INFLUENCE OF THE FOREST ON THE WATERS. 
223 
fruit of Evelyn’s enthusiasm. In England, however, arboricul¬ 
ture, the planting and nursing of single trees, has, until 
recently, been better understood than silviculture, the sowing 
and training of the forest. But this latter branch of rural 
improvement is now pursued on a very considerable scale, 
though, so far as I know, not by the National Government. 
The Influence of the Forest on Inundations. 
Besides the climatic question, which I have already suffi¬ 
ciently discussed, and the obvious inconveniences of a scanty 
supply of charcoal, of fuel, and of timber for architectural and 
naval construction, and for the thousand other uses to which 
wood is applied in rural and domestic economy, and in the 
ever, exceptions. “ Of all in Essex,” observes Harrison, Holinshed , i, p. 
357, “ that growing in Bardfield parke is the finest for ioiners craft: for 
oftentimes haue I seene of their workes made of that oke so fine and faire, 
as most of the wainescot that is brought hither out of Danske; for our 
wainescot is not made in England. Yet diuerse haue assaied to deale 
without [with our] okes to that end, but not with so good successe as 
they haue hoped, bicause the ab or iuice will not so soone be remoued 
and cleane drawne out, which some attribute to want of time in the salt 
water.” 
This passage is also of interest as showing that soaking in salt water, as 
a mode of seasoning, was practised in Harrison’s time. 
But the importation of wainscot, or boards for ceiling, panelling, and 
otherwise finishing rooms, which was generally of oak, commenced three 
centuries before the time of Harrison. On page 204 of the Liber Albus —a 
book which could have been far more valuable if the editor had given us 
the texts, with his learned notes, instead of a translation—mention is made 
of “ squared oak timber,” brought in from the country by carts, and of 
course of domestic growth, as free of city duty or octroi, and of “ planks 
of oak ” coming in in the same way as paying one plank a cartload. But 
in the chapter on the “ Customs of Billyngesgate,” pp. 208, 209, relating to 
goods imported from foreign countries, a duty of one halfpenny is imposed 
on every hundred of boards called “ weynscotte,” and of one penny 
on every hundred of boards called “ Rygholt.” The editor explains 
“ Rygholt ” as “wood of Riga.” This was doubtless pine or fir. The 
year in which these provisions were made does hot appear, but they 
belong to the reign of Henry III. 
