8o S Y L V A BOOK in 



sometimes very thick and deep, should be rak'd and 

 shovel'd up, being dry, are very useful for the covering 

 of tender kitchen garden plants, in Winter, instead 

 of litter ; and the rest, if buried in some hole to rot, 

 when dry'd and reduc'd to powder, becomes excellent 

 mould : I wonder this husbandry is so much neg- 

 lected. 



CHAPTER IV. 



Of Timber ^ the Seasoning and Uses, and of Fuel. 



Since it is certain and demonstrable, that all arts 

 and artisans whatsoever, must fail and cease, if there 

 were no timber and wood in a nation (for he that 

 shall take his pen, and begin to set down what art, 

 mystery, or trade belonging any way to human life, 

 could be maintain'd and exercis'd without wood, will 

 quickly find that I speak no paradox) I say, when 

 this shall be well consider'd, it will appear, that we 

 had better be without gold, than without timber : 

 This contemplation, and the universal use of that 

 precious material (which yet is not of universal use 

 'till it be duly prepared) has mov'd me to design a 

 solemn chapter for the seasoning, as well as to mention 

 some farther particular application of it. The first, 

 and chiefest use of timber was doubtless for the build- 

 ing of houses and habitations to shelter men in : It is 

 in his i st. chap. 2. lib. where Vitruvius shews, in 

 what simple, and plain manner, our first progenitors 

 erected their humble cottages ; when like those of 

 Colchis and Phrygia, they began to creep out of the 



