OF FOREST-TREES. zi

to describe, and analogically compare, as they perform their Functions Chap. III.(not altogether so different from Creatures of animal Life ) would re-quire an Anatomical LeCture ; which is so learnedly and accuratelydone to our Hands by Dr. Grew , Malphigius , and other ingeniousNaturalists.

But besides this general ’Definition , as to what is meant by Trees,

Frutexes, Stc. They are likewise specifically distinguished by etherCharacters, Leaves, Buds, Blossoms, &Cc. but especially by what theyproduce of more Importance, by their Fruit ye shall know them: G.

The G landiferæ, Os/sr and Ilex's yield Acorns, and other usefulExcrescences : The Mafi-bearers are the Beech, and such as includetheir Seeds and Fruif in rougher Husks; as the Chefiiut-Trec, &c. TheWallnut, Hazle, Avelans, &c. are the Nuciferæ, &c. To the G?«i-Refiniferæ, Squammiferæ, &c. belong the whole Tribe ofCedars, Bines , &c. Apples, Bears, Quinces, and several other

Edulæ Fruits; Beaches , Abricots , Blums, SCc. are redue’d to the Bomi-feræ : The Bacciferæ, are such as produce Kernels, Sorbs, Cherries,

Holley, Bays, Laurel, Tew, funiper, Alder, &c. and all the Z?er-ry-bearers. The Genifiæ in general, and such as bear their Seeds inCods, come under the Tribe of Siliquofe: The Lanuginæ are suchas bed their Seeds in a cottony Down.

Th e. AJh, Elm, Tilia, Boplar, Hornbeam, Willow, Salices, &c.are distinguish’d by their Aeyr, Tongues, Samera, Bericurpia andsmall, flat and husky Skins, including the tSWr, as in so manyFoliols, Bags and Purses, fine membranous Cafes, Catkins, Balms ,fiulus s, 8tc. needless to be farther mention’d here, being so particular-ly describ’d in the Chapters following; as are also the various Ever-*greens and Exoticks.

CHAP. III.

O/' /He Oak.

*•13 Obur, the Oak ; I have sometimes considered it very seriously,

LV what should move Bliny to make a whole Chapter of one onlyLine, which is less than the Argument alone of most of the rest in hishuge Volume: But the Weightinefs of the Matter does worthily excusehim, who is not wont to spare his Words, or his Reader. Glandiferimaxime generis ornnes, quibus honos apud Romanos pcrpetuus. “ Mafi-" hearing-Trees were principally those which the Romans held in chiefil e fi Repute . Lib. xvi. Cap. iii. And in the following, where he treats ofChap lets, and the Dignity of the Civic Coronet, it might be com-posed of the Leaves or Branches of any Oak, provided it were abearing Tree, and had Acorns upon it, and was (as * Macrobins tells * satum.us) recorded among the felices Arbores ; but this cp-^ctvov was lib : xi - cn P-

interwoven, and twisted with Thorns and Briars ; and the Garlandcarried to usher the Bride to her Husband’s House, intimating that hap-py State was not exempt from its Bungencies and Cares. It is then forthe Esteem which these wife and glorious Beople had of this Tree aboveall others, that I will first begin with the Oak ; and indeed it carries itfrom all other Timber whatsoever, for building of Ships in general,

. F and