64 S Y L V A BOOK in 



the roots, will pronounce shrewdly concerning the 

 state of a tree ; and if they find him perish'd at the 

 top (for trees die upward, as men do from the feet) be 

 sure the cause lies deep, for 'tis ever a mark of great 

 decay in the roots. There is also a swelling vein, 

 which discovers it self eminently above the rest of 

 the stem, though like the rest invested with bark, 

 and which frequently circles about and embraces the 

 tree, like a branch of ivy, which is an infallible indic- 

 ation of hollowness and hypocrisy within. 



25. The time of the year for this destructive work 

 is not usually till about the end of April (at which 

 season the bark does commonly rise freely) though 

 the opinions and practice of men have been very 

 different : Vitruvius is for an autumnal fall ; others 

 advise December and l January : Cato was of opinion 

 trees should have first born their fruit, or least, not 

 till full ripe, which agrees with that of the architect; 

 who begins his fell from the commencement of 

 Autumm to the Spring, when Favonius begins to 

 spire ; and his reason is, for that from thence, during 

 all the Summer, trees are as it were going with child, 

 and diverting all their nourishment to the embryo, 

 leaves, and fruit, which renders them weak and 

 infirm : This he illustrates from teeming women, 

 who during their pregnancy are never so healthful, 

 as after they are delivered of their burden, and abroad 

 again : And for this reason (says he) those merchants, 

 who expose slaves to sale, will never warrant one that 

 is with child : The buyer was (it seems) to stand to 

 the hazard. Thus he : But I remember Monsieur 

 Perrault in his pompous edition of our author, and 



1 Post ortum Pleiadum a die 6 kal. Jan. usque ad Arcturi ortum, sell. 8 kal. Octob. 

 Veget. rei milit. 1. 5. c. 9. 



