OF FOREST-TREES. 121 



manner as you were directed for your young Oaks ; only they shall cHAP. IV. 

 not need above one cutting, where they grow less regular and hope- ' -^-"^ 

 ful. But because this is an experiment of some curiosity, obnoxious 

 to many casualties, and that the producing them from the mother- 

 roots of greater trees is very facile and expeditious, besides the 

 numbers which are to be found in the hedge-rows and woods, of 



should be well wrought, and cleai'ed from all other i-oots, otherwise the plants, being 

 taken from a better soil, will not make much progress in these places. Michaelmas 

 is a good time for this work ; but when planted, they should be staked to prevent their 

 being displaced by the winds, and part of their heads should be taken off before they 

 are planted, which will be of use in preventing their being easily overturned by winds ; 

 but by no means should their leading shoot be stopped, nor the branches too closely cut 

 off ; for if there are not some shoots left on to draw and attract the sap, they will be in 

 danger of miscarrying. 



These trees are also proper to plant at a distance from a garden or building, to break 

 the violence of the winds, for which purpose there is not any tree more useful ; for they 

 may be trained up in form of a hedge, keeping them cut every year, which will cause 

 them to grow very close and handsome to the height of forty or fifty feet, and be a great 

 pi-otection against the fury of winds ; but they should not be planted too near a garden, 

 where fruit-trees or other plants are placed, because the roots of the Elms run superficially 

 upon the ground to a great distance, and will intermix with the roots of other trees, and 

 deprive them of nourishment ; nor should they be planted near gravel or grass- walks, 

 which are designed to be well kept, because the roots will run into them, and send forth 

 suckers in great plenty, which will deface the walks, and render them unsightly. It must 

 however be considered, that by grafting the English Elm upon the Wych stock, the 

 inconveniences from the spreading of the roots will be removed. 



The Elm may be removed when grown to a considerable size ; so that a person who 

 is willing to have his plantations for shade in a short time, may procure trees of near one 

 foot circumference in their trunk, which will be in little danger of miscarrying, provided 

 they are removed with care : And these will take root, and grow very well, though not 

 so well as young plants, which is what few other sorts of trees will do ; but then they 

 should be such trees as have been regularly trained in a nursery, and have good roots, 

 and not such as are taken out of hedge-rows, (as is by some practised,) which seldom rise 

 with any tolerable roots, and consequently often miscarry ; and this has been the occasion 

 of so many plantations of these ti-ees failing ; for although some of them may live a few 

 years, yet few of them are of a long duration, and they rarely increase much in their 

 stems ; but frequently grow hollow, their heart decaying first, so that they are supported 

 only by their bark or shell, for a few years, and the first severe winter, or very dry 

 summer, generally destroys them. 



Although I have said that Elms, which are trained up in a nursery, may be removed 

 with safety, at a larger size than most other trees, yet I would not have it understood, 

 that by this I would recommend the planting of them when large ; for if people would 



Volume I. Z 



