A Difcourfe of Foreft-Trees. ^^ 



(and that with great commendation) make hedges of our GenWa 

 Spitiofa, prickly Furzes^ of which they have a taller fort, fuch as Fwrzex. 

 the French imploy for the fame purpofe in Britatgn^ where they 

 are incomparable husbands. 



15. It is to hejbrvn (which is beft) or planted of the roots in a 

 furrow : If fown, weeded till it be ftrong : both Tonftle, and to 

 be diligently clipd, which will render it very thick, an excellent 

 and beautiful hedge : Otherwife permitted to grow at large, 'twill 

 yield very good Fagot. 



14. Thus, in fome places, they Jbw in barren grounds (y/hen 

 they lay them down) the laft crop with thisjeed, and fo let them 

 remain till they break them up again , and during that in- 

 terim, reap confiderable advantage : Would you believe (writes 

 a worthy CorreJ^ondent of mine) that in Hereford/hire (famous for 

 plenty of jvood) their Thickets of Furzes (viz.. the vulgar) (hould 

 yield them more prop, then a like quantity of the belt fFheat 

 land of England .<? for fuch is theirs 5 and in Deponfljire (the Jeat 

 of the beft Husbands in the World) they fow on their worft Land 

 (yveWploiv'd) the feeds of the rankeft Furzes, which in four or five 

 years becomes a rich Wood : No provender makes horfes fo har- 

 dy, as the young tops of thefe Furzes 5 no other Wood fo thick, 

 nor more excellent Fuel ^ and for fome purpofes alfo, yielding 

 them a kind of Timber to their more humble buildings, ^viA a great 

 refuge for FovpI and other Game : I am affur'd, in Britaign 'tis 

 fometimes fown no lefs then twelve jards thick, for a fpeedy, pro- 

 fitable, and impenetrable ^(?«»<5^.- If we imitated this A^sr^^Wr^ 

 in the barren places of Surrey, and other parts of this Nation, we 

 might exceedingly fpare our woods 5 and I have bought the beft 

 fort of French fed at the ftiops in London. 



15. This puts mem mind of the Broom 5 another improvement Broom, 

 for Barren grounds, and faver of more fubftantial Fuel : It may be 

 fown Englijh, or (what is more fweet, and beautiful) the Spanip, 

 with equal fuccefs. 



1 6. In the Weftern parts of France, and Cornwall, it grows with 

 us, to an incredible height (however our Poet give it the epithete 

 of humilk) and fo it feems they had it of old5as appears by Gra^ 

 tius his Genifite Altinates, with which (as he affirms) they us'd to 

 make Jiaves for their Spears, and hunting Darts. 



17. Laftly, a confiderable Fe»ce may be made of the Elder, Elder. 

 let of reafonable lufty trunchions 3 much like the Willow, and (as I 

 have feen them maintain'd) laid with great curiofity, and far ex- 

 celling thofe extravagant plantations of them about London,whev.e 



the lops are permitted to grow without due and (kilful laying. 



18. There is a fort of Elder which has hardly any Pith 5 this 

 makes exceeding ftout Fences, and the Timber very ufeful for Cogs 

 of Mills, and fuch tough employments. 



1 9. The American Lucca is a harder plant then we take it to be 5 • 

 for it will fuffer our fliarpeft Winter, s^s I havefeen by experience, 

 without that trouble, and care of fetting it in Cafis in our Confer- 

 vatories for hyemation ^ fuch as have beheld it in Flower (which is 

 not indeed till it be of fome age)muft needs admire the beauty 



I of 



