Chapter III: Part 3

If the gréene _Fly_, which of all other _Flyes_ is most gréedie to hurt Séedes and Plants, doe offend your Garden, you shall take _Henbane_ leaues, _Houseleeke_, and _Minte_, and beat them in a Morter, then straine forth the iuyce, and then adde thereto as much Vinegar as was of all the rest, and there-with sprinkle your beds all ouer, and the gréene _Fly_ will neuer come néere them. Some hold opinion, that if you plant the hearbe _Rocket_ in your Garden, that it is a safe preseruatiue against these gréene _Flyes_, for it is most certaine that the very smell thereof will kill these, and most sorts of all other _Flyes_ whatsoeuer, as hath béene found by approued experience, and the sylts of olde auncient Abby Gardens, which a man shall seldome finde without this hearbe planted in them.

[Sidenote: Of Gnats.]

Next these are _Gnats_, which although it be the smallest of all Flyes, yet it is the greatest, quickest, and sharpest deuourer of tender Plants of all other, for it biteth déeper and more venemously sharpe, then those which are of much bigger substance: the best way to destroy them is morning and euening, to smoake and perfume your beds either with wet Rosemary, or with mouldy Hay: some vse to burne _Calamint_, and some Oxe dung, and sure all are very good, for the smoakes are very sharpe, and styflle as soone as it is receiued.

[Sidenote: Of Pismyers.]

Next these are _Pismyers_, which also are very noysome vnto Gardens, for they will digge vp, and carrie away the smaller séedes to their hills, and in short space spoyle and deface a bed of his encrease, and the best way to destroy them, is, if you finde their hill, to poure hot scalding water vpon them: or if vpon your Garden beds you strowe Ashes or Lyme, but especially that which is made of chalk, they will by no meanes come néere them, as you shall finde by experience.

[Sidenote: Of Moales.]

Next these are _Moales_, which digging and vndermining the earth, turneth vp Séedes and Plants in a confused fashion, to the vtter destruction and ruine of the Husband-mans labour, the cure whereof is to take them in such sort, as shall be shewed in this Booke, where I speake of Pasture grounds; but if you finde that their encrease and continuance multiply with your labour, it shall be then good for you to plant in diuers places of your Garden the hearbe called _Palma christi_, in other places _Garlickes_ and in other places _Onyons_, and it is an assured rule that no _Moale_ will come néere where they grow for the strength and violence of their smell, is poysonous and deadly to those blind vermines.

[Sidenote: Of Snailes.]

Next there are _Snailes_ of both kindes, blacke and white, which are as much offensiue to Gardens, as any other crawling thing, for they féed of the tender leaues of plants, and of the outmost rindes of the daintiest hearbs or flowers, the way to destroy them, is to sprinkle vpon the beds and other places of their aboad good store of chimney soote, which by no meanes they can endure, because it is mortall and poysonous.

[Sidenote: Of Moathes.]

Next there are _Moathes_ or _Moaghts_, which are very pernitious in a Garden, for they destroy both Séeds and Plants, and there is not better or more certaine way to kill them, then by taking olde horse hoofes, and burning them, with the smoake thereof to perfume all the places where they abide, and it will in an instant kill them; with this smoake onely you may kéepe Arras hanging, Tapistrie, Néedle-worke, Cushions, or Carpets, or any woollen cloath or garment whatsoeuer safe from _Moathes_ as long as you please, neither néede you to vse it aboue once or twice a yéere at the most, as shall be more at large in another place declared.

[Sidenote: Of Cankers.]

Next these are _Cankers_, which are a kinde of filthie wormes, which deuoure both the great and small leaues of all sorts of swéet Plants, especially _Lettuce_, _Cabbadge_, _Colaflours,_ and such like; and the way to destroy them, is to scatter amongst your Plants, Goose-dung, or to sprinkle the iuyce thereof with a wispe of _Rue_, or hearbe of _Grace_ ouer all the beds, and though some with a rustie knife vse to scrape them from the leaues, and so kill them on a Tyle-shread, yet for my part I hold this the néerer way, and both more certaine and more easie, as experience will approue.

[Sidenote: Of Garden Wormes.]

[Sidenote: An excellent experiment.]

Lastly, are your Garden _Wormes_ which liuing in the hollowes of the earth féede much vpon your tender Garden séedes, and the soft sprouts which first issue from them, especially from all sorts of kirnels, in which they delight more then in any other séede whatsoeuer, as you may finde by experience, if you please to obserue accidents as they happen, without which obseruation you shall hardly attaine to the perfection of an excellent Gardner: for if you please to make this triall, take the kirnels of a faire sound Pippin, and deuide them into two parts, then sowe the one halfe in a Garden bed well drest and trimmed for the purpose, where the worme hath liberty to come and goe at his pleasure, sowe the other halfe in some riuen boule, earthen pot, or halfe Tub, made for the purpose with the same earth or mould that the bed is, and then set the vessell so as no worme may come there-vnto, and you shall finde that all those Séedes will sprout and come forth, when hardly any one of those in the bed of earth will or can prosper, there being no other reason but the extreame gréedinesse of the deuouring worme, which to preuent, you shall take Oxe dung, and burn it to ashes, then mixe them with the earth where-with you couer your Séedes, and it will both kill the wormes, and make the Séedes sprout both sooner and safer. And thus much for the preseruation of Séeds and Plants, from all noysome and pestilent creatures, which being practised with care and diligence, will giue vnto euery honest minde the satisfaction he desireth.

[Sidenote: The conclusion of the Kitchen Garden.]

Now to conclude this small tract or Treatise of the Husbandmans _Kitchen Garden_, I would haue euery honest Reader vnderstand, that I haue not taken vpon me to modell out any curious shape or proportion, but onely figured out a perfect nourcerie, shewing you how to bréed and bring vp all things fit for health or recreation which being once brought to mature and ripe age, you may dispose into those proper places which may become their worthinesse, in which worke I would haue your owne fancy your owne directour, for I may giue preheminence to that you least like, and disestéeme that most which to you may séeme most worthy, therefore let your owne iudgement order your Garden, like your house, and your hearbs like your furniture, placing the best in the best places, & such as are most conspicuous, and the rest according to their dignities in more inferiour roomes, remembring that your galleries, great chambers, and lodgings of state doe deserue Arras, your Hall Wainscote, and your meanest offices some _Boscadge_, or cleanly painting: from this alligorie if you can draw any wit, you may finde without my further instruction how to frame Gardens of all sorts to your owne contentment.

THE SECOND PART
OF THE SECOND BOOKE
of the _English Husbandman_: Contayning
the ordering of all sorts of VVoods, and
the breeding of Cattell.

CHAP. I.

_Of the beginning of Woods, first sowing, and necessarie vse._

[Sidenote: Wood better then Gold.]

[Sidenote: The excellent vses of Wood.]

It is a Maxime held in Plantations, that no land is habitable, which hath not Wood & Water, they two being as it were the only nerues & strength of a mans safe and wholesome liuing, and I haue heard many wise Gentlemen, exercised, and ingaged, in the most noble and euer laudable workes of our new Plantations, both of _Virgina_ and the Summer-_Ilands_ affirme, that they had rather, for a generall profit, haue a fertile wholesome land, with much wood, then (wanting wood) with a Mine of gold: so infinite great is the vse of Timber (whose particulars I néede not rehearse) and so insufferable is the want, when we are any way pinched with the same. And hence it springeth that our olde auncestors (whose vertues would God we would in some small measure imitate) when they found any hard and barraine earth, such as was vnapt for grasse; or at least such as bare but grasse that would kéepe life, not comfort life, they presently plowed it vp, and sowed thereon Acornes, Ash-keyes, Maple knots, Béech apples, Hawes, Slowes, Nuts, Bullis, and all other séeds of trées in innumerable quantity, as may appeare by the Forrests of _Del la mere_, _Sherwood_, _Kings wood_, and many other within this kingdome of huge great spaciousnes and compasse, from whom when the wood is spoiled, the soyle serueth to little or no purpose, except it be the kéeping aliue of a few poore shéepe, which yéeld but little profit more then their carkasse. Thus euen from the first age of the world hath our forefathers béene euer most carefull to preserue and encrease wood, and for mine owne part I haue euer obserued in all those places where I haue séene Woods decayed and destroyed, that the charge of stubbing and other necessaries allowed; those lands haue neuer againe yéelded the former profit, for the greatest exhaustment that euer I saw of wood ground was to bring it to tenne shillings an Acre when it was conuerted to pasture, and being kept to wood, it was worth euery seauentéenth yéere one and twenty pound. A simple Auditor may cast the account of this profit, but such is our gréedinesse, that for our instant vse we little respect the good of ours, or our neighbours. But it is no part of my Bookes method to call offences to question, but onely to right the Husbandman in his iourney to ordinarie profit. Know then that there is nothing more profitable to the Husbandman, then the encreasing and nourishing of wood; from whence (as our common lawes termes it) springs these thrée bootes or necessary commodities, to wit House-boote, Plowe-boote, and Fire-boote, without the first we haue neither health, couert, ease, nor safety from sauage beasts: without the second we cannot haue the fruits of the earth, nor sustenance for our bodies, nor without the last can we defend off the sharp Winters, or maintaine life against the numbing colds which would confound vs. The consideration of these thrée things only, might enduce vs to the preseruation of this most excellent commodity: but the other infinite necessities & vses which we make of wood, as shipping, by which we make our selues Lords of the Seas: fencing which is the bond of concord amongst neighbours: solution & trial of Mines, from whence springs both our glory in peace, and our strength in warre, with a world of others sutable vnto them, should be motiues vnresistable to make vs with all diligence hast to the most praise-worthy labour of planting wood, in euery place and corner, where it may any way conueniently be receiued.

[Sidenote: The plantation of Wood.]

If then the Husbandman shall liue in a high barraine Countrey (for low-valleyes, marshes, or such grounds as are subiect to inundations, seldome nourish wood well) or in a soyle though not vtterly barraine, yet of so hard and sower encrease, that the hearbage doth in the profit but in small quantity, I would wish him after a generall triall of his earth, to deuide it into thrée equall parts, the first and the fruitfullest I would haue him preserue for pasture for his Cattell of all kindes: the second and next in fertility for corne, being no more then those cattell may till, and the last & most barraine to imploy for wood: which though he stay long for the profit, yet will pay the interest double. And this ground thus chosen for wood, I would haue him plowe vp from the swarth about the latter end of Februarie, and if it be light earth, as either sand, grauell, or a mixt hazel earth, then immediatly to sow it with Acornes, Ash-keyes, Elme & Maple knots, Béech-apples, Chesnuts, Ceruisses, Crabs, Peares, Nuts of all kindes, Hawes, Hips, Bullice, Slowes, and all manner of other wood séeds whatsoeuer, and as soone as they are sowne with strong Oxe harrowes of iron, to harrow and breake the earth, in such sort, that they may be close and safely couered. And in the plowing of this earth, you must diligently obserue to turne vp your furrowes as déepe as is possible, that the séede taking strong and déepe roote, may the better and with more safety encrease, and defend it selfe against stormes and tempests, whereas if the roote be but weakely fixed, the smallest blasts will shake the Trées, and make them crooked, wrythen, and for small vse but fire onely.

[Sidenote: The fencing of young woods.]

[Sidenote: When cattell may graze in Springs.]

After you haue harrowed your earth, and laide your séede safe, you shall fence your ground about with a strong and large fence, and hedge, ditch, pale, or such like, which may kéepe out all manner of foure-footed beasts, for comming within the same, for the space of tenne yéeres after: for you shall vnderstand, that if any cattell shall come where young wood is péeping aboue the earth, or whilst it is young, tender, and soft, they will naturally crop and brouse vpon the same, and then be sure that the wood which is so bitten, will neuer prosper or spring vp to any height, but turne to bushie shrubs and ill-fauoured tufts, pestring the ground without any hope of profit, whereas if it be defended and kept safe the space of tenne yéeres at the least, it will after defend it selfe, and prosper in despight of any iniurie: and then after that date you may safely turne your cattell into the same, and let them graze at pleasure, and surely you shall finde it a great reliefe for your young beast, as your yearling Haiffers, Bullocks, Colts, Fillies, and such like: for I would not wish you to let any elder cattell come within the same, because the grasse though it be long, yet it is sower and scowring, and by that meanes will make your cattell for labour weake and vnhealthie, whether it be Oxe or Horse, and for milch-Kine, it will instantly dry vp their milke, but for idle heilding beasts, whose profit is comming after, it will serue sufficiently.

[Sidenote: The vse of the clay ground for Wood.]

Now if the earth whereon you sowe your wood, be a stiffe clay ground, and onely barraine through the extreamitie of colde, wet, or such like, as is séene in daily experience: you shall then plowe vp the ground at the end of Ianuarie in déepe furrowes, as is before rehearsed; and then let it rest till it haue receiued two or thrée good Frosts, then after those Frosts some wet, as either snow or raine, and then the next faire season after sowe it, as afore-said, and harrow it, and you shall sée the mould breake and couer most kindely, which without this baite, and order, it would not doe, then fence it as afore-said, and preserue it from cattell for tenne yéeres after.

[Sidenote: A speciall note.]

And here is to be noted that one Oake growing vpon a clay ground, is worth any fiue which growes vpon the sand, for it is more hard, more tough, and of much longer indurance, not so apt to teare, ryue, or consume, either with Lyme, Rubbish, or any casuall moysture, whence it comes that euer your Ship-wrights or Mill-wrights desire the clay Oake for their vse, and the Ioyner the sand Oake for smoothnesse and waynscote. And thus much for the sowing of Wood, and his generall vses.

* * * * *

CHAP. II.

_The deuision of vnder-Woods, their sale, and profit._

[Sidenote: The deuision of Woods.]

[Sidenote: The valew of vnder-wood.]

Whosoeuer be a Lord or Master of much vnder-wood, which is indéede young spring-wood of all kindes, growing thicke and close together, either from the séede, as is declared in the former Chapter, or from the rootes of former salles, the first being a profit begotten by him selfe, the other a right left by purchase or inheritance, and desire, as it is the dutie of euery vertuous husband, to make his best and most lawfullest profit thereof, hauing not left vnto him any president of former commodity. In this case you shall suruay the whole circuit of your wood, with euery corner and angle there vnto belonging, and then as your abilitie and the quantity of your ground shall afford, you shall deuide your whole wood either into twelue, seauentéene, or one and twenty parts of equall Acres, Roodes, or Rods, and euery yeare you shall sell or take to your owne vse one of those parts, so that one following yearely after another, our sales may continue time out of minde, and you shall imploy as you please so much wood euery yeare of either twelue, seauentéene, or one and twenty yeares growth. And in this you shal note that the sale of one and twenty, doth farre excéede that of seauentéene, and that of seauentéene as farre that of twelue: but in this it is quantity, and your necessity that must direct you, and not my demonstration: for there be fewe Husbands but know that an Acre of one and twenty yéeres growth, may be worth twenty, nay thirty pounds, that of seauentéene worth eight or ten pounds, and that of twelue, fiue and sixe pounds, according to the goodnesse of the wood, insomuch that the longer a man is able to stay, the greater sure is his profit: but fewell and fence must of necessity be had, and if a man haue but twelue acres of wood, I sée not but he must be forced to take euery yéere one acre for his owne reliefe, and if hée take more, hée must either necessarily spoyle all, or driue himselfe into extreame want in fewe yeares following: and therefore it is méete that euery good husband shape his garment according to his cloath, and onely take plenty where plenty is; yet with this husbandly caution that euer the elder your sale is, the richer it is, as you may perceiue by the well husbanded Woods of many Bishoprickes in this land, which are not cut but at thirtie yeares growth.

[Sidenote: Of the sale of vnder-woods.]

When you haue made your deuisions according to your quantity, you shall begin your sale at an out-side where cariages may enter without impeachment to the springs you intend not to cut, and a pole or halfe pole according to the quantity of ground, you shall preserue (being next of all to the outmost fence) to repaire the ring fences of your Wood, and to seperate the new sale from the standing Wood: and this amongst Woodwards is called Plash-pole. Then at the latter end of Ianuarie you may begin to cut downe your vnder-wood, and sell it either by acres, roodes, perches, poles, roddes, or dozens, according to the quantitie of your earth, or the abilitie of your buyers. And in this sale I cannot set you downe any certaine price, because true iudgement, and the goodnesse of your wood must onely giue you direction, things being euer valewed according to their worth and substance, and this sale or the cutting downe of vnder-wood, you may continue from the latter end of Ianuarie, till midde Aprill, at which time the leafe begins to bud forth, or somewhat longer if necessitie vrge you: the like you may also doe from the beginning of September, at which time the leafe beginnes to shed till the middest of Nouember.

[Sidenote: How to cut vnder-woods.]

Now for the manner of cutting downe your vnder-woods, although the lawes of the Kingdome shew you what dutie you shall performe therein, what Timber you shall preserue, and how néere each Weauer shall stand one to another, yet I would wish you both for your owne and the Common-wealths sake, to performe somewhat more then that to which you are by law compelled, & therefore you shall giue direction to your wood fallers, that when they shall méete with any faire and straight well growne sapling, Oake, Elme, Ash, or such like, to preserue them, and let them stand still, being of such fit distance one from another, that they may not hinder or trouble each other in their growing, and when you shall finde vpon a cluster many faire Plants or Saplings; you shall view which is the fairest of them all, and it preserue onely, and the rest cut away, that it may prosper the better: also if you finde any faire and well growne fruit Trées, as Peares, Chesnuts, Seruisses, and such like, you shall let them stand and cleare them from the droppings of the taller trées, and you shall finde the profit make you recompence. Now for the generall cutting vp of the wood, you shall cut it about sixe inches aboue the ground, and drawing your strokes vpward, cut the wood slope-wise, for that is best to hasten on the new Spring; and those Weauers or young which you preserue and suffer to growe still, you shall prune and trimme as you passe by them, cutting away all superfluous branches, twigges, and young spyers, which shall grow either néere vnto the roote, or vpon any part of the boale, which is fit to be preserued for Timber, and if you shall finde that the earth haue by any casualty forsaken the root, and left it bare, which is hurtfull to the growth of the Trée, you shall lay fresh earth vnto it, and ram the same hard and fast about it.

[Sidenote: The fencing of salles.]

[Sidenote: The Woodwards duty.]

Thus when you haue made an end of cutting downe your sale, and that the wood is cleansed and carried away, and all the loose and scattered stickes raked vp into seuerall heapes, and caried away also; for it is the part of euerie good husband and Woodward, not to sée any wood lye and rot vpon the ground; you shall then with the vnder-wood preserued in the Plash-pole, deuide by a strong hedge this new cut downe sale from the other elder growne wood, and for tenne yéeres, as before is spoken, not suffer any foure-footed beast to come within the same; from which rule you shall learne this lesson, that it is the Woodwards duty euery day to looke ouer all his young Springs, and if by any mischance or negligence cattell shall happen to breake into them (as many times they doe) then shall he not onely driue forth or impound such Cattell, but also suruay how farre and which Plants they haue cropt, and hauing spied them, with his wood Bill, presently cut the Plants so brouzed close by the bottomes of the last shuts, and then they will newly put forth againe, as well as if they had neuer béene hindred: which done, he shall finde out where the cattell brake in; and then mend the same, so well and sufficiently, that it may preuent the like mischiefe. Also if these young springs shall stand néere vnto Forrests or elder Woods, which are full of wilde Deare, and be no purlewes belonging vnto the same, the Woodward then shall neuer walke without a little dogge following him, with which he shall chase such Deare out of his young springs, because it is to be vnderstood, that the brouzing of Deare is as hurtfull to young wood, as that of any other cattell whatsoeuer. And thus much touching the ordering and gouernment of vnder-woods, with their sales, and the nourishing vp of greater Timber.

* * * * *

CHAP. III.

_Of High Woods, and their Plantation._

[Sidenote: What high Woods are.]

[Sidenote: The beginning of high Woods.]

High Woods are those which containe onely Trées for Timber, and are not pestred or imbraced with the vnder growth of small brush wood, such as Hazels, White-thorne, Sallowes and Poplar are; these for the most part consist of Oakes, Ash, Elme, Béech, Maple, and such like, growing so remote and seperate one from another, that although their tops and branches méete, and as it were infolde one within another, yet at the rootes a man may walke or ride about them without trouble. These high Woods had their first beginnings from the séeds, as was before declared, and nourisht from age to age amongst the vnder-woods, which, when men began to want foode for their bréede-Cattell, and that from the super-abundance of young Woods, they found some might conueniently be spared, they forth-with in stead of cutting downe their young wood aboue the earth, began to digge it vp by the rootes, and with stubbe Axes to teare the meane sinewes from the ground, so that it might not renew or encrease againe, and then leuelling the earth, and laying it smooth and plaine, to leaue nothing standing but the tall Timber trées, betwéene which the grasse had more libertie to growe, and Cattell more abundance to féede on, and all be not so long and well able to fill the mouth, as that which growes in the thicke springs, yet much more swéet and better able to nourish any thing that shall graze vpon the same, by reason that the Sunne and Frosts hauing more frée power to enter into the ground, the earth is so much the better seasoned, and bringeth forth her encrease with more swéetnesse.

[Sidenote: The Plantation of high Woods.]

Some are of opinion, that these high Woods may as well be planted as sowne, and that many of them from the first beginning haue béene so, to which opinion I consent in part: for doubtlesse I am perswaded, that many small Groues of Ash, Elme, Béech and Poplar haue béene planted, for we sée in our daily experience, and the new walkes in _More-fields_ by _London_, are a perfect testimonie, that such Plantations may be without trouble or danger: but for the Oake to be taken vp and replanted, is very hard, and very seldome in vse, neither shall a man in an whole Age sée any Oake remoued come to perfection or goodnesse, but growe crooked, knottie, and at the best, but for the vse of fewell onely: but for the other before rehearsed, you may remoue them when they are a dozen yeares of age, and plant them where you please: and if the earth haue in it any goodnesse at all, they will take root and grow both spéedily, and plentifully. And since I am thus farre entred into the plantation of Woods, I will shew you how you shall plant and remoue euery Trée in his due manner and season.

[Sidenote: Of Planting the Elme.]

And first for the planting of the Elme, which is an excellent Trée for shadow, and the adorning of walkes or dwelling houses, you shall make choise of those Plants which are straightest, soundest, the barke euen and vntwound, and at least eightéene or twenty inches in compasse: these you shall digge out of the ground, roote and all, then at the top of the head, about thrée fingers vnder the knot, where the maine armes seuerally issue forth, you shall a little slope-wise cut the head cleane off them, and mixing clay and a little horse-dung, or fine ashes together, couer the head round about there-with, then ouer the same wrap Mosse, or fine Hay, and binde it about with soft clouen Oziers, or some such like bands, then with a sharpe pruning Bill cut euery seuerall branch of the roote within a finger or two of the stocke; which done, and the roote pickt cleane, you shall make a hole to be digged in the place, where you meane to plant the Elme iust of that depth, the hole was from whence you digged out the Elme, that so much and no more of the Elme may be hidden in the earth, then was formerly at his remouing; and this hole you shall make spacious and easie; and that the mould be soft and loose both vnderneath and round about the roote of the Elme, which done, you shall place your Elme in the same, straight and vpright, without either swaruing one way or other, which for your better certaintie, you may proue either with plumbe, leuell, or other instrument, which being perfected, you shall with rich fresh mould well mixt with olde meanure, couer and ram the same fast in the earth, in such sort, that no reasonable strength may moue or shake it: and all this worke must be done in the encrease of the Moone, either in the moneth of October, or at the latter end of Ianuary: but the latter end of Ianuarie is euer helde the best and safest, for there is no question but you shall sée flourishing Trées the next Summer after: and in this sort you may likewise remoue either Béech, Witcher, or Popler, bestowing them either in Groues, Walkes, Hedge-rowes, or other places of shadow, as shall séeme best to your contentment: for their natures being alike, their growthes and flourishings haue little difference.

[Sidenote: Of Planting the Ash.]

[Sidenote: Obiection.]

[Sidenote: Answere.]

Now for the replanting or remouing the Ash, though not much, yet there is some difference, for it is not at the first so spéedie a putter forth, and flourisher, as the others be: but for the first yeare laboureth more to bestow and fixe his roote in the earth, then to spread forth his vpper branches, and although some Woodwards are of opinion, that so much as the Ash is aboue the ground, so much hée will be vnder before he begin to flourish outwardly, yet experience doth find it erronious, for though it be for the first yéere a little slower then other Trées, yet when it beginneth to flourish, it will ouer-take the spéediest grower. Therefore when you do intend to plant Ashes for a spéedy profit, you shall not according to the olde custome chuse the smooth, small, long Plants, which are hardly thrée inches in compasse, and haue put out hardly any branches, and are such as grow from the rootes of elder Ashes cut downe before, which our auncient Woodwards haue vsed to slip or cleaue from those rootes, no, these are the worst sorts of Plants: but you shall take the true ground-Ash, which springeth from his owne proper roote, being smooth, euen, sound, and straight without bruise, canker, or other impediment. This you shall digge vp by the root, being as is before said almost twenty inches in compasse, and hauing cleansed the roote, you shall leaue each spray not aboue halfe a foote, or eight inches in length; but for the small thréeds or tassels of the roote, those you shall cut cleane away close by the wood, and so plant it in euery point, as was shewed you for the planting of the Elme, onely the top thereof you shall by no meanes cut off, because it is a trée of pith, which to deuide or lay bare, were very dangerous; and the best season for the planting of this Trée, is euer in the encrease of the Moone, at the fall of the leafe, which is from the beginning of October till midde Nouember, and at no other time, for it would euer haue a whole Winter to fasten his roote, and to gather strength, that it may bud forth his leafe the Summer following. Thus you sée how you may plant Groues or Copses at your pleasure, and make vnto your selfe high Woods according to your owne pleasure. But you will obiect vnto me, that you liue in such a champaine Countrey, that albe these Plantations might bréede vnto you infinite pleasure, yet the pouerty thereof in wood is such that these Plants are not there to be found for any money. To which I thus answere, That in this Kingdome there is not any Country so barraine, or farre off remote from wood, being a soyle fit to receiue wood: But his next neighbour-Country is able to furnish him, especially with these Plants at an easie reckoning: as for example, I hold _Northampton_ shire one of the barrennest for Wood, yet best able to beare wood, and hath not he his neighbour _Huntington_ shire and _Leicester_ shire about him, where nurceries of these Plants are bred and preserued for the sale onely: Nay, euen in _Holland_, in _Lincolne_ shire, which is the lowest of all Countries, and most vnlikely to holde such a commodity, I haue séene as goodly Timber as in any Forrest or Chase of this Kingdome: and thus much for the planting of high Woods.

* * * * *

CHAP. IIII.

_Of the preseruation, and sale of high Woods._

[Sidenote: Of Trees which take wet inwardly.]

It is not sufficient for the Husbandman to sowe, plant, and encrease wood about his grounds, conuerting his earth to the vttermost and extreamest profit that may spring from the same: but he must also be diligent to preserue and nourish his timber trées from all inconueniences that may any way annoy or afflict them: and to this end hée shall daily walke into his Woods, and with a searching eye suruay euery Trée which is of any account, and sée if he can finde any fault or annoyance about the same, and if casting his eye vp to the top, where the maine armes shoote forth themselues, he perceiue that by the breaking off of some arme or other riuen boughes, the wet and droppings of the leaues is sunke and fretted into the Timber, which in time will corrupt the heart, and make the Trée hollow. In this case he shall presently mount the Trée, and with his Bill, either cut the place so smooth that the wet may not rest thereon, or else hauing smoothed it so much as he may with conuenience, mixe stiffe clay and fine hay together, and with the same couer the place, in such manner, that it may put off the wet till it haue recouered new barke.

[Sidenote: Of Barke-bound.]

If hée shall perceiue any of his younger Trées to be Barke-bound, that is, so stiffe and straitly tied within their owne ryndes, that they cannot encrease or prosper: in this case he shall with a sharpe drawing knife, made in the proportion of a narrow _C_ draw and open the barke euen from the top of the bole of the Trée downe to the roote, and then clap Oxe dung into those slits, let the Trée rest, and in short space you shall sée it mightily encrease.

[Sidenote: Of Hornets and Dores.]

If he shall perceiue that _Hornets_, and _Dores_, or such like, haue found some little hollownesse in one of his Trées, and séeketh there to shelter and hide themselues, which in little space they will soone make larger, he shall forth-with besmeare all the place with Tarre and Goose-dung, and it will driue them thence.

[Sidenote: Of the Canker.]

If he shall finde that by the droppings of other Trées, some of his Trées shall grow cankerous, and loose their barke, which is an accident very vsuall, and the Trées whose barkes are so lost, will with great difficulty after prosper. In this case he shall annoynt the place with Tarre and Oyle mixt together, and then couer the place with clay, where the barke is wanting.

[Sidenote: Of Pismyers.]

If he shall perceiue any _Pismyer_ hilles or beds to be made against any of his Trées, which is very noysome, for they are great destroyers of the barks of Trées: he shall then with hot scalding water kill them, and throw the hill downe leuell and plaine with the earth.

[Sidenote: Of Iuy, Woodbine, and Misseltoe.]

If he shall find any _Iuy_, _Woodbine_, or _Mysteltoe_ to grow in or about any of his principall Trées, which doe strangle, suffocate, and kéepe them from encreasing, he shall forth-with digge vp the roots thereof, and then cut it away or loosen it from about the barks of the Trées.

[Sidenote: Of Thunder and Lightning.]

Lastly, if he shall perceiue that by _Thunder_, _Lightning_, or other plantarie stroakes, any of the armes of his well growne Trées be blasted or slaine, he shall forth-with cut them away, euen close to the quicke Wood, and make the place smooth and euen where they were ioyned: thus shall the carefull Husbandman with a vigilant eye, regard euery enormous and hurtfull thing that may offend his Timber, and by that meanes possesse more benefit from a fewe Roodes, then others doe from many Acres.

[Sidenote: Of the sale of tall Woods.]

Now when either necessity or the vrgent occasions of any néedfull vse, enforceth the Husbandman to make sale of any part of his tall Wood, in which Marchandise there is many prety and obscure secrets, such as are hard to be shewed by any Verball demonstration, for truly there is not any trucking or marting whatsoeuer, in which a man may sooner deceiue, or be deceiued, men buying and selling in a manner hood-winkt: for it is most certaine that no man can certainely tell either what peny-woorth hée selleth, or the other buyeth, so long as the Trée is standing, there be in Trées so many secret faults, and likewise when they are downe, and come to the breaking or burkning (as the Wood-man tearmes it) so many vnexpected vertues, as for mine owne part I haue often séene a Trée whose out-side hath promised all good hope, the barke being smooth and euen, the body large and great, and the armes high set on, and spaciously extended; yet when this Trée hath béene felled, and came to burkning, there hath béene found a hole in the top, which hath runne cleane though the heart, and vtterly spoyled the whole Timber: so likewise on the contrary part I haue séene a Trée very foule at the top, which is suspitious for rottennesse, whose armes haue growne so close and narrow together, that they haue promised little burthen, yet being cut downe, I haue séene that Trée passing sound, the armes double the loades in valuation, and the price being lesse then any, the proofe and goodnesse to excéede all; so that I must conclude it all together impossible to set downe any fixed or certaine rules either for the buyer or seller: but for as much as there are diuers worthie obseruances for both parts, and that it is as necessary to buy well as sell well, I will runne through euery particular obseruation, which doth belong both to the one and the other partie, with which when a mans minde is perfectly acquainted, he may with much bolder confidence aduenture to buy or sell in the open Market.

[Sidenote: How to chuse Timbers.]

[Sidenote: Of Mill Timber.]

[Sidenote: Timber to beare burthen.]

The first thing therefore that either buyer or seller should be skilfull in, is the choyse of all sorts of Timbers, and to know which is fit for euery seuerall purpose, the crooked and vneyely being for some vses of much higher price and reckoning then that which is plaine, straight, and euen growne, as thus for example. If you would buy Timber for Mill-whéeles, the heads of round Turrets, or any kinde of any worke whatsoeuer, you shall chuse that which is crooked and some-what bent, being sound, firme, and vnshaken. If you will chuse Timber for Summer Trées, Baulks, Iawnies, or Tracens, you shall chuse that which is most hartie, sound, and much twound, or as it were wrythen about, which you shall with great ease perceiue by the twinding or crooked going about of the barke, the graine whereof will as it were circle and lay round about the Trée. This Timber which is thus twound or wrythen, will by no meanes ryue or cleaue asunder, and therefore is estéemed the best to support and beare burthen, and the heart thereof will endure and last the longest.

[Sidenote: Timber for Pales, Wainscote, &c.]

If you will chuse Timber for Pales, Singles, Coopers-ware, Wainscote, or such like, then you shall euer chuse that which is smooth, euen, and straight growne, without any manner of twynding or shaking, which you shall perceiue by the straight and euen growing vp of the barke, whose crests will ascend straight and vpright, euen from the roote to the bottome, which is an assured token that all such Timber will shiuer and ryue into as thinne parts as a man would desire.

[Sidenote: Timber for Pyles or Water-workes.]

Lastly, if you would chuse Timber to make Pyles of, to driue into the earth, for the framing of Weares within the water, the heads of Ponds, or any other worke within the water then you shall chuse that which is most knottie (so it be sound) for that will driue without splitting, and continue in the earth the longest: and of all Timbers the Elme is accounted the best for this purpose, for it will continue almost euerlastingly in the earth without rotting; yet notwithstanding, the Oake is excellent good also: and thus much for the generall choise of Oakes.

[Sidenote: Vse of the Elme.]

Now if you would chuse Timber for weather-boards, or to be vsed in water-workes, or to make Planks for low moyst Vaults, then you shall chuse the biggest, soundest and smoothest growne _Elme_, it is also excellent good to make Kitchen tables of, or for boards, for the vse of Butchers. If you will chuse the most principallest Timber, for Cart or Waine Axel trées, for the naues of whéeles, or for any other vse of toughnesse, you shall chuse the _Elme_ onely, for it excéedeth all other Timbers, and though some Husbandmen are of opinion, that the _Elme_ Axel-trée when it is throughly heated, is then most apt to breake, they are much deceiued, for it will endure farre beyond Ash or any other Timber, except Yewgh, which for the scarsity is now of little vse in such a purpose. And herein you must obserue, that the _Elme_ which you chuse for Axel-trées must be straite, smooth, and without knots, but that which you chuse for naues, must be most knotty, twound, and the hardest to be broken or hewed asunder.

[Sidenote: Vse of the Ash.]

If you will chuse Timber for Ploughes, ordinary Axel-trées (for those of _Elme_ are speciall) the rings of whéeles harrow bulls, and such like, then you shall chuse the fairest, straightest, biggest, and smoothest growne Ash that you can finde, and from the roote end vpward, you shall cut out a length of Axel-trées, aboue it a length of shelbordes, and aboue it (if the Trée be so large) a length for heads and Skeathes, the largest armes which are somewhat bending, you shall elect for rings for whéeles, and so according to the bignesse of the Ash, and as your eye can proportion out what will be made of the same, you shall make valuation thereof.

[Sidenote: Vse of the Wall-nut tree.]

If you would chuse Timber for ioyned Tables, Cupbords, or Bedsteds, you shall then make choise of the fairest Walnut-trée you can finde, being olde, straight, vnknotted, and of a high boale: and although either Oake, or Ash will reasonably well serue for this purpose, yet the Walnut-trée is by many degrées the best of all other, for it is of smoothest graine, and to the eye most beautifull, prouided that by no meanes you put it into any worke, before it be excéedingly well seasoned.

[Sidenote: Vse of the Peare-tree.]

If you would chuse Timber for Ioynt-stooles, Chaires, or Chests, you shall then chuse the oldest Peare-trée so it be sound, for it is both smooth, swéet, and delicate, and though it be a very soft Wood, yet in any of these frames it is an excéeding long laster, and the heart thereof will neuer bréede worme, nor will it in any time loose the colour.

[Sidenote: Vse of the Maple, Beech, and Poplar.]

If you would chuse Timber for Trenchers, Dishes, or any Tourners ware, or for any in-laying worke, you shall then make choise of the fairest and soundest Maple, being smooth and vnknotted, for it is the plainest graine, and the whitest Wood of all other: and although either the Béech or Poplar will reasonably well serue for these purposes, yet is neither the colours so good, nor the Timber so long lasting. Many other Trées there are which may serue for many other purposes: but these are of most vse for our English Husbandman, and will sufficiently serue to passe through all his businesses.

[Sidenote: Of Char-coale.]

Touching Char-coale, you shall vnderstand, that Oake, Elme, and Ash, make your longest and best enduring Coale: the Birtch the finest and brightest Coale, and the Béech or Sallow the swiftest Coale. Now for your small Coale, the twigges of the Birtch makes that which kindles the soonest, and the White-thorne that which endures the longest.

[Sidenote: How to value Timber.]

Thus when you know how to chuse euery seuerall Trée, and the true vse and profit which can any way be made of the same, and by a practised experience can cast by the suruay and view of a standing Wood, the almost entire profit that may arise from the same, deuiding in your memory how many are for euery seuerall purpose, and to what reckoning they may amount one with the other, and blemishing (if you buy) the good with the bad, or making good (if you sell) the bad with those good ones which grow néere them, you may then boldly venture into any sale either as a buyer or seller at your pleasure, and sure if you know (as it is fit you should doe) the Market-able prices of all sorts of Timbers in those places, where you are either to buy or sell, as what a Mill-post is worth, what so many inches of well squared Timber, contayning so many foote in length, what a dozen of boards of such a size, what so many naues, spoakes, rings, sparres, or tracens, or what so much sound and good Plough-timber is worth, and then looking vpon a Trée, and computing what may euery way be made of the same, allowing the wast which will hardly sometimes defray the charge of breaking vp the Trée, you cannot but with great ease draw into your minde the true value of euery Trée, and the vttermost profit or losse may any way rise from the same.

[Sidenote: How to measure Timber by gesse.]

And in this worke I would haue you to obserue this rule very carefully, that is, when you come to any great Timber-trée, to fathome or embrace it about with both your armes, and then knowing what quantity your fathome is, and how many fathome girdleth the Trée round about, you may from former experience giue a certaine gesse what inches of squared Timber that Trée will beare, for if you haue found in former trials that twice your fathome in the rough barke hath borne twenty, or two and twenty inches squared, and now finde that the present Trée on which you looke, is no lesse, but rather with the bigger, you may boldly presume, that being sound, this trée can carrie no lesse square of good Timber: and thus much for the knowledge and choise of tall Woods.

[Sidenote: Best seasons for the sale.]

[Sidenote: The time for Chap-men.]

Now to come to the seasons & fittest times for sale of these high Woods: you shall vnderstand that it is méete for euery good husband which intendeth to sell any of his high Woods, to walke into the same immediately after Christmas, & whether they be in woods, Groues, hedge-rowes, or other places, to marke with a special marke all those Trées which he intendeth to sell, as well for the wéeding and cleansing out of all such as are decayed and wasted, as also to know the true number of both the good and bad, and thereby in some measure to compute the profit which will arise from the same, for to make sale of them otherwise confusedly, might bring much losse to a man happily, selling away those that would encrease their valewes, and kéepeing them which daily would decrease their goodnesse, or so vnorderly vnmixing his Wood, that where one faire and good Trée would draw a mans eye from beholding diuers which are doated, now that onely taken away, the rest will remaine, and neuer be sale-able, and therefore euer as néere as you can so suite and match your Trées together, that in your sales you may neuer passe away an absolute worthie Trée: but you may euer couple some which haue defects to goe with it, as in these dayes we sée Warriners and Poulters sell Rabbets, a fat and a leane euer coupled together. When you haue thus marked out what you meane to sell, and disposed your sale according to your best profit, after notice giuen vnto the Country in the Market Townes néere adioyning, you shall begin your sale the Candlemasse following, which sale you may continue all the Spring, according to the greatnesse thereof, or the quicknesse of buyers. Now for any rules or orders to be obserued in these sales, I can prescribe you none certaine, because it is méete that euery one binde himselfe to the customes of the Country in which he liueth, whose variations are diuers, for almost euery one is seuerall, onely in the maine they holde together, which is that they seldome make publike sales for money downe vpon the head, but for a certaine payment some fewe moneths after, which makes the Marchandise more lookt to, and the sales goe away the faster; and in this the Sales-man must be circumspect in the choise of his Chap-men, and where hée findeth any doubt there to make one neighbour stand bound for another, as for the earnest penny it is euer ouer and aboue the price, and must be laide downe at the binding vp of the bargaine, which earnest is in some Countries foure pence in the pound, in some eight pence, and in some twelue pence, according to the goodnesse of the Timber, and hath euer béene taken for a fée due to the Sales-man for his paines and attendance: and sure if he be carefully honest, it is a merrit well bestowed: if otherwise, it is much too much for falshood, for in him consists the owners losse or profit, and therefore it may become any man, of what place so euer, to take a strickt account from such an officer: or if he haue any doubt euer to ioyne with him in commission, another of contrary faction.

[Sidenote: When to cut downe Timber.]

When you haue made sale of your Timber, you shall by no meanes let it be cut downe till the end of Aprill, at which time the sap ascending vpward, will loosen the bark, and make it come from the body of the Trée easily. You shall cut your Timber downe close by the earth, not digge it vp by the rootes, vnlesse you meane vtterly to destroy it, for from the spurnes of the roote will arise new Spiers, which in processe of time, will come to another Trée. As soone as you haue felled your Oakes, you shall with your Axe immediatly whilst the sap is wet, take all the barke from the body and the armes, and setting it end-wayes as vp one by another, so place it, that the winde may passe through it, and dry it, and then sell it to the Tanners, which will giue you a good price therefore, according to the worth and scarsity thereof. When your Trées are barkt, you shall then sawe the body into such lengthes of Timber, as shall be méete for the purpose for which it is bought, or in such sort as it may be best portable: the armes also you shall hewe from the body, and so burken or breake them vp, as they may be fit to be loaded: all which done, and the Timber caried away, you shall, if you intend to haue the Wood renew, fence in the sale, and kéepe it safe from Cattell: and thus much for the preseruation and sale of high Woods.

CHAP. V.

_Of the breeding of Wood in rich champaine soyles._