1 88 SYLVA BOOK in 



that which employs the most useful part of the 

 mathematics. 



The Right Honourable the late Lord Viscount 

 Mountague has planted many thousands of oaks, 

 which I am told, he drew out of copp'ces, big enough 

 to defend themselves ; and that with such success, as 

 has exceedingly improv'd his possessions ; and it is a 

 worthy example. To conclude, I could have shewn 

 an avenue planted to a house standing in a barren 

 park, the soil a cold clay ; it consisted totally of oaks, 

 one hundred in number : The person who first set 

 them (dying very lately) lived to see them spread 

 their branches 123 foot in compass, which at distance 

 of 24 foot, mingling their shady tresses for above 

 1000 in length, form'd themselves into one of the 

 most venerable and stately arbor-walks, that in my 

 life I ever beheld : This was at Baynards in Surrey, 

 and belonging lately to my most honourM brother, 

 (a most industrious planter of wood) Richard Evelyn, 

 Esq ; since transplanted to a better world : The walk 

 is broad 56 foot, and one tree with another, con- 

 taining by estimation three quarters of a load of 

 timber in each tree, and in their lops three cords of 

 fire- wood : Their bodies were not of the tallest, having 

 been topped when they were young, to reduce them 

 to an uniform height ; yet was the timber most ex- 

 cellent for its scantling, and for their heads, few in 

 England excelling them : Where some of their con- 

 temporaries were planted single in the park without 

 cumber, they spread above fourscore foot in arms ; 

 all of them since cut down and destroy'd, by the 

 person who continued to detain the just possession of 

 that estate, from those to whom of right and con- 

 science it belong'd. Since then it is dispos'd of, I 



