A Difcoiirfe of Forefi-Trec5. 2 a 



Cut not his Head at all, nor (by any means) the fibrous part of the 

 Roots^ only, that down-right, or Tap-root (which gives our Htif- 

 handmen (0 much trouble in drawing ) is to be totally aba- 

 ted : But this work ought to be in the increafeof O&ober, or No- 

 vember^ and not in the Spring. We are (as I told you) willing to 

 (pare his head ; becaufe, being yet young, it is but oi z j^ongy^nh- 

 ftance ^ but being once well fixed, you may cut him as clofe to the 

 earth as you pleafe ; it will caufe him to (hoot prodigioufly ^ fb as 

 in a few years to be fit for Pike-Jiaves. In South Spain (where 

 are the beft) after the firft drefling, they let them grow till they are 

 fobig, as being cleft into four parts, each part is fufEcient to make 

 a Pikejiaff: I am told there is a Flemijh Jp planted by the Dutch- 

 men in Lincolnpnre^ which in fix years grows to be worth twentj 

 Jbil/ings theTree--, but I am notafliir'd, whether it be the Ajl), or 

 Meek , either of them were, upon this account, a worthy encou- 

 ragement. From thefe low Cuttings come our Ground-aJIdes^ fb 

 much fought after for Arbours^ Ejpaliers, and other Pole-Wovks : 

 They will fpring in abundance, and may be reduced to one for a 

 Standard-tree^ or for Timber^ if youdcfign it 5 for thus, HyJm like^ 

 a Cronnd-cut-aJI} 



Per damna^ per cades^ ab ipfo 

 DncJt opes anirnkm^ ferro. Hor^ 



3. It is by no means convenient to plant Afh in Plovp-lands 5 for 

 tKe Roots y/'iW be obnoxious to the Coulter 5 and the Jhade of the 

 Tree is malignant to Com when the head and banches over-drip 

 it 5 but in Hedge-rovps^ and Plumps^ they will thrive exceedingly, 

 where they may be difpos'd at nine ot ten foot diftance, and 

 Ibmetimes neerer : But in planting of a whole Wood of feVeral 

 kinds of Trees for Timber^ every third^* at leaft would be an Ajk. 

 The beft Afi delights in the beft Land (which it will foon impo- 

 verifh) yet grows m any , fo it be not over-wet, and approaching 

 to the Marpjy, unlefs it be firft well drain'd : By the banks of 

 fweet and cryftal Rivers and Streams I have obferv'd them to 

 thrive infinitely. 



4. The ufe ofAp is (next to that of the Oak. it felf ) one of the 

 moft univerfal : It ferves the Souldier — —C^ Fraxinus utilk 

 bafiis. Ovid. The Carpenter^ Wheel-roright^ Cart-rvright, Cooper ^ 

 Turner and Thatcher : Nothing like it for our Garden Palifdd- 

 iedges , Hop-yards , Poles and Spars , Handles, Stocks for Tools^ 

 Spade-trees, S^c. In fum , the Husband-man cannot be without 

 the Ajl} for his Carts, Ladders, and other tackling : From the Pik^, 

 Spear and Bow (for of Afl) were they formerly made) to the Plot» i, 

 in Peace and War it is a wood in higheft requeft : Laftly, the 

 white and rotten dottard part compbfes a ground for our Gallants 

 Srveet-powder, and the Truncheons make the third fort of the moft 

 durable Coal, and is (of all other) the fweeteft of our Foreji-fuel- 

 ling, and the fitteft for Ladies Chambers : To conclude, the very 

 dead-leaves afford (like thofe of the Elm) relief to our Cattel in 



Winter ^ 



