176 SYLVA BOOK i 



be sufficiently guarded with munitions from all exter- 

 nal injuries ? For, as old Tusser, 



IF CATTEL, OR TONY MAY ENTER TO CROP, 

 YOUNG OAK is IN DANGER OF LOSING HIS TOP. 



But with something a more polish'd stile, though to 

 the same purpose, the best of poets, 



1 Plash fences thy plantation round about, 

 And whilst yet young, be sure keep Cattel out ; 

 Severest Winters, scorching sun infest, 

 And sheep, goats, bullocks, all young plants molest ; 

 Yet neither cold, nor the hoar rigid frost, 

 Nor heat reflecting from the rocky coast, 

 Like cattel trees, and tender shoots confound, 

 When with invenom'd teeth the twigs they wound. 



2. For the reason that so many complain of the 

 improsperous condition of their wood-lands, and plant- 

 ations of this kind, proceeds from this neglect ; though 

 (sheep excepted) there is no employment whatsoever 

 incident to the farmer, which requires less expence to 

 gratifie their expectations : One diligent and skilful 

 man, will govern five hundred acres : But if through 

 any accident a beast shall break into his master's field ; 

 or the wicked hunter make a cap for his dogs and 

 horses, what a clamour is there made for the disturb- 

 ance of a years crop at most in a little corn ! whilst 



1 Texendae sepes etiam, & pecus omne tenendum est : 

 Praecipue, dum frons tenera, imprudensque laborum, 

 Cui, super indignas hiemes, solemque potentem, 

 Silvestres uri assidue, capreaeque sequaces 

 Illudunt : Pascuntur oves, avidaeque juvencas. 

 Frigora nee tantum cana concreta pruina, 

 Aut gravis incumbens scopulis arentibus asstas, 

 Quantum illi nocuere greges, durique venenum 

 Dentis, & admorso signata in stirpe cicatrix. 



Gcorg. 2. 



