72 S Y L V A BOOK in 



or egg (from whence animals, as well as trees, not 

 excepting man himself, as the learned Steno, Swamer- 

 dam and others have, I think, undeniably made it 

 out) and them males who produce none : But some- 

 times too the rudeness, or less asperity of the leaves, 

 bark and grain, nay their medical operations, may 

 deserve the distinction; to which Aristotle adds branch- 

 mess, less moisture, quick maturity, &c. 1. i. de PL 

 c. 3. All which seems to be most conspicuous in 

 plum-trees, hollies, ashes, quince, pears, and many 

 other sorts ; not to insist on such as may be compelled 

 even to change, as it were, their sex, by graffing and 

 artificial improvements : For whatever we are told of 

 such evident distinction of sexes in some, ( l ma/a 

 Medica^ &c.) I look upon it as hapning rather through 

 some accidental protrusion, artificial exuberance or 

 depression, than constant and natural : But I return to 

 31. Felling, which should be to leave the stools as 

 close to the ground as possible may be, especially if 

 you pesign a renascency from the roots ; unless you 

 will grub for a total destruction, or the use of that 

 part we have already mentioned, so far superior in 

 goodness to what is more remote from the root, and 

 besides the longer you cut and convert the timber, 

 the better for many uses. Some are of opinion, that 

 the seedling oak should never be cut to improve his 

 boal ; because, say they, it produces a reddish wood 

 not acceptable to the workman ; and that the tree 

 which grows on the head of his mother does seldom 

 prove good timber ; It is observ'd indeed, that one 

 foot of timber near the root (though divers I know 



1 Maranch, 1. n. c. u. maris enim pomum ad natum habet quoddam veluti 

 infantis genitale ejusdem cum porno corticis & coloris ; feminae muliebre pu- 

 dendum ad veram ejus effigiem eiformatum videtur, quo simile magis sculptor 

 non fingat. 



