90 S Y L V A BOOK i 



plow-lands ; for the roots will be obnoxious to the 

 coulter ; and the shade of the tree is malignant both 

 to corn and grass, when the head and branches over- 

 drip and emaciate 'em ; but in hedge-rows and plumps, 

 they will thrive exceedingly, where they may be 

 dispos'd at nine or ten foot distance, and sometimes 

 nearer : But in planting of a whole wood of several 

 kinds of trees for timber, every third set at least, 

 would be an ash. The best ash delights in the best 

 land (which it will soon impoverish) yet grows in 

 any ; so it be not over-stiff, wet, and approaching to 

 the marshy, unless it be first well drain'd : By the 

 banks of sweet, and crystal rivers and streams, I have 

 observ'd them to thrive infinitely. One may observe 

 as manifest a difference in the timber of ashes, as of 

 the oak ; much more than is found in any one kind 

 of elm, cceteris paribus : For so the ground-ash (like 

 the oak) much excels a bough, or branch of the same 

 bulk, for strength and toughness ; and in yet farther 

 emulation of the oak, it has been known to prove as 

 good and lasting timber for building, nay, preferr'd 

 before it, where there has been plenty of oak ; vast 

 difference there is also in the strength of ground, and 

 quarter'd ash : 'Tis likewise remarkable that the ash, 

 like the cork-tree, grows when the bark is as it were 

 quite peel'd off, as has been observ'd in several 

 forests, where the deer have bared them as far as 

 they could climb : Some ash is curiously camleted 

 and vein'd, I say, so differently from other timber, 

 that our skilful cabinet-makers prize it equal with 

 ebony, and give it the name of green ebony, which 

 the customer pays well for ; and when our wood-men 

 light upon it, they may make what money they will 

 of it : But to bring it to that curious lustre, so as 



