[ 39 ] 



he perceived no fudden ramous fuperfoetation 

 any time the following fummer, upon his 

 kind of amputations ; yet in autumn had 

 he carefully infpedted, he might have per- 

 ceived many little buds peeping out of the 

 bark for a further protrufion the next year ; 

 As confequently in the enfuing fpring he 

 found to his coft they did. But his In- 

 duftrious" hand not fparing for any pains^ to 

 gain credit to fuch a thought, and new ope- 

 ration of his own, did at length from year 

 to year, difcharge fuch trees of their multi" 

 tudes of little germens ; probably by fome 

 like inftruments as mentioned by M.v, Eve- 

 lyn ; fo long I fuppofe as their heads were 

 grown again to fuch an amount larger, as 

 the quantity of boughs cut oif, might be 

 computed at : Whereby their fummlts were 

 in a condition to receive all the fap which 

 their roots were able to fend up. Yet I 

 Ihould fay only, in a better condition. 



But Hercules' s cleaning the Augean fta- 

 ble, or any other like atchievements of his^ 

 might not have proved a greater labour, 

 than clearing the bodies of three or four 

 thoufand vigorous Oaks, on fuch an occa- 

 fion^ of their germinations. I confefs be- 



D 4 ing 



