76 TREES IN NATURE, MYTH & ART 



wheat-lands at sixty and an hundred foot dis- 

 tance ; and it is so far from hurting the crop, 

 that they look on them as a great preserver, by 

 keeping the ground warm; nor do the roots 

 hinder the plough. Whenever they fell a tree 

 (which is only the old and decayed) they always 

 plant a young one near him ; and in several 

 places 'twixt Hanau and Frankfort in Ger- 

 many, no young farmer whatsoever is per- 

 mitted to marry a wife, till he bring proof 

 that he hath planted, and is a father of such 

 a stated number of walnut trees, as the law 

 is inviolably observed to this day for the extra- 

 ordinary benefit which this tree affords the 

 inhabitants : And in truth, were this timber 

 in greater plenty amongst us, we should have 

 far better utensils of all sorts for our houses, 

 as chairs, stools, bed-steads, tables, wainscot 

 cabinets, etc., instead of the more vulgar beech, 

 subject to the worm, weak and unsightly." 



The walnut was introduced into Britain in 

 the sixteenth century. Gerarde was well ac- 

 quainted with it. The name seems to be de- 

 rived from the German Wallnuss. Hamerton 

 says it may rank after the chestnut in some 

 of the most important qualities of beauty ; and 



