CHAP, xix S YL V A 171 



till the third ; you may then lop them traverse, and 

 not obliquely, at one foot from the ground, or some- 

 what more, and they will head to admiration ; but 

 such which are cut at three foot height, are most 

 durable, as least soft and aquatick : They may also be 

 graffed 'twixt the bark, or budded ; and then they 

 become so beautiful, as to be fit for some kind of de- 

 lightful walks ; and this I wish were practised among 

 such as are seated in low and marshy places, not so 

 friendly to other trees. Every acre at eleven or 

 twelve years growth, may yield you near a hundred 

 load of wood : Cut them in the Spring for dressing, 

 but in the Fall for timber and fuel : I have been 

 inform'd, that a gentleman in Essex, has lopp'd no less 

 than 2000 yearly, all of his own planting. It is far 

 the sweetest of all our English fuel, (ash not except- 

 ed) provided it be sound and dry, and emitting little 

 smoak, is the fittest for ladies chambers ; and all those 

 woods and twigs would be cut either to plant, work 

 with, or burn in the dryest time of the day. 



To confirm what we have advanc'd in relation to 

 the profit which may be made by this husbandry, see 

 what comes to me from a worthy person whom we 

 shall have occasion to mention, with great respect, 

 in the next chapter, when we speak of quicksets. 



The considerable improvement which may be 

 made in common fields, as well as inclosed grounds, 

 he demonstrates by a little spot of meadow, of about 

 a rod and half ; part of which being planted about 

 50 years since with willows (in a clump not exceed- 

 ing four pole in length, on one side about 12) several 

 of them at the first and second lopping, being left 

 with a strait top, run up like elms, to 30 or 40 foot 

 in height ; which some years since yielded boards of 



