A Difcourfe of Foreft-Trees. 9 1 



both dry, and confblidate 5 whiles injf^r/wj^, and when pregnant, 

 fo much of the virtue goes into the leaves and branches : Happy 

 therefore were it for our T/w^er, fome real Invention of tanning 

 without fo much Bark^(jx% the Honourable M"' Charles Howard has 

 moft ingenioufly ofFer'd) were become univerfal , that Trees be- 

 ing more early fell'd, the Timber might be better feafind and 

 condition'd for its various Vfes, But as the cuftonj is , men have 

 now time to fell their rpoods^ even frotn mid-winter to the j^ring 5 

 but never any after the Summer Svljiice. 



24. Then for the-^^^e of the Moon, it hasT religioufly beenob- 

 ferv'd J and that Dianas prefidency in Syhis was not fo much ce- 

 lebrated to credit the ^fi??(?»j of the Poets -J as for the dominion 

 of that moift Planet, and her influence over Timber : For my 

 part, I am not fo much inclin'd to thefe Criticifms, that I fhould al- 

 together govern a Felling at the pleafure of this mutable Ladj/ j 

 however there is doubtlefs fome regard to be had, 



Necfruffrajignorum obitus ^eculamur df ortus. 



The old Rules are thefe : 

 Fell in the decreafi, or four days after conjun&ion of the two 

 great Luminaries ^ fome the laft quarterof it ; or Qis Pliny) in the 

 very article of the change, if poffible, which hapning ffaith he) 

 in the laft day of the Winter SolBice, that Timber will prove im- 

 mortal: At leaft (hould it be from the twentieth to the thirtieth day, 

 according to Columella: C^^o four days after the Fw//, as far bet- 

 ter for the growth : But all viminious Trees filente Luna. 5 fuch as 

 Sallies , Birch , Poplar, &c. Fegetiuf for Ship-timber , from the 

 15th, to the 25th, the Moon as before, but never during the In- 

 fre(«/e. Trees being then moft abounding with moifture, which is 

 the only fource of putrifadtion. 



25. Then for the Temper, and time o^ day : The wind low, 

 neither Eafl nor IVeii , neither in fio^y, wet or dewy weather 5 

 and therefore never in a Fore-noone. Laftly, touching the J^e- 

 cies 5 Fell F/> when it begins to fpring i not only becaule it will 

 then beft quit its coat and ftrip 5 but for that they hold it will ne- 

 ver decay in water '^ which howfoevcr TbeophraUus deduce from 

 the old Bridge made of this material over a certain River in 

 Arcadia, cut in th\^ feafon^xs hardly fufficient to fatisfie our inquiry. 



26. Previous to this work of Felling is the advice of our 

 Country-man Markham, and it is not to be rejefted : Survey 

 (faith he) your Woods as they ftand immediately after ChriUmas, 

 and then divide x}i\ef^ecies in your mind ^ (I add, rather in fome 

 Note Book, or Tablets) zxydi confider for what purpofes every fe- 

 veral kind is moft ufeful : After this, reckon the bad and good to- 

 gether, fo as one may put off the other, without being forc'd to 

 glean your IVoods of all your beft Timber. This done (or before) 

 you ftiall acquaint your felf with the marketable prices oi the Coun- 

 try where your Fell ismade, and that of the feveraiy^r/i- :, as what 

 fo many inches, oxfootfquare and long,\s worth for the feveral im- 

 ployments .• What planks .<? what other fcantlings for fo many 



O 2 Spoakfi 



