OF FOREST-TR&ES. 87

3 . You may cut Aquatic-Trees every third or fourth Year, and some C. XVIII.more frequently, as I shall Ihew you hereafter. They lhould also be

abated within half a Foot of the principal Head, to prevent the perish-ing of the main Stock • and besides, to accelerate their Sprouting. Insetting the Trunchions, it were not amiss to prepare them a little afterthey are fitted to the Size, by laying them a while in fVater ; this is alsopracticable in Willows, &Cc.

4 . Of old they made Boats of the greater Parts of this Tree, and Uses.excepting Noah's Ark , the first Vessels we read of were made of thisMaterial.

a When hollow Alders first the Waters try*d,

b And down the rapid Po light Alders glide.

And as then , so now, are over-grown Alders frequently sought aster,for such Buildings as lie continually under Water, where it will har-den like a very Stone \ whereas being kept in any unconstant Temper,it rots immediately, because its natural Humidity is of so near Affinitywith its advcntious, as Scaliger assigns the Cause. Vitruvius tellsus,. that the Morasses about Ravenna in Italy, were piled with thisTimber, to fiuperstruffi upon, and highly commends it. I find alsothey used it under that famous Bridged. Venice , the Rialto, whichpasses over the Grand-Canal, bearing avast Weight. J of. Bauhimuspretends, that in Tract of Time it turns to Stone ; which perhaps itmay seem to be (as well as other Aquatick) where it meets with somelapideficant Quality in the Earth and Water.

5 The Poles of Alder are as useful as thosoof Willows ; but the uses.Coals far exceed them, especially for Gun-powder: The Wood is like-wise useful for Biles, Bumps, Hop-poles, Water-pipes , Troughs ,Sluices, small Trays and Trenchers , Wooden-heels ; the Bark is pre-cious to Dyers and some Tanners , and Leather-dressers make use ofit j and with it, and the Fruits (instead of Galls ) they compose anInk. The fresh Leaves alone applied to the naked Soal of the Foot,infinitely refresh the surbatcd Traveller. The Bark macerated inWater, with a little Rust of Iron, makes a black T)ye, which mayalso be used for Ink : The interior Rind of the black "Alder purges allhydropic and serous Humours; but it must be dry’d in the Shade, andnot used green, and the DecoStion suffered to settle two or three Days,before it be drunk.

Being beaten with Vinegar, it heals the Itch certainly : As to other^Vfies the swelling Bunches, which are now and then found in the oldTrees, afford the Inlay er Pieces curiously chambletted, and very hard,

(0c. but the Faggots better for the Fire, than for the draining ofsiroundsby placing them (as the Guise is) in the Trenches \ which old Rubbishof Flints, Stones, and the like gross Materials, does infinitely exceed,because it is for ever, preserves the Drains hollow, and being a little

Georg. i.

» Tune alnos primum fluvii sensere cavatas.

b Nec non Se torrentem undam le vis innatat alnusMissa Pado - *-

. Georg. ii.

moulded