262

A DISCOURSE

28. Wherein most of the former enumerated kinds differ from theSallows, is indeed not very considerable, they being generally useful forthe same purpose; as for boxes, such as apothecaries and goldsmithsuse; for cart saddle-trees, yea gun-stocks and half-pikes; harrows,shoemakers’ lasts, heels, clogs for pattens ; forks, rakes, especially theteeth, which should be wedged with Oak ; but let them not be cut forthis when the sap is stirring, because they will shrink; for pearchers,rafters for hovels, portable and light ladders, hop-poles, ricing of kidney-beans, and supporters to vines, when our English vineyards come morein request-: Also for hurdles, sieves, lattices ; for the turner, kyele-pins,great town tops; for platters, little casks and vefsels, especially to pre-serve verjuices in, the best of any. Pales are made of cleft Willow;also dorses, Fruit-baskets, cans, hives for bees, trenchers, trays, See. andfor polishing and whetting table-knives, the butler will find it above anywood or whetstone ; it makes coals, bavin, and excellent firing, notforgetting the fresh boughs, which, of all the trees in nature, yield thechastest and coolest shade in the hottest season of the day; and thisumbrage so wholesome, that physicians prescribe it to feverish persons,permitting them to be placed even about their beds, as a safe and com-fortable refrigerium. The wood being preserved dry, will dure a verylong time*; but that which is found wholly putrefied, and reducedto a loamy earth in the hollow trunks of superannuated trees, is, of allother, the fittest to be mingled wirh fine mould, for the raising ourchoicest flowers, such as Anemonies, Ranunculufses, Auriculas, and thelike,

Quid majora sequar ? Salices, humilesque genista?,

Aut ilia? pecori frondem, aut pastoribus umbram

Sufficiunt, sepemque satis, et pabula melli. georg. ii.

What would be more? Low Broom , and Sallows wild,

Or feed the flock, or shepherds shade, or fieldHedge about, or do us honey yield.

k Willows, and all the soft woods, when ufed for noles nr „n, , ,

sl ,ipp«d Oftheir bark »d steeped lin wste, for s o„,e ^ „ hid)and render the -wood much more durable, 5