OF FOREST-TREES. 



181 



" Thus will they grow safe from winds, yet the top spreading. CHAP. 



^ " Thus shall they bear much fruit ; I dare say, one as much as five 

 of our common trees, all his branches loaden. 



" Thus shall your bole, being low, defraud the branches but little of 

 their sap. 



" Thus shall your trees be easy to dress, and as easy to gather the 

 fruit from, without bruising the cions, &c." 



The fittest time of the moon for pruning is (as of graffing) when 

 the sap is ready to stir, not proudly stirring, and so to cover the wound ; 

 and here, for the time of day, we may take Co\umellai,J}-onde7)i medio die 

 arhorator ne ccedito. Lib. xi. Old trees should be pruned before young 

 plants ; and note, that wheresoever you take any thing away, the sap the 

 next summer will be putting ; be sure, therefore, when he puts to bud in 

 any unfit place, you rub it off with your finger ; and if this be done for 

 three or four years at Midsummer, it will at last wholly clear the side- 

 boughs, and exalt the growth of the stem exceedingly ; and this is of 

 good use for Elms, and such trees as are continually putting forth where 

 they have been pruned. Thus begin timely with your trees, and you 

 may bring them to what form you please. If you desire any tree should 

 be taller, let him break or divide higher : this for young trees. The old 

 are reformed by curing of their diseases, of which we have already 

 discoursed. There is this only to be considered, in reference to foresters, 

 out of what he has spoken concerning fruit-trees ; that (as has been 

 touched) where trees are planted for shadow and mere ornament, as in 

 walks and avenues, the browse-wood, as they call it, should most of it be 

 cherished ; whereas in fruit and timber-trees. Oak excepted, it is best to 

 free them of it. As for Pollards, (to which I am no great friend, because 

 it makes so many scrags and dwarfs of many trees, which would else be 

 good timber, endangering them with drips, and the like injuries,) 

 they should not be headed above once in ten or twelve years, at the 

 beginning of the spring, or end of the fall : and note, that all coppicing 

 and cutting close, invigorates the roots and the stem of whatsoever grows 

 weak and unkindly ; but you must then take care it be not overgrown 

 with weeds or grass. Nothing, says my Lord Bacon, (Exper. 586,) causes 

 Volume II. A a 



