326 SYLVA BOOK ii 



extraordinary droughts) they are to be driven away 

 or destroy'd with smoaks ; which also kills gnats and 

 flies of all sorts : Note, that the rose-bug never, or 

 very seldom, attacks any other tree, whilst that sweet 

 bush is in flower : Whole fields have been freed from 

 worms by the reek and smoak of ox-dung wrapt in 

 mungy straw, well soak'd with strong lie. 



1 5. Earwigs and snails do seldom infest forest-trees, 

 but those which are fruit-bearers ; and are destroy'd 

 by setting boards or tiles against the walls, or the 

 placing of neat-hoofs, or any hollow thing upon 

 small stakes ; also by enticing them into sweet waters, 

 and by picking the snails off betimes in the morning, 

 and rainy evenings ; 1 advise you visit your cypress- 

 trees on the first rains in April ; you shall sometimes 

 find them cover'd with young snails no bigger than 

 small pease: Lastly, branches, buds and leaves extream- 

 ly suffer from the blasts, jaundies, and catterpillars, 

 locusts, rooks, &?c. Note, that you should visit the 

 boards, tiles and hoofs which you set for the retreat 

 of those insects, <S?c. in the heat of the day, to shake 

 them out, and kill them. 



1 6. The blasted parts of trees (and so should gum) 

 be cut away to the quick ; and to prevent it, smoak 

 them in suspicious weather, by burning moist straw 

 with the wind, or rather the dry and superfluous 

 cuttings of aromatic plants, such as rosemary, lavender, 

 juniper, bays, Gfc. I use to whip and chastise my 

 cypresses with a wand, after their winter-burnings, 

 till all the mortified and scorch'd parts fly-off in dust, 

 as long almost as any will fall, and observe that they 

 recover and spring the better. Mice, moles and 

 pismires cause the jaundies in trees, known by the 

 discolour of the leaves and buds. 



