316 SYLVA BOOK ii 



more dispos'd to produce suckers, than such as are 

 propagated upon good stocks. 



3. Fern, is best destroy 'd by striking off the tops, 

 as Tarquin did the heads of the poppies : This done 

 with a good wand, or cudgel, at the decrease in the 

 Spring, and now and then in Summer, kills it (as also 

 it does nettles) in a year or two, (but most infallibly, 

 by being eaten down at its spring, by Scotch-sheep) 

 beyond the vulgar way of mowing, or burning, which 

 rather encreases, than diminishes it. 



4. Over-much wet istobedrain'd by trenches, where 

 it infests the roots of such kinds as require drier ground: 

 But if a drip do fret into the body of a tree by the 

 head (which will certainly decay it) cutting first the 

 place smooth, stop and cover it with loam and hay, 

 or a cerecloth, till a new bark succeed. But not only 

 the wet, which is to be diverted by trenching the 

 ground, is exitial to many trees, but their repletion of 

 too abundant nourishment ; and therefore sometimes 

 there may be as much occasion to use the lancet, as 

 phlebotomy and venaesection to animals; especially if 

 the hypothesis hold, of the superfluous moisture's des- 

 cent into the roots, to be re-concocted; but where, in 

 case it be more copious than 1 can be there elaborated, 

 it turns to corruption, and sends up a tainted juice, 

 which perverts the whole habit of the tree : In this 

 exigence therefore, it were perhaps more counsellable 

 to draw it out by a deep incision, and to depend upon 

 a new supply, than upon confidence of correcting this 

 evil quality, by other medications, to let it perish. 

 Other causes of their sickness (not always taken notice 

 of) proceed from too liberal refreshments and over- 

 watering in dry and scorching seasons ; especially in 



1 See Cap. 3 lib. 3 sect. 25. 



