NEW DIRECTIONS OF EXPERIENCE TO THE COMMONS COMPLAINT BY THE INcouragement of the Kings most excellent Maiesty as may appeare for the planting of Timber and Fire-wood WITH A NEERE ESTIMATION what millions of Acres the kingdome doth containe what Acres is waste ground whereon little profit for this purpose will arise WHAT MILLIONS HATH BIN Woods and Bushy grounds what Acres are Woods and in how many Acres so much Timber will be contained as will maintaine the Kingdome for all vses for euer AND HOW AS GREAT STORE OF Fire-wood may be raised as may plentifully mainetaine the Kingdome for all purposes without losse of ground so as within thirty yeares all Spring-woods may be conuerted to Tillage and Pasture Inuented by Arthur Standish Anno Domini MDCXIII I R HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE By the King To all Noblemen Gentlemen and other our louing Subiects to whom it may appertaine WHEREAS Arthur Standish Gentleman hath taken much paines and bene at great charges in composing and publishing in a book some proiects for the increasing of Woods the decay whereof in this Realme is vniuersally complained of And therefore We would be glad that any inuention might further the restoring thereof We haue therefore beene pleased to giue allowance to this Booke and to the Printing thereof And if the same shall be willingly receiued of the Gentlemen and others of ability who haue grounds fitting for his proiects it shall much content Vs doubting not but that such as shall thinke good to make vse of the Booke will deale worthily with him for his paines And We are also pleased for the better encouragement of the said Standish hereby to declare that Our pleasure is that no Person or Persons whatsoeuer shall Print any of the said Bookes but for and to the vse of the said Standish and none others Giuen vnder our Signet at Andeuer the first day of August in the ninth yeare of our raigne of England France and Ireland and of Scotland the fiue and fortieth God saue the King New Directions for the planting of Wood by Arthur Standish WHEREAS It pleased the Kings most Excellent Maiestie forth of his Princely respect for the better repairing of the ruine of this Kingdome for the good of euery particular person the publique good of the Common-wealth and the preseruing and maintaining of the same for all posteritie to giue alowance to the Printing and publishing of the Booke that I presented vnto his Maiestie principally concerning the planting and preseruing of wood as hath and doth appeare to all men whereby I am the better animated by his Maiestie and many other good men to perseuere in so needefull and more then necessary businesse and to apply my whole indeuour to seeke out all possible means that may be found to effect the same with the least charge losse of ground the better to incourage all his louing Subiects thereunto by meanes whereof together with the daily conference that I haue with many of the better sort and oft for this purpose with Husbandmen and workemen who for the most part haue best experience in this businesse being loath to write more then by mine owne eie-sight I know to be true Further seeking to know the opinions and experience of many vnderstanding and good Common-wealths men to seuerall ends and hauing conference with some skilfull Surueyors of Land and such as take vpon them to know the number of Acres that are contained in this Kingdome Thus obseruing what I heare or see tending to any publique good especially for this businesse I attaine to a neere estimation what Acres the Kingdome doth containe what acres wil plentifully supply all wants and maintaine the Kingdome for euer being planted and preserued as followeth and how as great store of Fire-wood may be raised being maintained as may plentifully maintaine the Kingdome for all purposes aswell for the making of yron and all other mettalls that the Kingdome doth affoord for euer so farre from the losse or hurt to land as it may rather greatly better and improue it First it is generally decreed by all Surueyours that the whole kingdome containeth nine and twenty millions fiue hundred sixty eight thousand acres or neere thereabouts whereof it is supposed that there is foure millions and al the odde thousands waste that yeeldeth little or no profite at all and that there hath been within a hundred years last past foure millions of woods and bushy grounds that yeelded little profit but wood and bushes ouer and aboue Parkes Forrests and Chases Forth of which twenty nine millions and the odde thousands the wastes being deducted which in effect is fiue millions the remainder is fiue and twenty millions whereon wood hath doth or would grow if it were planted and preserued First for this purpose take forth of euery thousand acres forty foure acres inclose and plant the same according to the directions following Wheresoeuer it lieth plant foure acres of euery forty foure in rowes so as there may be contained in a hundred thousand acres so much timber as will plentifully serue the Kingdome for all vses euery tree to be ten yards distant one from an other one way and three the other which can be no losse to such as shall plant neither for their owne vses nor for such as want ground to plant on in respect that such as want must be constrained to buy of such as haue to sell which is so farre from the losse of any as it will be for their greatest profite for after twenty yeares the forty acres will yeeld much more profite either in corne or grasse then the foure and forty did before ouer and aboue the benefite of the timber and in the meane time little or no losse The like planting for fire-wood might bee made in rowes as shall appeare but it is altogether needelesse for the very hedges being planted and made as after followeth will yeelde Fire-wood plentifully for all vses as by experience shall appeare so as within thirtie yeares it may be more then needefull to haue any Copies or Spring-woods at all but that all Wood-land may be conuerted to Tillage or Pasture to the particular good of the Owners and Common wealth Further shewing in particular what publique good may arise thereby In the meane time it were very conuenient that the stocking vp of woods were preuented except they were stocked vp into rowes for it is generally conceiued that within a very few yeares there will be little or no wood left for any vse the stocking stubbing is so great notwithstanding the Lawes prouided by the worthy King of famous memory Henry the eight for the preseruing of wood which laws haue beene from time to time continued and are still in force and haue beene most earnestly called vpon by the Kings Maiestie euer since his comming to this kingdome especially at euery high Court of Parliament where he hath not onely required the continuance thereof but also most earnestly giuen
that the ground might be planted againe The second way for planting in rowes is as hereafter followeth For the planting in Barren Champaine or Gorssie grounds either for Timber or Fire-wood IF in all Champaine Countries where land is barren and fewell so scant that they are constrained to burne the straw and manure which should be imployed to the manuring of land the want thereof is the vtter vndoing of many a Husbandman who tilleth much land soweth much seed and reapeth much losse for want of manure If therefore I say not onely of my selfe but also in the opinions of many vnderstanding men inhabiting in such countries that if some part of their barest grounds that lieth so far from the town wherunto it doth belong that seldome or neuer it is manured by reason whereof it oft lieth ley and yeeldeth no profite if for this purpose there were eleuen acres of that land as it lieth together and that one acre of the eleuen were planted with wood in rowes and after that rate for more or lesse according to the number of the Acres that are in the possession of the Lords of Land and their Tenants in euery towne which acre may thus be planted first it is to be vnderstood that a statute acre doth containe in length 220. yards and in breadth two and twenty First make a good Fence according to the directions following and then beginne at a side of the eleuen acres and measure ten yards in breadth and in euery eleuenth yard digge vp fiue and fifty plots of ground of a yard square and so in euery eleuenth yard from side to side Euery plot to be three yards betweene one an other in the rowes ouer and aboue the square yard for fire-wood for Timber but two yards betweene the square yards so as there may be three score and fourteene plots in euery rowe and so planted and obserued as before is declared Whereby there may be contained in one acre one thousand sixe hundred and odde trees for timber In foure acres of the thousand sixe thousand and foure score euery tree to growe one from another tenne yards one way and three the other and for fire-wood one thousand one hundred and tenne There may be also contained in one entire acre one thousand two hundred and ten trees for timber euery one to haue foure yards of ground to thriue on These Directions may be obserued by such as are desirous to plant spacious grounds so farre from the losse of ground as the ground thereby may be much improoued especially if the ground be barren by letting it lie ley foure or fiue years after it is planted which lying will better the ground so as it may be plowed between the rowes and sowne with corne and for two or three yeares haue good croppes in which time the plants will be so growne vp as it may be a sheepe-pasture till the wood be past taking hurt by cattell in which time the shadow of the trees and the rotting of leaues and the manure of the sheepe will better the ground so as it will be good medow pasture or corne ground at the Owners pleasure for his best profit This were a very profitable course to be obserued in sheepe-walkes on Downes where hedge-wood is scant as commonly it is in such barren grounds The best way to inclose is if it be in swarthy grounds to set the aforesaid meanes as a foote-set of thornes without any ditch and to raise the Fence of either side by walles of Soddes as is to be seene betweene Lincolne and the Horse-race or as commonly sheepe pennes are made in Downes and Heaths If no swarth by a double ditch and set the meanes on the top of a banke being made a yard broad on the top so as a hedge of a foote high of either side will serue to defend it and by a like planting in all gorssie grounds where gorsse groweth so naturally that the Owners of the grounds can by no meanes destroy it great store of timber or fire-wood may be raised with the other profits and the soyle much improued for after the trees be past taking hurt by cattell the gorsse betweene the rowes may be stocked vp so as the tenne yards of ground betweene the rowes may bee sowne with corne and being limed when it is tilled the lime together with the shadow of the trees will approuedly so destroy the gorsse as the ground will be recouered to be corne medow or pasture In like sort all broomy ground may be improued Some that haue gorssie grounds haue obiected that if their gorsse should be destroyed they should be damnified thereby in regard they haue no better fewell To such I haue giuen good satisfaction that it is not intended that the gorsse should bee destroyed before the wood bee past taking hurt by cattell when the wood will yeeld better fewell and better store How to improue barren ground THE best remedy for barren grounds either for sandy or clay for fruit-trees or any kind of wood to make them grow speedily without mosse is for sandy land to make a hole so bigge as it will holde the quantitie of three bushells of good earth and a bushell of vnslecked lime then put into the hole a third part of the lime and vpon that lime lay a third part of the earth and vpon that earth another part of the lime and vpon that lime a third part of earth and so the rest and in like sort sand and lime for clay land and so lay more or lesse as occasion serueth Thus mingle them together and let it lie a quarter of a yeare before it is to be vsed and when you remooue a yong tree or set a stocke to graffe on lay vnder and about the roote a bushell of the lime and earth well mingled together and powre thereon a paile full of water which water will wash the earth close to euery roote And to any kind of Peach or Plumb-stone halfe a pecke and for Chessenuts Akornes or any other kinde of seedes of wood vse this mingled earth in discretion and approouedly thus being vsed they will grow more in one yeare then in any other ground in two though the soile be good and it is a speciall good manuring for corne the nature of lime is to make clay-land lighter and sand-land stiffer as partly may appeare in buildings that lime and sand do make morter when it is drie as hard as stones For the planting of Timber-trees or Fire-wood in Forrests Chases Parkes Commons and common Pastures EXperience hath and may teach all men to know for it is to be seene with the eyes of all men that in all ages bushes haue beene are and will be if they be preserued in all grounds the mother and nurse of trees so that all men may take notice thereby that by the digging vp of a hole a foote square and three or foure fingers deepe in the middest of any tuft of bushes gorsse furres
for thicker then a foote asunder is needelesse for them to be laide The other rowe would be yearely shread and kept with small tops the lesser to hurt the Fence so laid and some of them are to be bound into the fence so laid to stand three or foure yeares for stakes so as those that are thus bound downe after two or three yeares will continue so and lie as railes and if cattell bee kept from the browsing of them but a yeare the boughes will spring foorth of the knots so as the Fence will be both thicke and strong and much the stronger by the helpe of the other rowe which after the fence of it selfe is growne strong may be felled and imployed to other vses This in common reason as I said before cannot but in ten or twelue yeares be a stronger Fence then any pale and in a short time stronger then any wall and longer lasting without further charge And this for experience in part may be seene in all wood-land countries especially in Fences about Woods where it is to be seene that for want of thornes in many places all kinde of woods are plashed and thus laide which in some places haue laine so long as they are growne so great that they are incorporated one into another notwithstanding liketh very well and yeeldeth much fire-wood by lopping off the toppes and boughs that are growne forth of them so lying And as in this so in other things by experience I write of that which mine eyes haue seene in many places for two or three poles together where there haue beene fiue or sixe heads growing out of one tree so laide And for the better proofe hereof I haue also seene as I haue rode by the way in an Orchard in little Waltham in Essex foure miles at the most from Chelmsford an Apple tree that was blowne downe many yeares since which lieth close to the ground the root hauing some small holde in the ground which hath put forth of the body so lying fiue trees at the least which are so nourished as they beare fruit I haue also seene in a towne within two miles of Stone in Stafford shire in a ground of maister Ratliffes a Peare-tree that was likewise blowne downe bigger then a fadome about that stood in a hedge which tree lieth a yard from the ground being staied so by two boughs that sticke in the ground which hath so taken roote as thereby with the helpe especially of some part of the roote that it hath also put forth and nourisheth fiue trees as bigge as the calfe of a mans legge which grow a yard one from another whereby it may the better appeare that this kinde of Fencing may bee perfourmed not onely with wood but also with Apple and Peare-trees if neede required with such as like thereof to the good of themselues and common-wealth Another kinde of fencing there is that many do like better of then the laying of the wood as is aforesaid which by experience may be performed by letting the plants grow and neuer to lay them but yearely to shread the twigs of the one rowe that after is to be felld so as they may be kept with small toppes the lesse to hurt those that are to remaine for the Fence which rowe that is to stand for the Fence would be topped at sixeteene or twenty yeares growth fifteene or sixteene foote high from the ground and againe after eight yeares and then for the better encreasing of fire-wood they would be so lopped as there may be as well three heads of a tree as one and euery head to yeeld as much wood as if there were but one head of the tree if when the worke-man doth top a tree he would top it where the tree putteth forth most boughes within three inches aboue the knottiest place of the tree not too flatte as many worke-men doe but sloping the lesse to take water for the rotting of the tree at which second lopping all the boughes would bee lopped off close to the head of the tree but onely three of the greatest the one that groweth directly vp to bee topped halfe a yard aboue the head of a tree the other two would be of those that growe outward from either side of the tree from the rowe-ward the lesse to hurt the rowe by dropping which two would be lopped foure foote off from the body of the tree by which meanes as well from this as from the other kind of fencing there may be lopped from a Parke of foure miles pale yearely after one and twenty yeares two furlongs of sixeteene yeares growing and as in euery pole there was sixteene let to grow so there are sixteene to be yearely lopped which being husbanded as aforesaid would yeeld eight and forty heads whereas if they should haue but one head a peece as they haue three could not yeelde lesse then three loades of wood in a pole of sixteene yeares growing worth to be sold two shillings sixe pence the loade ariseth to tenne pounds a yeare The timber for paling and workemanship yearely saued which can not be lesse worth then sixe pounds which timber is more then needefull to he saued besides the profite of the browse for Decre maste for hogges and barke for the tanning of leather which would arise to be much worth if the wood might grow vntill it be twenty or foure and twenty yeares olde which then would also yeelde many good sparres for the building of out-houses and cottages with good store of worke for poore laboring men by lopping and faggoting the wood This direction were very profitable to be vsed about spring-woods when they fell their wood and make their hedges so as it may be made once for euer to great profite What reason any man hath to omit this I leaue to be censured by the discreet Reader For the increase of Fire-wood by the Lopping of trees FOr the better increasing of wood by lopping of trees experience will teach all men to know that will obserue it as hee rideth on the way in euery Countrey especially in Cheshire neere vnto the Wiches where salt is made and much wood is spent by the boyling thereof that euery tree will as well yeelde fiue or sixe heads as one if workemen when they loppe trees would obserue the directions before set downe for the topping and lopping of trees about parks and in hedges For the increasing of fire-wood in hedge-rowes between decayed trees the best remedy is that when such trees decay and haue lop-wood on them of the age of tenne or twelue yeares within a weeke of the first day of August or within a weeke after when the sappe is in the tops of the trees to set a discreete workeman into the trees and there with a sharpe knife to cut off close to the head of the trees all the barke a hand broad that groweth vpon the principall boughs that be likest to make trees so cleane that he leaueth not the breadth of
beginne and sowe them all ouer the earth cast forth of the ditch round about the close and all ouer euery ridge as thicke as Beanes and harrow them in or rather couer them with an yron-toothed rake And further to furnish vp the rows so plowed and the banks there must be also got immediatly after the Lady day or before as the Spring time falleth forth so as they may be set before the leaues put forth when the most sap is in them fifteene score willow or sallow setts of ten foot long of the freshest and greenest which must be carefully carried for bruising of the barke forth of euery set of that length there may be cut six sets of halfe a yard long cut colt-footed at both ends which must be set in the middest of the ridges where the Ash keyes are sowne two yards asunder one from an other from end to end foureteene inches deepe and foure inches aboue ground The holes wherein they are to be set must be made with a spade full foureteene inches deepe two foote wide the setts being put into the holes so deep the lesse earth must be put in but neither stones nor grasse and troden close to the sets being thus set how can they in common reason faile but grow for euery deaw that falleth will nourish them and keepe them so moyst as they will grow more in two yeares then an ordinary long set will doe in three and the Ash-keyes will grow so thicke as they will keepe the ground continually moist There must be also set in like sort two rowes of willow and sallow betweene the edge of the ditch and the first ridge the one foure foot off the first ridge the other foure foot off that and so on the other banke of the other side if it be not planted for timber by which meanes there may bee contained sixteene rowes in euery acre and in euery row a hundred and ten willow and sallow plants which in Iune after they be 3 yeares olde all the vnder boughes must be cut away and onely foure left of euery roote of the straitest and tallest the vnder-boughes will be springes and rods for Thechars and the worst good fewel for baking and brewing which will be more worth then the labour The number of willow and sallow poles being foure of euery roote is seuen thousand and forty and when the Ash and Sekamores are three yeares olde they must be all drawne vp and only tenne of the Ashes left to grow a foote from euery willow or sallow a foot asunder one from an other euery way in the rowes and at the ends and sides all must be drawne vp and onely three rowes left to grow vpon a foote and a halfe of ground vpon the ditch bankes round about the close for a fence halfe a foote off the hedge of the banke and halfe a foot asunder one from another euery way not so close as they may grow directly one against an other but so as they may fulfill the open places of each other in the rowes and as they grow great that one row may be the fence the other rowes may be felld in Iune so as they may growe no more and those that doe remaine for the fence must be topped when they are growne so high as the bodies may be fiue yeards high from the ground and so to stand as pales which will be as strong a fence as any wall being thus topped they would be lopped after fiue yeares growth before the wood be too high for shaking them loose at the rootes by wind and afterwards at euery tenne yeares being lopped as before is directed will yeeld euery ten yeares at the least three loade of wood of a pole The yoong Ashes and Sekamores that are to be drawne vp must bee drawne in the new of the moone the wind being South or West and presently set the toppes of the Ashes being cut off as quicke and set in the bottome of thorne hedges halfe a foote asunder which being defended by the thornes will be in a few yeares a very profitable and an euerlasting fence or being set vnder bushes that may defend them will soone grow to be trees or being set as quicke where men do inclose will sooner be a fence then thornes and raise more profit by many degrees as doth appeare and more easily may be conceiued The number of the ash poles in seuen acres is seuenteene thousand and six hundred the totall of all the poles contained in one acre is foure and twenty thousand six hundred and forty rated at six pence the score when they are seuen yeares old arise to thirty pounds sixeteene shillings an acre euery seuen yeares at the least ouer and aboue the wood that will arise about the fence euery willow and sallow set was worth a penny forty yeares since and three poles wil make two better faggots then euer were sold in London for pence a peece these fifty yeares the toppes of the poles will make good bauins more worth then all the workemanship and by other meanes there may be more made This wood must be all felld and carried off the ground before the end of March for hindering the Spring The eight acre may be all plowed from end to end into one land leauing a yard of either side one from the ditch the other from the last ridge of that side then beginne at either side of that acre a yard off that end where the gate is not to be set and set a yard as before is directed for timber and so set from end to end and from side to side all that acre alwayes leauing one yard euery way and set an other by which means there may be raised in that one acre twelue hundred and ten trees for timber euery tree to haue foure yards of ground to grow on if they grow too thicke it is easier to take some away then to put more to which being kept as before will grow cleane without knots taper-like with so small tops as if they should grow in rows they will neuer hurt wood or corne by shaddow or dropping And if the owner of the ground list to raise more Ash plants all the whole close may be plowed and sowne with keyes or other meanes and raked in Many there are that desire to raise wood by a very vnprofitable course by remoouing yong trees from the ground where they grow and prosper and sets them againe where 10 of 20 neuer grow the speciall reasons are in respect that they are either remoued vnto a worse soile or too long vnset after they are taken vp or not set with the same side to the Sunne that was before or not being taken vp in due time about the middest of September before the sappe be returned to the roote for as trees grow vpward in Summer so doe trees grow in the rootes in winter or not liking grow hide-bound the helpe to that is to slitte them from toppe to roote foure
the least why it doth not the one is no wood groweth so speedily by the halfe as these woods but the speciall reason is the Springs are not ordered they are fuller of hasell maple-bushes and other wood that riseth to small proofe and so thicke of vnderlings as the other can not generally prosper but some few that get vp and choake all the rest Neither is the sixt part of any springs that I see furnished with such proouing wood And for further proofe for timber one master Skipwith in Norffolke within three miles of Downane shewed mee a Groue planted by his father of foure and thirtie yeares growth of Oakes and Ashe growne so tall as Herons haue bred in them these three yeares past which trees grow not aboue two yards one from another some planted by akornes and Ashe-keyes and some by yong sets cut and vsed as quicke some difference there is of their growth the setts are the taller but little the bigger All these kindes of planting by common reason and experience cannot be denied nor the profite thereof by reason thereof it may appeare that whereas there is contained in this kingdome fiue and twentie millions of Acres whereupon wood will grow and prosper ouer and aboue the waste whereon wood will not prooue if it were planted as on stony hilles great moorish linggy moores and mosses waters and watery moorish fennes and high-wayes forth of which fiue and twenty millions take but one hundred thousand acres and diuide it into tenne thousand parts it will yeelde to euerie parish in this Kingdome if there were tenne thousand as there is not two thousand fiue hundred acres take foorth of the two thousand fiue hundred but one hundred and tenne Acres and plant tenne Acres thereof in rowes as before is directed and there may be raised in tenne Acres of the hundred and ten foure and twenty thousand two hundred trees for timber two yards betweene euery one of them one way and ten the other to furnish euery parish and the ground thereby much improued and within thirty yeares the fences of all grounds being made as before will yeeld such store of fire-wood as there will be no neede of the aforesaid plantation for firewood or any other springs but all may be stocked vp and conuerted to tillage and pasture For the better effecting of this businesse it is thought conuenient that an Act might passe that it may be lawfull for all men to inclose ground for this plantation in common fields and many townes may be furnished by their commons So as if coales should decay neare the coasts as they doe too fast in many places within the Land which as yet is no more feared then the want of wood was generally feared through the whole Kingdome specially in London Cambridge and Oxford forty yeares agoe when the porest sort scorned to eate a peece of meate roasted with sea-coles which now the best Magistrates are constrained to doe If a man in that time should haue fore-told this want of wood that now the whole Kingdome is come to it would haue been holden a thing vnpossible the plenty of wood was then so great and so good means to continue the same with much more reason may it now bee feared that in the like time coles may be more decayed considering the aboundance that is spent of them not onely in this Realme but in other Nations and no meanes to increase them for by experience it is generally knowne that after they be once got they neuer more grow or increase And briefly to shew the premisses first that one thousand two hundred and ten trees may be planted for timber in one acre and euery tree to haue foure yards of ground to grow on it is not to be doubted for there is to be seene in euery county some groues that haue beene planted by the plough and some by hand within three score yeares that grow as thicke both of Oake and Ash and naturally groues of Elme and Wich trees And that timber trees will grow and thriue well in rowes being two yards asunder one way and tenne the other it is also to be seene in euery county about many closes and on all soiles eyther Oake Ash Beech or Elme that do grow specially in towns by the high-wayes sides trees that are a hundred or two hundred yeares old planted or preserued when wood was not of the worth that it is in this instant which in this age is thought vnpossible to be so raised nay which is more strange as great husbands as we thinke our selues it is apparent in euery towne men choose rather to make dead hedges euery yeare then to plant as they may doe by wood and make a fence for hundreds of yeares as may appeare by the wood already growing in such fences which will yeelde yearely profite and preuent the great complaints that are daily made of the poore for the breaking of hedges And that all fences may be made of trees onely it is euident especially about woods where in the hedges there is want of thornes they plash wood which hath laine in common reason as it doth appeare by the greatnesse of the trees at the least a hundred yeares and growne so close as no man can see between the trees being plashed and for the most part laid so lowe as beasts browse off the tops much more will they last many more yeares being laid and not cut at the rootes to receiue water the toppes being laid so high as cattell cannot reach them or being vnlayed may grow vpright to stand as pales which may be lopped for fire-wood and browse for Deere or Cattell Thus much for fences of Parkes and other inclosed grounds and that this kinde of fire-wood may be planted so thicke and prooue so well it may appeare in all coppies or springs of wood that on Ash or Sallow rootes they grow thicker then I proportion and all men know that willow and sallow is inferiour to no wood in growth especially being planted so neare the ground The reason why all spring woods make not such proofe is that some springs stand for the most part of beech some with oake some with hornebeane and many with maple hasell and thornes all which are no proouing wood for fire I neuer met with any but they approoue that Ash Sallow or Willow doth grow more in one yeare then any of the aforesaid woods will grow in two and Elme and Wich is not much inferiour to the Ash in growth so it is apparent that if all men would furnish their springs with those kinds of wood and cut away all the vnderlings at 3 yeres growth when the wood will be worth the labor no man would stocke or grub vp woods as they doe except it were into rowes and that all those kindes of woods will grow and prosper being preserued and maintained no man will make doubt in regard that both reason experience makes proofe thereof and where those kinds of wood grow not so thicke approuedly some being plashed from the rootes of them that grow being shread and a little of the tops cut off and laide three fingers deepe in trenches and couered with earth will grow and prosper And that euery bush will breede a tree the meanes being set rather of a yong plant that may be raised by nurseries then by the other meanes before set downe in regard that I finde all kinde of maste subiect to mice and other vermine It is apparent in all forrests chases parkes and commons inclosed grounds hedges and high-wayes sides by the bushes that grow about many trees both old and yoong and many there be that confesse all this to be true by experience that little obserue their owne experience Thus by his Maiesties fauor and bounty together with the bountie and good instructions that I receiued from the worthie Common-wealths men I holde my selfe bound in conscience not onely to seeke all experience that may tend to this businesse but likewise to put all men in minde thereof to the end that if Sea-coles shall decay good take-heede come not too late The Premisses considered it is generally hoped that some good course will be taken to preuent so great an inconuenience Thus with an honest intention for the publique good of this kingdome the content of his Maiestie and all good men I conclude leauing the successe to GOD who is the director of mens harts to all good offices FINIS
a haire but rather cut part of the wood then leaue any of the barke This being done presently get good clay and let one worke it to the breadth and thicknesse of a tile and so long or longer as it may well lappe about the bough so pared then lay thereon some fatte earth two or three fingers thicke and lay the same clay and earth vpon the barke of the bough next to the plot so pared and with mosse and bands binde these same on like vnto a graffe and so let it rest and about Alhollontide then make holes in the ground where you would haue them to grow and presently saw off with a hand-saw the boughs so clayed betweene the clay and the plot so pared and so doe it as the earth be not shaken off carry them and set them halfe a yard deepe fill vp the holes with limed earth halfe a yard broade about the plant and treade it well if the ground be barren make the holes so much the wider and fill them Being so set stake them and binde them as other Sets and assuredly they will grow and prosper better then other Sets or transplanted trees If they be set betweene trees loppe the olde trees before you set them that they be not ouer-topped nor dropped by them these being either elme willow or sallow As for other wood I haue seene no experience but of some boughs of Apple and Peare-trees which being thus vsed haue borne fruit the same yeare they were set I can finde no reason to the contrary but that other woods may grow and prosper as well as these This is the most speedy way to beget woods All these Directions beeing obserued there may bee in good time more timber fire-wood corne and catell contained in this kingdome then hath beene at any time these three-score yeares and yet no woods at all so that the soile of all woods in time may be conuerted to tillage medow or pasture to the profite of the Kings maiesty all Posterity and the Common-wealth The kingdome thereby may bee the better defended from forren enemies by the Nauigation the bankes of the Seas and ebbing and flowing riuers defended staies maintained all which cannot bee maintained but by wood without which defence a great part of the kingdome is in danger to be ouer-flowen and ruinated some proofes thereof were to be seene this yeare one thousand six hundred and thirteene neare Blackewall where was a Breach that hath and will cost two thousand pounds to recouer it And this winter to the vtter vndoing of many an able man in many places of this kingdom the charge of staies and banks in many ebbing and flowing riuers is chargeable to many especially in the riuer of Owes where the maintaining of staies and bankes costeth the Bishop of Durham at the least a hundred markes a yeare and is very chargeable to sir Thomas Mettam and all that haue grounds there that are charged thereby according to the proportion of their grounds The decay of these bankes may in one tide drowne much land and many townes which the obseruing of these directions some other following will preuent The wood that may be raised about parkes and the hedges within this kingdome would raise many profites to the common-wealth as the making of yron and all other kinde of mettalls which the kingdome affoordeth together with the burning of lime for the manuring of land and buildings and burning of bricke and tile for building with many other profites to the kingdome For the increasing of wood in the Springs of wood VVHereas in springs I find many waste places growne ouer with grasse by reason whereof men couet to put in Calues and Horses which are great spoiles to woods The onely way to furnish such places especially in barren grounds which may best be spared for wood vntill such time that the other woods be growne vp is either when the Spring is fiue or sixe yeares growne or when it is felld to digge vp certaine square yards according to the spaciousnesse of the ground three yards betweene euery plot and therein to set or lay in trenches the aforesaide meanes as is before set downe and when they are growne vp fiue or sixe yeares to plash them close by the ground and lay them in Trenches euery way from the roote three fingers deepe and to couer them with earth and so of all other wood that groweth of olde rootes so as there may not be a waste place nor any thornes left to grow but proouing wood As for other grounds that are woorth twenty shillings an Acre yearely which is too good for wood to grow on but that the decay of wood is too great I could wish that it were stocked into rowes either for timber or to top and lop it for fire-wood And whereas it is required by the lawe that there should be a certaine number of trees preserued for timber which is by few men performed the reason is that the dropping and shadow of them will destroy the vnder-wood which is most true my aduice is that rather the number of timber-trees might be preserued in some corner of the Spring where they may be preserued from many dangers which they are subiect to as they are left in the Springs Concerning the planting of wood in hedges already made with thornes SOme do obiect that the planting of wood in them will so destroy the thornes by the dropping and ouershadowing of them as there will be no good fence kept To such I answer that if they would the next yeare after that they cause a hedge to be plashed the ditch thereunto belonging scoured and some small quantity of the earth cast vp to the roots of the hedge for too much earth so cast to the rootes of the hedge decay the hedge and that they would set in the same earth such meanes as is before set downe and so vse them they might at any time after twenty yeares haue both good store of wood and thorns and also haue a stronger fence then any thornes can make The charge of the setting and getting of the meanes in common reason can no way cost two shillings a furlong for two men will set at the least two furlongs a day the one man to make holes to set them in and the other to put in the meanes and couer it The profite that may arise thereby is before set downe for the profite of parkes Concerning such as hereafter may inclose IS to inclose with the aforesaid means and not with thorns whereby with lesse charge labour they may raise a fence stronger and longer lasting with greater profit by the setting of the aforesaide meanes on the top of the bankes as is set downe for Parkes which by experience will grow more speedily then thornes and make a better fence as is prooued that will with a good Gate Locke and Key keepe all Cattell safe from stealing and from breaking into any other grounds then the owner
slitts in the barke in Aprill the winde being west or south or set deeper then before or not maintained with stakes and bushes to preserue them from winde and cattell or being when they are new set stolne or shaken loose at the rootes by the poore that intend to steale them And many there be that are very desirous to plant and some that would preserue that which is planted are discouraged by the poore that do cut it forth of the springs breake their hedges and euery way spoile steale whereupon ariseth a great grieuance betweene such as haue wood and the poore the one will haue it as they say although they die for it the other will destroy it though they and their posteritie repent it the only remedy is a generall plantation If the whole kingdome were to be inclosed by the sowing of these grounds all ouer with the aforesaid maste and seeds of wood but not of sykamore for they will not prooue so well after they are cut as other wood they must be set with the toppes there would be sets enow soone gotten to inclose all and if a third part of all the ground inclosed and hereafter to be inclosed were continually kept in tillage it would be the greatest benefit to the King and kingdome that can be deuised there would be more corne bieues muttons butter and cheese by many degrees then there is and much more worke for labouring men and for fire-wood timber and corne wee should exceed all Nations some scantling may be taken therof in euery county of this kingdome where the barest grounds inclosed doe in profite farre exceede the best vallies the people much the richer and abler of body to serue their Prince and defend their countrey and the kingdome securer from inuasion then champaine countries The Ashe and Sykamore sets that may be raised foorth of euery Acre will pay for the willow and sallow sets If any would plant lowe grounds the willow and sallow setts must be so long as the water may seldome or not at all stand ouer the heads of the sets in such grounds they may be set but a yard asunder so as there may be raised foure thousand eight hundred and forty plants but not any otherwood if the vnder-boughes as before be cut away and only foure left at the first felling afterwards as the rootes grow broader there may bee more left The taking away of the vnder-boughes will greatly improoue the rest And whereas some make doubt that willow and sallow will not grow vpon drie ground or on any soile Beleeue it I write no vntruth nor no more then I haue seene and know to be true and to make some proofe thereof Master Thomas Spencer of Clardon in Warwickeshire a man knowne to many shewed me about Bartholomewtide in the yeare of our Lord one thousand six hundred and twelue being the driest spring that yeare that was of many yeares before or since many hundreds of sallow or willow setts that hee had caused to bee set the same yeare which sets are not aboue a foote long aboue ground set in bare drie grauelly hungry ground notwithstanding the drienesse of the yeare there were very few that tooke not and the rest had so taken roote as they put forth at the rootes by the moistnesse of the deaws but not at the toppes and he himselfe told mee in Candlemasse Terme one thousand sixe hundred and thirteene when this Booke was in Printing that they tooke at the ground and prospered well hee further told me that of his owne knowledge the seed of willow would grow And it hath beene reported to me by men of good worth that the chippes of willow wil grow which I doe the better beleeue for I haue often seene the chippes of poplar aspe and awbell grow so as they would not be destroyed but by plucking them vp by the rootes for of all wood cattell will least browse of those woods And further that willow and sallow will grow on any ground hauing two foote soile it is to be seene by as many as will obserue it that in all chalkie flinty sandy or any other drie ground they will grow from hedge-stakes And I haue seene and it is to be seene as great sallow and willow trees come of stakes as may be seene in any lowe grounds both sounder and longer lasting by many degrees for all will put forth so neare the ground as I do write and in woods on the driest ground that is there is no wood comparable to those woods in growth but Ash for chips of Elme I haue seene many trees of them And for the better proofe therof sir Thomas Tresham of Newton in Northamptonshire shewed mee the last Summer at the least a dozen trees that of his owne knowledge came of chips And about Michaelmasse last it pleased the Earle of Kent to inuite mee to dine with him in Bedford where there was at least seuen or eight Knights and Esquires at the Table some of which doubted of the growing of the chips of Elme whereunto maister Lee a Iustice of Peace dwelling within halfe a mile of Bedford affirmed saying they would grow for he caused an Elme to be felld at the Spring of the yeare and to be carried to his house into a yard where no cattell came and where the Elme was squared and the chippes cleane raked off notwithstanding many of the smallest that remained sprung vp as thicke as hemp-seed on a land and other proofs I could make if occasion serued as for the rootes or boughes I haue heard no doubt made of them neyther can any make doubt of the growing of the maste or seedes of any other wood And for any wood to grow so thicke it is lesse to be doubted for in Cambridgeshire where most springs of Elme are it is to be seene that after the vnderlings be cut away they grow as thicke as I write of where they are left so thicke as for Ash or any other seedes of wood it will for so few or more yeares grow so thicke And I haue seene many Groues of Ash that haue beene set that after many yeares haue taken holde and growne so thicke The last Summer about Michaelmasse it pleased sir Walter Montague to shew me a Groue by his house within fiue miles of Northampton which he had caused to be set not much thinner in which Groue he had caused some to be felled that liked not which forth of the rootes of such as were felled there were yong Ashes sprung vp of a yard and three quarters high of one yeares growth And I haue seene the like in many places the onely way to make yong trees after they are remoued to grow more in one yeare then after they are moued in three is to fell them by the ground after two yeares when they haue taken roote If any shall aske why wood doth not proue so well by many degrees In all springs of wood I answere there are two reasons at
it in charge especially at the last Parliament that some course might be taken for the planting and preseruing of woods which assuredly as I haue heard was intended at the last sitting in Parliament the which cannot be vnknowne to such as daily stocke and stubbe vp woods neither respecting the displeasure of his Maiesty nor the breach of the Lawes in that case prouided In euery countrey wood is daily stubbed vp especially within twenty miles of London where wood is pretious and too deare for the poorer sort by meanes thereof they are constrained to breake hedges to the great decaying of wood and to the grieuance of euery man that hath woods hedges and to their great charge which I finde generally complained of and daily more and more wil be complained of for say the poore Though they want victualls that is too deare for them to get by their honest labour yet will they not perish for want of fire so long as it is to be gotten The best remedy for the same is a generall Plantation whereby no one man may feele the losse that some few do that plant for as they plant the one day the poore plucke or cut them vp the next day if not the same night Which if all men should be constrained to plant it would be as it is in Worcester shire with fruit where the plentie is so great as the stealing of some few is neuer missed Euen so would it be by the generall planting of wood and in time be growne so cheape as the poore would rather choose to buy then steale it Also the making of yron and glasse hath beene and is the greatest decay of wood notwithstanding yron was neuer so ill nor neuer so deare as it is at this instant by the halfe before so great store was made in this kingdome by all likelihood is likely to grow dearer the reasons why it is so deare are especially two the one in respect that wood is so worne out as many are constrained to giue ouer the making therof which want may be supplied by the meanes following namely out of hedges by lop-wood which will approuedly make as good char-cole for all vses as any other wood which may be continued so long as it shall please GOD the Kingdome shall endure the other is in respect that before so great store of yron was made in this Kingdome the Merchants bought Cloth of the Clothiers which beyond the Seas they exchanged for yron which was better yron and better cheap then the English yron the want of which exchange together with the transporting of Wooll beyond the Seas the worthy trade of clothing is so decayed as many poore people that were set on worke by the abler sort of Clothiers are constrained to beg that before liued well by their labour Also there are millions of people that liue in great feare that they in a short time may fall into the like necessity which are the Carpenters the Shippe-wrights the Plough and Cart-makers the Ioyners the Cowpers and the Coach-maker Whereupon it is generally conceiued by all men of iudgement that enter into consideration of the premisses that without a speedie generall Planting and Preseruing both of Timber and Fire-wood be the Kingdome by no meanes can be maintained another Age which with small cost and labour to willing mindes in good time may be preserued and maintained as plentifully as euer heeretofore as shall be proued to the glorie of God content of his Maiestie their owne selues posteritie and Common-wealth Concerning the Planting and Preseruing of Timber all men with whom I haue conuersed are of one minde that a better direction then herein is set downe cannot bee deuised which is by planting groues of a Roode or halfe a Roode of ground in a Groue in pasture grounds or as followeth especially in Rowes whereby much more timber may be raised in lesse ground as shall appeare which being performed there will be timber enough for al purposes with the surplusses of Timber that may be planted and preserued in Forrests Chases Parks Commons or common Pasture and much the better it will continue if it be so prouided that none shall fell or other-waies make away any tree or trees but to be enioyned to plant and preserue so many as shall be felld or otherwaies made away Thus may Timber be raised two seuerall waies the one in Groues the other in Rowes for Groues such as haue but one hundred acres and so for such as haue more to inclose for euery hundred acres one seuerall Rood in some corner of a Close which is already inclosed for the ing of chrsauages where halfe of the Fence is already made and is to be maintained notwithstanding this deuice or rather in the middest of a Close although the charge be something the more where the cattell may not onely haue shadow in Summer but also shelter in Winter euery way the better To improue the close and cattell the plot of ground for this purpose of one roode would be in length tenne pole in breadth foure in which length there is contained fifty fiue yards and in breadth twenty two yards In which plot of ground there may be planted fiue rowes of trees for Timber and in euery rowe there must bee digged vppe foureteene plots of a yard square which should be digged vp two seuerall times betweene Midsummer and Michaelmasse and againe when the meanes following are to be set according to the nature of the soyle and the directions following euery plot to be foure yards distant euery way one from an other so there may be contained in a Rood of ground threescore and tenne trees And in euery of these plots so digged there may be set nine a foote one from another either Akornes Chessenuts Beech-maste Keyes of Ash Rootes or Chips of Elme being so set come vp the ground would be weeded twice or thrice the first and second yeare if occasion serue and after foure or fiue yeares when it may be discerned which of thē is likest to be the best trees there would be but foure left the other would be drawne vp and planted else-where at the Owners pleasure And after sixeteene or twenty yeares three of the other may be felld and made away for some vses and onely one being the very best to remaine from which all the leaues would be plucked off by hand within a foote of the top in the beginning of Iune so long as a man can reach them and afterwards cut off with a knife or light forrest bill made for that purpose The reason why I wish the planting of Groues to be in so many seueralls is that when a Groue is felld it should be all felld for the felling of trees in woods at seuerall times hath beene a great decay to wood And further by experience it may be proued that seldome good timber groweth of old stocks by reason whereof I could wish that trees should rather bee stocked vp then felld
would haue them safe from trespassing to his neighbour or his neighbours to him whereby much corne may be saued trespassing preuented which too often raiseth enuy and suites in Lawe The browse of the wood in winter will greatly relieue cattell and saue fodder And being wood that will yeelde maste the maste will be very beneficiall to the particular Owner and Common-wealth Directions for such as are desirous to stocke vp woods for the improouing of the Soile BY conuerting of the same to corne medow or pasture to haue as much or rather more profite by the woods then they had before is first to leaue a yard in breadth round about the sides for the maintaining of the fence which may be made once for all by obseruing the aforesaid directions Then beginne at a side next to the wood so left and stocke vp all the wood whatsoeuer so as the ground may bee plowed tenne yards in breadth and in the eleuenth yard stocke vp all but fifty fiue of the best trees which trees would as neere as may be be so left that they may grow foure yards distant one from another from end to end as trees planted in an orchard and so stocke vp from side to side and from end to end leauing the like distance so as there may be ten yards distance one way and foure an other from tree to tree by which meanes in euery two rowes there may be left an hundred and tenne trees out of euery Acre how great or little soeuer the ground be which being topped and after twelue yeares lopped with many heads as they may be by the directions already set downe or rather for a greater profite left vnlopped till the wood be of twenty yeares growth the profite thereof by the greatnes of the wood and the barke with the profite of the wood that may arise about the fence being made as before is directed will farre exceed the profite of the vnder-wood growing of all the ground before But as the case standeth and as is more like to stand by the want of timber if all the trees were left for timber and neuer topped nor lopped would in time arise to the greater profite especially if they were euery third yeare shread in March when the sappe is rising vp and the wood worth the shreadding which sappe would so grow as it would couer the knottes by which meanes the trees will grow taper-like with so small tops as the ground betweene the rowes may be plowed three yeares and may be laide to grasse for nine yeares so may you haue from time to time three yeares good corne and nine yeares good grasse and neuer to decay the land but rather to improue it The trees beeing thus kept with small toppes can neither hurt corne or grasse by dropping or shadow Some doe obiect and say that if all Spring-woods were so stocked how should hurdles be gotten for the folding of sheepe To which I answer with experience where wood is not lopped too young some of the greatest boughes being lopped and barked and then laide in water a moneth they will be so rated and grow so hard as wormes can no way hurt them and beeing so vsed will make farre better and stronger hurdles then any young rods whatsoeuer as may appeare in many Countries of this kingdome where wood is so scant as they are of necessity constrained to vse willow boughs for spars and laths for many houses and to vse them about ploughs carts and harrowes Others do obiect that the grasse in such wooddy grounds will be so sowre as cattel wil not like of it To that I answer that if the rowes be planted East and Weast or so stocked as the ground betweene the rowes may haue the morning noon and euening Sunne the pasture will be as sweet as any other the corne will as well like of it as of any other ground and will as well drie when it is cut or if the cattell bee put into such grounds before they taste of a sweeter grasse they will like as well of that grasse as of any other And for the better proofe thereof Who euer saw grasse lost for the eating in any forrest chase or parke where trees grow thicke notwithstanding the cattell in such grounds if they be not eaten too bare like very well by reason of the shadow in Summer and shelter in Winter A further experience may be taken to incourage all men hereunto from about thousands of towns in this kingdome where are to be seene little closes of two three foure or fiue acres of ground as haue so much timber or fire-wood growing about them as if it were at this instant to be sold would giue more money then the fee-simple of the land Whereupon it followeth very fittingly for this purpose to shew what good may arise to the particular owners of ground by obseruing these directions set downe in sundry places for these purposes and how the kingdome may be improoued onelie by wood planted about Parkes and in Hedges made and heereafter to be made of wood so farre from the losse of any as it may be to the generall good of all men euen to the very poorest whose reliefe I greatly desire And for my further experience I sawe about Christmas last a close of sandie Land of foure Acres taken in the middest of a field belonging to Downam in Norffolke about forty yeares agoe and set round about when it was taken in with young sets as it was confessed to me by the Owner thereof of Ashe rootes of Elme and Thornes and the most part of the stakes of the Hedge were of Willow and Sallow which Stakes and Settes of Wood did so take roote as vpon my credite there is growing about the saide close fiue hundred fiftie and odde trees of the aforesaide wood whereof the Owner confessed vnto mee that hee did euery yeare loppe fiue and fiftie of tenne yeares growing the which wood hee could yearely sell for forty shillings and the foure Acres of ground hee could not let for aboue sixe and twentie shillings and eight pence yearely So that I doe find by experience that the most sure way to performe this planting is to make nurseries which may be kept from Mice by trappes And that the simplest may the better vnderstand it admit for this purpose that a man haue sixe score Acres of ground in his owne occupation and that it were equally diuided into twelue Closes and that but halfe the Fences about those twelue Closes did belong vnto them by reason that they are ioyning to other mens Closes as commonly all inclosed grounds are there remaineth to euerie of those Closes an end and a side at the least of the Fence which containe two furlongs which is foure-score poles to a Close all which hedges being planted according to the directions set downe for hedges there will arise about these twelue Closes foure and twenty furlongs whereby the Owner of those Closes may after thirty
yeares loppe yearely the wood about one Close being two furlongs or one furlong of foure and twentie yeares growth which is the greater profite by much by reason that the wood being growne so great it would yeeld sparres for the building of barnes stables cottages and such like straw-thatched houses with good store of Barke for the tanning of leather with a greater plentie of Maste then being lopped yonger it would yeelde with many other profites to the Owner thereof and to the good of the Common-wealth The Maste that may arise by this generall planting will saue more corne in those yeares that it taketh then the wit of man can imagine it to be worth A late experience thereof may bee taken from the yeare of our Lord one thousand sixe hundred and eleuen by the Maste that the small quantitie of wood that is left yeelded that yeare which Maste fed so many hogges that yeare as it greatly eased the prises of corne and other victualls For the better proofe thereof it is certaine vpon confident report of seuerall honest men that there was saued by Maste in some one towne in Leicester-shire forty quarters of beanes and pease and in some townes more and in some lesse which hogges were driuen into Shropshire to Maste which in former Ages was a common course before woods were destroyed for the champaine Countries to feede their hogges in wood-land countries In which times the Officers of Noblemen and Gentlemen tooke twenty or thirty pounds a yeare for the feeding of hogges in a Parke or in a Wood which hardly now take fiue pounds and in many Parkes or Woods not one penny the woods are so made away So to conclude he that obserueth the aforesaid directions about the twelue Closes may yearely loppe eight score load of wood of twelue yeares growing woorth to be solde at two shillings sixe pence the load twentie pounds and much more if the closes be lesse Whereby it appeareth that all Grounds inclosed and that heereafter may be inclosed may be improoued three shillings and foure pence an Acre yearely A second Direction for the present encreasing of Fire-wood agreeable to the nature of this Age 1613. February 1. HEaring daily shat this more then necessary businesse is much desired to be effected the subiects thereof much commended and the daily destruction of woods greatly complained of In respect that so many contrary to the Law for preseruing of wood and his Maiesties earnest and daily dersire for the planting and preseruing thereof notwithstanding doe so stocke vp and other wayes destroy woods as it is generally feared by many good men that in short time there will be neither timber nor fire-wood left for any vse And finding one of the greatest hinderances to this businesse to be the nature of this Age that men may not indure to tarry so long for profit till timber may be raised in regard thereof stil hoping that I am animated by God who is the Author of all things that good is and as it doth appeare by the Kings most excellent Maiesty and induced by many good men by seuerall meanes I haue by diligent obseruing what I heare and the experience that I daily see and is to be seene by as many as will be mindfull thereof I haue herein set downe such profitable directions as already hath moued some and I hope hereafter will moue all men to the obseruing of them both for timber and fire-wood In respect that it will appeare that there is not many deuices to improue grounds to so present and continuall profit cleare all charges defrayed and for the better vnderstanding thereof as before so heere I do giue further knowledge to all men for this purpose that there is contained in a Statute Acre of land 4840. square yards of ground the length therof 220. yards the breadth 22. which is 66. foote admit for this purpose and after that rate for more or lesse as men are disposed either for their owne vse or for sale that a man would inclose eight Acres of earable fieldland or plant in a close of eight Acres already inclosed the land being of the yearely value of fiue shillings an Acre or not aboue a noble where the soile is two foote deepe or lesse or of any commons heaths or downes First to the principal point without the which and for want thereof many good beginnings end in nothing this ground must be first ditched on either side before Allhollantide with a ditch two yards broad at the top a yard and halfe deep and a foot broad or lesse in the bottome which ditch sides and ends will take something more then the third part of an Acre The side ditches being made as afore beginne and measure from the edge of the ditch in the inside of the close twelue foot in breadth into the close-ward and plow vp two furrowes along from end to end by the earth cast foorth of the ditch as streight as may be one one way the other the other way plow cleane but not deepe still plow vp two surrowes and leaue two foot vnplowed till it be so plowed within two and twenty yards of the other side and so leaue that two and twenty yards to plant the meanes for to raise timber if the Owner please if not plow on till all be plowed to the earth cast forth of the other ditch and at Candlemasse plow in the two furrowes againe very deepe so as they may lie as little ridges full two foot broad on the toppe and two foote betweene euery ridge then presently ditch vp the ends as the sides and leaue one gate-stead for carts or waines to passe into the woods and betweene Michaelmasse and Allhollantide when Akornes Chesnuts and Beech-maste is ripe gather them as they fall from the trees for being beaten downe before they cannot so well growe and prosper and it is one speciall cause where many is sowne or set and so few come to perfection if the soile be best for Elme then the chips or roots of Elme but specially the roots being set as quicke for timber but not for vnder-wood These masts must be got and kept drie in tubs in the ground with some very drie sand so put among them as some sand may be betweene euery of them some do make holes in dry ground and keepe them therein being well couered to keepe them drie and so keepe them till mid-March that corne is in sowing in the fields and the mice returned to fields which mice this yeare by experience I finde to be the greatest enemy to the increasing of wood that is for this yeare they haue eaten Akornes that were lapt in haire and tarre and then set sowe and vse them according to the directions The Ash-keyes and Sekamore seeds may be pulled or beaten downe when they are ripe drie and kept on heaps on boorded floores they must be turned ouer sometimes else they wil mold and in like sort sowe them in March and