168 SYLVA BOOK i 



bearers, some are sterile, and whatever you raise of 

 them, will never come to bear ; and therefore by 

 some they are called the male sort, as Mr. Ray (that 

 learned botanist) has observed. The ozier is of that 

 emolument, that in some places I have heard twenty 

 pounds has been given for one acre ; ten is in this 

 part an usual price ; and doubtless, it is far preferable 

 to the best corn-land ; not only for that it needs but 

 once planting, but because it yields a constant crop 

 and revenue to the world's end ; and is therefore in 

 esteem of knowing persons, valu'd in purchase accord- 

 ingly ; consider'd likewise how easily 'tis renew'd 

 when a plant now and then fails, by but pricking in 

 a twig of the next at hand, when you visit to cut 

 them : We have in the parish near Greenwich, where 

 I lately dwelt, improv'd land from less than one 

 pound, to near ten pounds the acre : And when we 

 shall reflect upon the infinite quantities of them we 

 yearly bring out of France and Flanders, to supply 

 the extraordinary expence of basket-work, fc. for 

 the fruiterers, lime-burners, gardeners, coopers, pack- 

 ers-up of all sorts of ware, and for general carriage, 

 which seldom last above a journey or two, I greatly 

 admire gentlemen do no more think of employing 

 their moist grounds (especially, where tides near fresh 

 rivers are reciprocal) in planting and propagating 

 oziers. To omit nothing of the culture of this useful 

 ozier, Pliny would have the place to be prepared by 

 trenching it a foot and half deep, and in that, to fix 

 the sets, or cuttings of the same length at six foot 

 interval. These (if the sets be large) will come 

 immediately to be trees ; which after the first three 

 years, are to be abated within two foot of the ground. 

 Then in April he advises to dig about them : Some 



