CYPRESS TREE. 197 



Evelyn says, in 1664, " the cypress tree was, 

 but within a few years past, reputed so tender 

 and nice a plant, that it was cultivated with 

 the greatest care, and to be found only amongst 

 the curious; whereas we see it now in every 

 garden, rising to as goodly a bulk and stature as 

 most which you shall find even in Italy itself. 

 For such I remember to have once seen in his 

 late Majesty's gardens at Theobalds, before 

 that princely seat was demolished." The au- 

 thor of the Sylva strongly recommends the 

 planting of this tree in England ; and of its 

 hardiness he says, " The March and April 

 winds (in the years 1663 and 1665), accompa- 

 nied with cruel frosts and cold blasts, for the 

 space of more than two months, night and day, 

 did not, amongst near a thousand cypresses 

 growing in my garden, kill above three or four, 

 which, for being very late cut to the quick, 

 (that is, the latter end of October), were raw 

 of their wounds, took cold, and gangreened." 

 From this and other recommendations of 

 Evelyn, we presume it became fashionable to 

 cultivate the cypress, for in 1706, when Lou- 

 don and Wise published " The Retired Gar- 

 dener," they say, " cypress was formerly 

 more in fashion than 'tis now; for we see in 

 some places whole alleys of it; but these 

 trees being apt to take but one sort of figure, 



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