Piinies Natural Hiftorie. 



A have their leaves hanging by a long tailc^caft but a light and flcndcr fhaddow. And in very truth 

 the knowledge hereof would not be conteninedjnor let in the laft place otTuch points as belong 

 to husbandricjconfidering there is not the fhaddow of any one tree5but cither is a kind nource, 

 or a fhrewd and curfl ftepdame^that is to fay, either profitable or incommodious to all the fruits 

 of the carth.For without all queftibn^the fliade of Walnut trees^Pine trccs^Pitch trces^and Firs, 

 is no better than poifon to all that is within thccbmpallebf it, andkilswhatfoeverit toucheth. 

 And thus much of Shadowes. 



As touching the dropping of trces^ ^ man may conclude in one word all that belongeth 

 thercunto.For looke what trees focver be fo defended and clad v^ith thicke leaved branches, tliat 

 the rainc cannot pafle readily through them, bee fute the dropping and dtftillatibn of fuch is 



B naught and daungerous. And therefore it skilleth very much in this matter and queftion now in 

 handj to know the nature of the earth wherein wee meane to plant;, how many trees it may weU 

 beare and nourifh. As for hils^they require of themfelves not fo great diflance becweene tree and 

 tree^as the plaines beneath : be{ides,in fuch places expoicd to the wind, it is good that they bee 

 planted thicker.Howbeit301ives require the greateftfpaccbeiweeneof all others : and therefore 

 C4/<?/ollowing the judgement of all ItaliCjOrdaineth in thefc words^That they fhould fland afun- 

 der five and twentic foot at the leaft, and thirtie at themoft : but this rule holdeth not alwaies j 

 for herein guided wee mufl bee by the nature and fite of placesjwhich vatie and diffe r much .For 

 in Boetica, which is a part of Spaine, there is not another tree growing^bigger than the Olive: 

 and if we may give credite to authors chat have written hereof, there bee in Affricke^by their re* 



C portjmany of them called MilHarise/or that every yeare they yeeld a thoufand pound weight of 

 oilejapeece.And therfore CMage allowed threefcore and fificene foot every wayjfor diftancebe- 

 tweene Olive treesjor els five and fortie at leaftjcven in leane and hard grounds, and thofe that 

 were expofed to the winds. And in Boetica verily, the people ufe to reape great plentic of come 

 among Olive trees. 



Now of all othcrfollies this is one,and bewraieth fliamcfull blindncfle and ignorance,To be 

 driven to make glades betweene trees when they be growne to a good bignefle : and naraely,ei- 

 ther by lopping their boughs too much for to let in light betweenejand lo by this meanes to ha- 

 ilen their age and decay; or els to draw them by cutting them downe cleane; wherein oftentimes 

 they that did fct them at firfl/ake themfelves in the manner, and blame their owne want of skill. 

 D Confidering therefore, that there is no greater iTname can happen to husbandmen than to're- 

 pent when a thing isdone,and then goe about to undoeitjmuch better it is of the twain in this 

 cafe,to fault in overwidejihan too flreight roume. 



* 



Chap. xiiU 



^ What trees grow but Jlowlj : and which t he) bee thatfodfte come forward : 

 alfo^oftheSavine^ 



SOme trees by nature are flackeof growth,and principally thofe that come of feed,and live 

 longeft.Butfuch as foone decay and die53re quieke of growthjas the Fig tree, Pomgranate 

 t. ' tree, Plum-tree, Apple-treejPeare-tree, Myrtle, and Willow: but they make amends for 

 their fhort life in this, that they^oe before others in fruit,and enrich their rnaiflcrs quickly, for 

 they begin to beare well at three yeares agejyea5and they make a fhew thereof in their bloftbmc 

 before.Of all thefe the Peare-trce is the flowefl.But the Cypirus,as well the true and legitimate 

 asthe baftard (which is a fhrubcalledPfeudo-Cypirus) comcfafiefUorwardofany other,for 

 tihey beare at firft both bloflbmeand fruit. This is a generall thing obfervedjThat all trees will 

 thrive and profpeE betterjyea,and grow fooner to perfedion, if the fhoocs and fuckers that put 

 out at the root,as alfo other water twigs,be rid away ,fo that all the nourifliment may bee turned 

 to the principall flocke onely. 



The worke of Nature in fending out thefe fprigs, taught usthe feat to couch and layfets in 

 F the ground by way of propagation ; and even after the fame manner briers and brambles doc of 

 themfelves put forth a new off-fpring :for growing a s they do,firiall and (lender, and withall run- 

 ning up to be very tall,ihey cannot chule but bend and leane to the ground,where they lay theit 

 heads againe, andtakefrefhroot of their owne accord without mans hands no doubt,over- 

 grow they would and eovcr the whole face of the eatth, were they not repreifed andwithftood 



