68 S Y L V A BOOK i 



think they cannot take them too young ; but expe- 

 rience (the best mistress) tells us, that you can hardly 

 plant an elm too big. There are who pare away the 

 root within two fingers of the stem, and quite cut off 

 the head ; but I cannot commend this extream severity, 

 no more than I do the strewing of oats in the pit ; 

 which fermenting with the moisture and frequent 

 waterings, is believed much to accelerate the putting 

 forth of the roots ; not considering, that for want of 

 air they corrupt and grow musty, which more 

 frequently suffocates the roots, and endangers the 

 whole tree. 



7. I have affirmed how patient this tree is of 

 transplantation ; not only for that I observe so few of 

 them to grow wild in England, and where it may not 

 be suspected, but they or their predecessors have been 

 planted by some industrious hand ; but for that those 

 incomparable walks and vistas of them, both at 

 Aranjuez, Casal del Campo, Madrid, the Escurial, and 

 other places of delight, belonging to the King and 

 Grandees of Spain, are planted with such as they 

 report Philip the second caused to be brought out of 

 England ; before which (as that most honourable 

 person the Earl of Sandwich, when his Majesty's 

 Ambassador Extraordinary at that Court writ to me) 

 it does not appear there were any of those trees in all 

 Spain. But of that plantation, see it more particu- 

 larly describ'd in the Eighth Chapter, Book m d of 

 this Discourse, whither I refer my reader : Whilst 

 (as to my own inclination) I know of no tree amongst 

 all the foresters, becoming the almost interminat 

 lontananza of walks and vistas, comparable to this 

 majestick plant : But let us hear it as sweetly advised 

 as described ; 



