26 S Y L V A BOOK m 



pears, apples, G?c.) his allowance is three hundred 

 years for growth, as much for their stand (as he terms 

 it,) and three hundred for their decay, which does in 

 the total amount to no less than nine hundred years. 

 This conjecture is deduc'd from apple-trees growing 

 in his orchard, which having known for forty years, 

 and upon diligent enquiry of sundry aged persons of 

 eighty years and more, who remembred them trees 

 all their time, he finds by comparing their growth 

 with others of that kind, to be far short in bigness 

 and perfection, (viz. by more than two parts of three) 

 yea albeit those other trees have been much hindred 

 in their stature, through ill government and mis- 

 ordering : And this to me seems not at all extrava- 

 gant, since I find mention of a pear-tree near Ross in 

 Herefordshire, which being of no less than 18 foot in 

 circumference, and yielding seven hogsheads of cider 

 yearly, must needs have been of very long standing 

 and age, tho' perhaps not so near Methusalem's. 



3. To establish this, he assembles many arguments 

 from the age of animals, whose state and decay double 

 the time of their increase by the same proportion : 

 If then (saith he) those frail creatures, whose bodies 

 are nothing (in a manner) but a tender rottenness, 

 may live to that age ; I see not but a tree of a solid 

 substance, not damnified by heat or cold, capable of, 

 and subject to any kind of ordering or dressing, feeding 

 naturally, and from the beginning disburthen'd of all 

 superfluities, eased of, and of his own accord avoiding 

 the causes that may annoy him, should double the 

 life of other creatures by very many years. He pro- 

 ceeds, What else are trees in comparison with the 

 earth, but as hairs to the body of man ? And it is 

 certain, that (without some distemper, or forcible 



