OF FOREST-TREES. 



117 



for fences as there, the seeds or sets being transported to us with due cHAP. VI. 

 care. — Having thus accomplished what, by your commands, 1 had to offer 

 concerning the propagation of the more sohd, material, and useful trees, 

 as well the dry as aquatical, and, to the best of my talent, fenced our 

 plantation in, I should here conclude, and set a bound likewise to my 

 discourse, by making an apology for the many errors and impertinencies 

 of it, did not the zeal and ambition of this illustrious Society, to promote 

 and improve all attempts which may concern public utility or ornament, 

 persuade me, that what I am adding for the farther encouragement to 

 the planting of some other useful (though less vulgar) trees, will at 

 least obtain your pardon, if it miss of your approbation 



FR UIT- TREES. 



To discourse in this style of all such Fruit-trees as would prove of 

 greatest emolument to the whole nation, were to design a just volume ; 

 and there are directions already so many, and so accurately delivered and 

 published, (but which cannot be affirmed of any of the former classes bf 

 Forest-trees, and other remarks, at the least to my poor knowledge and 

 research,) that it would be needless to repeat them. 



I do only wish (upon the prospect , and meditation of the universal 

 benefit) that every person whatever, worth ten pounds per annum, within 

 her Majesty's dominions, were, by some indispensable statute, obliged to 

 plant his hedge-rows with the best kinds of fruit-trees, especially in 

 such places of the nation, as being the more inland counties, and 

 remote from the seas and navigable rivers, might the better be excused 

 from the planting of timber, to the proportion of those who are more 

 happily and commodiously situated for the transportation of it. 



Undoubtedly, if this course were taken effectually, a very considerable 

 part both of the meat and drink, which is spent to our prejudice, might 

 be saved by the country people, even out of the hedges and mounds, 

 which would afford them not only the pleasure and profit of their deli- 

 cious fruit, but such abundance of cider and perry, as should suffice 



This Discourse on Forest-trees was undertaken at the request of the Royal Society, in 

 the year 1664, and greatly contributed to the reputation of that learned body. 

 Volume II. Q 



