76 S Y L V A BOOK i 



in the chapter of ashes, sowing them in autumn, or 

 later, even after January, or rather nearer the spring, 

 to preserve them from vermin, which are very great 

 devourers of them. But they are likewise to be 

 planted of young seedlings, to be drawn out of the 

 places where the fruitful trees abound. In trans- 

 planting them, cut off only the boughs and bruised 

 parts two inches from the stem, to within a yard of 

 the top, but be very sparing of the root : This for 

 such as are of pretty stature. They make spreading 

 trees, and noble shades with their well furnish'd and 

 glistering leaves, being set at forty foot distance, but 

 they grow taller, and more upright in the forests, 

 where I have beheld them at eight and ten foot, 

 shoot into very long poles ; but neither so apt for 

 timber, nor fuel : The shade unpropitious to corn 

 and grass, but sweet, and of all the rest, most refresh- 

 ing to the weary shepherd lentus in umbra^ ecchoing 

 Amaryllis with his oten pipe. Mabillon tells us in 

 his Itinerary, of the old beech at Villambrosa, to 

 be still flourishing, (and greener than any of the rest) 

 under whose umbrage the famous eremit Gualbertus 

 had his cell. 



This tree planted in pallisade, affords a useful and 

 pleasant skreen to shelter orange and other tender 

 case-trees from the parching sun, &c. growing very 

 tall, and little inferior to the horn-beam, or Dutch- 

 elm. In the valleys (where they stand warm, and in 

 consort) they will grow to a stupendous procerity, 

 though the soil be stony and very barren : Also upon 

 the declivities, sides, and tops of high hills, and 

 chalky mountains especially, for tho' they thrust not 

 down such deep and numerous roots as the oak ; and 

 grow to vast trees, they will strangely insinuate their 



