OF FOREST-TREES. 



217 



twig obtains any more circles, or remains at a stay, only nourished, not cHAP. in. 

 augmented, in the circles. It would also be required, whether the 

 circles of pricks increase not till Midsummer and after, and the circles 

 of wood from thence to the following spring. 



I might here subjoin the vegetative motion of plants, with the diagrams 

 of the Jesuit Kircher, where he discourses of their stupendous mag- 

 netisms, &c. could there any thing material be added to what has already 

 been so ingeniously inquired into by the learned Dr. Grew, in his 

 Anatomy of Vegetables, and that of Trunks; where, experimentally, and 

 with extraordinary sagacity, he discusses this subject, (with entire satis- 

 faction of the inquisitive reader,) beginning at the seeds, and proceeding 

 to the formation of the root, trunk, branches, leaves, flowers, fruit, &c. 

 where you have the most accurate descriptions of the several vessels, for 

 sap, air, juices, with the stupendous contexture of all the organical parts, 

 than which there can be nothing more fully entertaining: so that 

 what Dr. Goddard, and other ingenious men have but conjecturally 

 hinted, is by this inquisitive person (and that of the excellent Malpighius) 

 evinced by autoptical experience, and profound research into their 

 anatomy. To all which we may, by no means, forget the most Lyncean 

 inspector Mr. Ant. Van Leuwenhoek, concerning the barks of trees, 

 which he affirms, and experimentally convinces, that that integument, 

 namely the bark, was produced from the wood, and not the wood from 

 the bark. But this discourse, together with the microscopical figure, 

 (being too long to be here inserted,) refers to that most industrious per- 

 son's letter. Transact. Numb. 296, p. 1843. Let us, therefore, proceed 

 to the felling. 



It should be in the vigour and perfection of trees that a felling should 

 be celebrated ; since, whilst our woods are growing, it is pity, and indeed 

 too soon ; and when they are decaying, too late. I do not pretend that 

 a man who has occasion for timber, is obliged to attend so many ages ere 

 he fell his trees ; but I do by this infer, how highly necessary it were 

 that men should perpetually be planting, that so posterity might have 

 trees fit for their service, of competent, that is, of a middle growth and 

 age, which it is impossible they should have, if we thus continue to de- 

 stroy our woods, without this providential planting in their stead, and 

 felling what we do cut down with great discretion, and regard of the 

 future. 



FELLING. 



