CHAP, in SYLVA 55 



yet firm, for knee-timber in shipping, millwheels, sfxr, 

 In a word, how absolutely necessary the oak is above 

 all the trees of the forest in naval-architecture, &c. 

 consult Whitson, lib. I. cap. 13. 



Were planting of these woods more in use, we 

 should banish our hoops of hazel, &c. for those of 

 good copse-oak, which being made of the younger 

 shoots, are exceeding tough and strong : One of them 

 being of ground-oak, will outlast six of the best 

 ash ; but this our coopers love not to hear of, who 

 work by the great for sale, and for others. The 

 smaller trunchions and spray, make billet, bavine and 

 coals ; and the bark is of price with the tanner and 

 dyer, to whom the very saw-dust is of use, as are the 

 ashes and lee for bucking linnen ; and to cure the 

 roapishness of wine : And 'tis probable the cups of 

 our acorns would tan leather as well as the bark, I 

 wonder no body makes the experiment, as it is done 

 in Turky with the va/onia, which is a kind of acorn 

 growing on the oaks. The ground-oak, while young, 

 is us'd for poles, cudgels and walking-staffs, much 

 come into mode of late, but to the wast of many a 

 hopeful plant which might have prov'd good timber ; 

 and I the rather declaim against the custom, because 

 I suspect they are such as are for the most part cut, 

 and stolen by idle persons, and brought up to London 

 in great bundles, without the knowledge or leave of 

 the owners, who would never have glean'd their 

 copses for such trifling uses. Here I am again to 

 give a general notice of the peculiar excellency of the 

 roots of most trees, for fair, beautiful, chamleted and 

 lasting timber, applicable to many purposes ; such as 

 formerly made hafts for daggers, hangers, knives, 

 handles for staves, tabacco-boxes, and elegant joyners- 



