INTRODUCTION Ixi 



present reprint of the 4th edition, making the I2th edition 

 of this classic work. 



The publication of Syha gave an enormous stimulus to 

 planting in Britain, the benefits from which were subsequently 

 reaped at the end of the XVIII and the beginning of the XIX 

 century, when during our war with France the supply of 

 oak timber for shipbuilding almost entirely ran out. Dr. 

 Hunter's editions did much to revive the ardour for planting, 

 which was further stimulated by the Quarterly Review 

 article and by the advice which Sir Walter Scott put into the 

 mouth of the Laird o' Dumbiedykes to his son : 'Jock, when ye 

 hae naething else to do, ye may be aye sticking in a tree; it will 

 be growing, Jock, when ye're sleeping.' To the impetus then 

 given to planting, many of the woods now growing in different 

 parts of Britain, and especially in Scotland, owe their origin. 



As Evelyn had given the copyright to Allestry, the Royal 

 Society's printer, Syha brought no pecuniary profit to its 

 author ; and indirectly it was the cause of disappointment 

 to him. How this came about may be seen from the following 

 extract from a letter, dated 4th August 1690, to his friend 

 the Countess of Sunderland, which is further of interest as 

 giving Evelyn's own account of the origin of Syha * when 

 many yeares ago I came from rambling abroad, observ'd a 

 little time there, and a greate deale more since I came home 

 than gave me much satisfaction, and (as events have prov'd) 

 scarce worth one's pursuite, I cast about how I should employ 

 the time which hangs on most young men's hands, to the 

 best advantage ; and when books and severer studies grew 

 tedious, and other impertinence would be pressing, by which 

 innocent diversions I might sometime relieve my selfe without 

 complyance to recreations I took no felicity in, because they 

 did not contribute to any improvement of the mind. This 

 set me upon planting of trees, and brought forth my " Sylva, " 

 which booke, infinitely beyond my expectation, is now also 

 calling for a fourth impression, and has been the occasion of 

 propagating many millions of usefull timber trees thro'out 

 this nation, as I may justifie (without im'odesty) from ye 

 many letters of acknowledgement receiv'd from gentlemen of 

 the first quality, and others altogether strangers to me. His 

 late Majesty Charles the 2nd. was sometimes graciously 



