of the three Walks meet at a Tree in the side of an Oval for if you make that poynt the Centre of a Circle it will be too large 't is possible larger than your Ground will permit as at Cashiobury where the three Walks meet by Hemsted High-way for if I had made the Circle from the aforesaid Centre and made the Semi-di3ameter so large as to have in the Circumference the two Trees marked A. A. which rangeth for both Walks then would this Circle have been too great and beside could not be made within the Pale Now I having Orders from my Lord that the Mid-line of these three Walks should meet at a Tree as in Fig. 23. they doe at B. and that I should make the Figure so large as that the Wood which is between the Middle-walk and the two out-side Walks should end at a Tree which should stand exactly in the Range of Trees for the Middle-walk and also for the in-side Rows of the two out-walks by considering I found the Oval to suit best with this ground so I having these two Trees as at A. A. and the Poynt as at B. which I took for the Breadth of the Oval accordingly I made it See the Figure Length of the Oval is 205 foot Breadth 124 foot Middle-walk 50 foot the side-walks each 40 foot wide having wood between the VValks and round the Oval See Fig. 23. Now having the two Trees as at A A. and the Centre-tree of the three Walks B. from the Mid-line of the middle-walk and in the middle of that Line between A A. and B. draw a perpendicular Line which sheweth the Length of the Oval at each End set a Tree as C. C. then divide the distance between the Centre-tree at B. and the End-trees at C. C. which let be at such a distance as may best suit with the six Trees between D. and C. on each side here the Trees between B. and C. are ten foot ten Inches distance and the Trees between D. and C. are 10 foot 9 Inches distance Let alwayes the Trees that make either Oval or Circle stand pretty nigh they shew this or any other Figure the better For this no certain distance can be given but they must be set at such a distance as the Arch-line can be divided into c. I shall shew you how to know the Length of an Arch-line and how to make an Oval or other Figure hereafter This Oval and Walks are surrounded with Wood and also between the Walks ending at a Tree as at A A. you may make broader at your pleasure or you may alter the Oval in shape or bigness as your Ground and Fancy shall direct you Your Oval may be surrounded with a double or treble Row of Trees if you fansie it and indeed if it be in a place where it is not encompassed with wood it is very proper An Oval or a Circle are very good Figures for Ponds though they be not in use Now for making Walks to end in a Triangle this may be several wayes according to your Fancy or Ground But I confess I never yet saw or heard of any Walk in England or elsewhere that ended in such a Figure But why may not the best of Figures be neglected by the Ingenious Survey or both at home and abroad as well as we see many Excellent things known to several ingenious men which are practised by few Having made at the End of Walks Semi-circles Circles and Ovals of several sorts and notwithstanding that I had at the end of the three VValks that goe from the Garden to the Bowling-green that end next the Garden a Figure given me by a worthy person but how proper for that place I shall not now speak I nevertheless neglected that and made the Triangle as is shewed by Figure 24. The trees I set the closer because this being a Front of the house intended to be hid at a distance all but the breadth of the VValks therefore I chose this Figure as much proper for such a design See Fig. 24. This Line according to Scale is the Length of the Garden-walk the Break in the middle against the great Walk is a Grate which is intended to front it This Figure might be much improved if it were made a little larger so that the inner Row of the Triangles might range a little without the End of the Garden wall and at that end a walk to take it to goe by the Garden-side so might you have a convenient by-way without the VValls from the 20 foot VValk along either VValk of the Triangles to the walk by the Garden-side c. There are several other sorts of Triangles proper for VValks to end in but for Shade I preferre this or the next following if you would have the Trees to shew the shape of their heads then a single Row is best as the out-Row of the Triangle-walk See Fig. 25. For a Court you would have shaded with Trees this Figure will do well In this last Figure you may let the little VValk end Parallel with the VVall and have no VValks by the side-walls or you may make onely one VValk on each side As for making of the Triangle at the End of your Walk it may be Analogically according to your Ground though these two be made obtuse the perpendicular half the Length of the Base there be several sorts of Triangles or triangular Figures
up your Instrument be it Water-level or Ground-level with sights and when you have plâ—ced it so high as you may see over the highest part of the Ground as half a foot or a foot then set a stake in the middle the top exactly level with the sights and one on the highest side the top level with the middle stake then turn the Level or Lood back sight and set one Level with these two on the lowest ground So have you three stakes in Line level Keep your Level true to your Middle-stake and turn your Level till it makes Right-angles with these three stakes and set up two stakes at each side one Level with those three So have you five stakes set true Level in two Lines and if your Ground be large you may set up two Rowes more by the Level but in small Grounds 5 stakes is enow Then may you lay by your Level and looking over the head of one to the head of another cause your Assistant to put down stakes between two and two till you have set as many stakes level in your Ground as you think convenient Or you may have a Rule and look over the edge of that it being level with the head of the stake to the head of the other and put stakes down between you and the other stake what Number you please Thus having staked out your Ground with all the stakes heads level and half a foot higher than the highest part of your Ground in some Ground the middle-stake and the stakes in the Cross-line will be the Level-line the Ground must be brought to that is abating the hill and filling up the low-side to the Level of the Mid-line but if your Ground be very uneven then you must measure over all the stakes and take them middle-high for their mean Level and by the Rule of Three proportion your Ground to that Suppose a Valley be 10 Pole long and two foot deep from the straight Line and there is a hill 5 Pole long how many foot deep must I goe in that 5 Pole of the Hill to fill up this Valley This may be answered by the Rule of Three Inverse or back Rule of Three The Rule orders it self thus As 5 is to 2 so is 10 to 4 So if you work it by the Line of Numbers extend your Compasses from 5 to 2 that same Extent will reach from 10 to 4 so then you must goe 4 foot deep in such a Hill to make good such a Valley as is before said Suppose you are to abutt the top of a Hill four foot deep and 1. 2 Pole from the top of that Hill that 4 foot is to come out this is easily performed though a Leveller to the best man in the Land did not understand it set up a stake on the top of the Hill two foot or three foot long above ground and another at the same height where your depth comes out three Rod from that set a stake down till the head comes to be in a Line with these 2 and at that stake you must be one foot deep At 6 Pole another as before there you must be two foot deep another at 9 Pole there you must sink three foot You may set more stakes at equal distances which will direct you that you cannot goe amiss To make any Sloop first line out your top and foot true then if your Sloop be not very long you may have a Frame of Wood made according to your Sloop which will be as a Mould to trye your work by Two foot Rise in 6 foot Level is a good Proportion for a Sloop CHAP. LV. For making Syder observe these Rules WHatsoever Apples you make your Syder of let them hang on the Trees untill they be through Ripe which you may know by these few infallible Rules First if you find the Kernels Brown or the Seed rattle in the Apple as in some they will or if you see them begin to fall much in still weather or if you find them to handle like a drye piece of wood sounding in your hand if you toss them up then you may go to gathering as fast as you please so your Fruit be drye observe that the greener your Fruit is the sourer will your Syder be therefore be not too forward in gathering For gathering your Apples observe these Directions Take care they be not too much bruised for your bruised Fruit if they be a little kept will rott and give your Syder an ill taste and a high brown Colour and not yield so well for your bruised place of the Apple if it doth not immediately rott the Juice of that place will vapour forth and be a dry Red yielding little Taste or Liquor but sometimes a bad taste But to the making of one Hogshead of Syder there is required a great many Apples as if they be good yielding Fruit and not too long kept some 18 or 20 Bushel will make a Hogshead if not as aforesaid then 24 Bushels or more to one Hogshead Therefore though I would not have your Apple too much Bruised yet I would not advise you to pick them by hand But you may lay a Truss or two of Barly Straw under your Tree when you goe to gather them and on that lay some Blankets or the like according to the Bigness of your Trees thereon with Discretion shake your Fruit letting not too many lie on at one time but carry them to the Place where you intend they shall lie till you grind or beat them Thus you may remove your Straw and Blankets from Tree to Tree as your pleasure is Now for keeping them after you have gathered them let it be in some house if you can with convenience and on some dry boards or boarded flowers but if it be an Earth-flower you must lay them on first cover it with good dry straw and so lay them on that for if you lay them on the earth they will decay faster and turn musty before they have done sweating for 't is observed that which is best to preserve Plants is the quite contrary to keep and preserve Fruit for the holy Scripture telleth plain that which a man soweth must first dye before it take root to live and produce its kind Thus it may be with fruit lying on the ground where the secret vapours of the earth tend much to the death or dissolution of the fleshy part of the fruit that the seed might the sooner be at liberty to produce its like in its several kinds for Nature or the secret providing power of the Almighty is at all times and in all places actuating and assisting every species to produce its kind for any who hath but observed the Walnut or Chestnut though one hath got his Fur Gown the other his Noli-me-tangere Cloke as to too of the senses yet notwithstanding when they be able to shift for themselves as I may say then how willingly the Gown and Cloke is thrown aside to
is written in this Book CHAP. XXX General Rules for planting Forrest-trees in Avenues Walks or Orchards as in a Natural Ground FIrst as to the Ground your Ground that hath been fed for many years Winter and Summer as your common Pasture-ground or the like such Ground if it be any thing good is the Best The next is your Meadow-ground and then your plowed Land if your Land be of Soyl alike Thus I preferre them Several Reasons might be given for this but I shall instance onely in these few As namely your Ground that is constantly fed hath likewise constantly a supply of Cattels Dung and Urine with the variety of Kinds which addes much to the strength of the ground and likewise your Pasture-ground though it abound with great variety of Herbs or Grass according to the Nature of the Ground as also your Meadow-ground doth yet your Pasture-ground hath not only a constant supply of Soyl by one sort of Cattel or other but the Grass which growes on it doth seldom run to flower or seed which when they doe they draw forth much more of the Salt or Spirit or strength of the Earth as we find the Herbs or Grass on Meadow-grounds most commonly doe Therefore I judge your Commons the best and both common Field Ground and Meadow better than constant plowed Land for that being kept with plowing to prevent what naturally it would produce this makes the Ground the Better for 't is certain that where your Houses stand or High-wayes are there the Earth is full of Salt and Spirit or the Life of Plants not only because there is often some Assistance of Soyl which I confess makes it much Richer but also because it cannot produce those Plants which naturally it would were it not Restrained For still it receives a constant supply from Nature and as the Holy Scripture saith the Almighty causeth the Sun to shine on the Vnjust as well as the Just so also hath the foresaid Earth the secret Influence of the Heavens as well as any other unless Accidentally prevented but this by the way Now as for your plowed Land 't is granted to be much better for plowing but this being sowen with Annual Grain very much draweth out the strength of the Earth for I judge that your Annuals are much more drawing Plants than those which will last several years it being in my Judgement with your Annual Plants as it is with a man which hireth a House for a Year when his year is out he knowing he must remove cleareth the House especially of his own when as your Durable Vegetable like a man whose house is his own is favourable to its situation having a kind of secret Knowledge as I may say that there they and theirs may continue many years If this be understood I hope you then will say with me that your common Pasture is best to plant on next to that Meadow then plowed Land that is if all three be of equal goodness and soyl CHAP. XXXI Of planting Forrest-trees to make Woods or to fill up Naked places in Woods where they want TO tell some men of planting of Woods is very needless for there are too many men more inclined to stock up than to plant them but I suppose the greater sort of Men and I am sure the best sort are more inclined to preserve and plant than to destroy and stock them up To those then that love either their Countrey or themselves or especially their Posterity and have any kindness for stately Forrest-trees do I give this Advice First Let the Ground be of what Soyl soever be sure to plant most of such Trees as will grow best on that Soyl As if it be Gravel then Beech Holly Hasel c. if mixt with Loom then Oak Ash or Elm c. if stiffe then Ash Hornbeam Sycomore c. if a light Loom then most sorts and withall have an eye to the adjacent Trees and which sort soever you see thrive best be sure to furnish your Ground with store of them Secondly If your Ground be moyst then set in good store of the Cuttings of Alder Willow Sallow especially the two last on any Ground for if there comes a wet Spring or a moyst Summer many of them will grow and produce good under-wood if set as is directed in the 26 th or 27 th Chapters Though the Ground be drye and a Gravel-Bottom yet they will thrive and produce good shoots in a little time as I have found true at Cashiobury c. Thirdly If you be minded to sow seeds then you must prepare your Ground with a good Tillage before you sow your seed as much as you doe for sowing of Barley and having all your Seeds ready prepared by being kept some time in a House till they be fit to spear or speared a little then about the beginning of February sow them The particular Chapter of each Kind will tell you how long it is before they will spear If you plow your Ground into great Ridges it will make the Earth lie the thicker on the top of each Ridge and there the Roots will have the more depth to search for Nourishment and the Furrowes will in little time be filled up with Leaves which when rotten will lead the Roots from one Ridge to another If your Ground be very drye then plow your Ridges cross the descent of the Hills not to drayn the water off but to keep it on your Ground and if your Ground be very wet then the contrary But be mindfull to sow most of those seeds your Ground is most naturally for The most of these seeds following may be sown on your Ground Oaks Ash Beech Sycomore Hornbeam Crab or Apple Cherry Walnuts Chesnuts Holly Hasel-nuts Maple Sarvice c. Which of these you find are not Natural for your Ground neglect them Some do sow their Seeds with a Crop of Barley but the season of sowing of Barley is too late for your seeds if they be prepared before-hand but if you will be so saving as to have a Crop of that Tillage then sow your seeds with Oats for they may be sown with the season of your seeds Do not sow your Oats too thick and they may do well but the best way for your seeds is to sow them without any Crop of Corn. Fourthly If you are minded to have a Wood soon then plant it with Setts and if your Ground be a good Natural Ground for Trees then you may make only holes two foot wide and as much deep and about half a Rod asunder so there will be four holes in every Rod square But for fear my Reader should be at a stand here and ask me how four Trees may stand in a Rod square or four holes made in a Rod square and yet the Middles be each half a Rod or eight foot and ¼ asunder I shall here satisfie him by Example and it shall be of a supposed piece of Ground three Rod square
you may make your holes square if you please See Figure 1. This is much like to that Question Whether is half a Foot square or half a square Foot most When as I have heard some say they were both alike but it was their Mistake For ½ a Foot square is only 6 Inches every way that is 6 times 6 is 36 and 6 times 36 is 216 Inches when as half a square Foot is the half of a Cubical square foot the number being 12 the square Root is 144 for 12 times 12 makes 144 and 12 times 144 makes 1728 the Cube Now the half of 1728 is 864 which is half of a square Foot then if you divide 864 by 216 you will find 4 for the Quotient so that half a Foot square is but ¼ of half a square foot This I have demonstrated as plain as I can that I might be understood by every Countrey-capacity Now if you were to plant one Acre of Ground after the aforesaid manner the Charge would be as followeth If it be a good digging ground you may have 20 holes made for 12 d. two foot wide and two foot deep so there would be four times 160 holes which is 640 holes at 20 for 12 d. that is 32 s. and then I allow for every hole 2 Setts so then it will take 1280 Setts which will cost you together about 4 d. the 120. of any sorts of wood which comes to about 3 s. 6 d. then for every hole 2 Sallow or Willow Cuttings 3. s. then 5 men to set them 6 s. and then Keyes and Seeds to sow among your Setts next Spring 5 s. 6 d.  l. s. d. Making Holes 01 12 00 Setts 00 03 06 Sallow Truncheons 00 03 00 Men to set them 00 06 00 Keyes and Seed 00 05 06 Whole Charge 02 10 00 So that the Charge of one Acre of Ground planted this way will cost you about 2 l. 10 s. where Work-men and Sets may be had at such a price the Spring after I advise to sow Acorns Sycamore-Keyes Apple and Crab-stampings c. Let this sowing be done so oft as you find Stampings and Keyes to be had till you find your Wood very thick I did sow all the Stampings of Apples and Crabs at Cashiobury among our young Woods which I had set and the Ground not producing a strong Grass to choak them they came up thick and did well But take care you let them not lye too thick long for if you doe the stampings will heat and kill the Kernels sow them therefore as soon as they be pressed or else lay them thin or keep them parted with dry straw But if your ground be bad and a shallow Soyl or that you would help an indifferent ground and are willing to be at some more Charge to do it then do thus which in small time will pay you or yours well for your Charges Observe which is the Best way to lay out your ground and then divide it into four yards distance at both ends by little stakes and make Rowes of stakes by setting up some few between the two at each end which are only to direct you to lay your work straight by plowing one yard of each side your Stakes If your Ground be Green-sorde then plow it as is aforesaid which will make the better for the Roots of your Trees to run in Thus having plowed two yards and left two yards unplowed all over your Ground a little before the season for planting and when the season for setting is come that is as soon as most of the Leaves are off having prepared Sets and Work-men let them dig up the two yards that are unplow'd laying one half of that Earth upon one of the plowed pieces and the other half upon the other and as you lay up that Earth upon the plowed pieces there set your Setts about a yard one from another with store of Sallow-Cuttings with them digging that ground which you lay on your plow'd Ground a good spade-deep and then it will be near a foot thick to set your Setts in Thus goe from open that is unplow'd to open untill you have set all the plow'd pieces in your Ground One man having the Setts ready will set them as fast as four men shall dig that is two men on each side the Beds or Ridges one a little before the other so finish Bed after Bed till you have gone over and finished the whole Ground which you designed to plant that Winter and endeavour to get all your planting done by the latter end of January or beginning of February for this Reason that is having provided Keyes Nuts and Seeds as is before directed and is in each particular Chapter more fully discorsed about that time sow them Viz. about the beginning of February unless it be a Frosty season for then you must stay a little longer so sow all your Beds over with seed and cover them a little with the shovelings of some neighbouring Ditch In doing thus you may be certain of a good thriving Wood in a little time though the ground you plant on be almost never so bad This I doe suppose to be as good a way as most are for planting of Woods Therefore according to the Latine Proverb Serere ne dubites Doubt not to plant and I wish I could perswade Noble-men and Gentlemen that have Ground that is not very good for Corn or Grass to plant it with Wood especially in those Countreys where wood is scarce I dare insure them that it would be to them or their Successors a very great benefit and also a great Ornament to their Naked Grounds Now I shall endeavour as near as I can to give you an Accompt what the Charge of this may be which did I but know your Ground and what wages your Work-men in such places have for one dayes work I could then do more exactly But we will suppose the Ground to be a good digging Ground that may be afforded to be digged and laid up for 4 d. the Rod-square and our Example shall be of one Acre of Ground of which you may well perceive by what is before shewed there will be but one half plowed and that half planted First then for a good deep plowing of half an Acre of Ground 4 s. Secondly For half an Acre of Ground digging at 4 d. the Rod for if 160 Rod make one Acre then 80 Rod is half an Acre and then 80 Groats for the digging comes to 1 l. 6 s. 8 d. Thirdly If every Four men must have one man to st to them then there must be near one fourth part more for him which one fourth is 6 s. 8 d. Fourthly If we allow for every yard square in this half Acre one good Set besides Truncheons of Sallow and Willow c. The Number of yards in a superficial Rod square is 30 and ¼ The number of superficial sq Rods in one Acre 160. The number of sq yards in