184 A DISCOURSE

Book Ill.necessary IVork is to be performed, set down by our Country-man ho-nest Lawson ( Orchards , Cap. xi.) prevented all that the most Inqui-sitive can suggest : The Particulars are so ingenious, and highly mate-rial, that you will not be displeased to read them in his own Stile andCharacter.

All (faith he) bp Rules and Experience do consent to a Pruningand Topping ok Trees ; pet hove not anp that 3] Know described untoUS (except in dark and general Morvs) what, oz which are those super*stnons Boughs which we must take awap; and that is tlje most chiefand most neevlul Point to be known in Topping And we map well at-snre our selves (as in all other Arts, so in this) there is a AantageanvDerteritp bp Skill ; an fpabit bp Practice out ok Experience, in thePerformance hereok, fa? the Profit of Gankind: Pet do I not know(let me speak it with patience ok our cunning Arborists) anp Thingwithin the Compass ok human Affairs ko neceffarp, and to little regard-ed ; not onlp Ut Orchards, but alko in all other Timber-trees, where ozwhatsoever.

blow to our Purpose :

Dow manp Forests and Woods, wherein pott stjnll have for one liveipthriving free, kour (nap sometimes twempfour) evil-thziving, rottenand dping Trees, even whiles thep live; and instead ok Trees, Thousandsok Bushes and shrubs ! what Rottenness! what tzollownefs what deadiritis withered Tops ! curtaifo Trunks ! what Loads ok Moss idrooping Boughs and dping Branches wall pou tee everp where! andthose that in this tort arc in a manner all unprofitable Boughs, canker-ed Arms, crooked, little and wo?t Boals. What an instnite dumber0k Bustles, Shrubs and Scrags ok Easels, Thorns, and Other Unp?0fiU I *

ble Mood, which might be brought bp dressing to become great andgoodlp Trees ! Consider now the Cause.

The lesser Wood hath been spoiled with careless, unskilkul and nd-timelp stowing and much also of the great Wood. The greater Tre eSat the first rifing have filled and overladen themselves with a THun^Of wailful Boughs and Suckers, which have not only drawn the Sap scoldthe Boal, but also have made it Knottp, and themselves, and the Boa!mossy, for want of dressing; whereas, if in the Prime of Growth,tljep Had been taken swap close, all but one Top, and clean bp theV^'the strength of all the Sap would have gone co the Bulk, and so y cwould have recovered and covered his Rnots, and have put torth a ftntblong and streight Body, so? Timber profitable, huge great of Bulk, andof infinite Last.

If all Timber-trees were such (will some fop) how would wecrooked Wood so? Wheels, Coorbs, &c.

Answ. Dress all pou can, and there will be enough crooked ko?

those Ates. ,., r ^

Wore than this, in most Places thep grow so thick, that nettythemselves, no? Earth, no? anp Thing under or near them can ’no? Sun, no? Rain, no? Air can do them, no? anp Thing near, orver them, anp Profit o? Comfort. m

3! fee a dumber of Hags, where out of one Root pott wall seco? four (nap more, such is Wens unSkifful Greediness, who veuri'Lmanp, have none good) p?ettp Oaks, o? Asses streight and tall; veca»the Root ar the first Shoot gives sap amain: But if one onlp aw