OF FOREST-TREES.

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naturally, and from tire beginning disburdened of all superfluities, eased chapof, and of his own accord avoiding the causes that may annoy him,should exceed the life of other creatures by very many years. What elseare trees in comparison with the earth, but as hairs to the body of man ?

And it is certain, that (without some distemper, or forcible cause, the hairsdure with the body, and are esteemed excrements but from their super-fluous growth.” So as he resolves, upon good reason, that fruit-trees, wellordered, may live a thousand years and bear fruit; and the longer themore, the greater and the better, (for which an instance also in Dr. Beal'sHerefordshire Orchards, p. 21, 22.) because his vigour is proud andstronger when his years are many. Thus you shall see old trees putforth their buds and blofsoms both sooner and more plentifully thanyoung trees by much; and' I sensibly perceive my young trees to enlargetheir fruit as they grow greater. And if fruit-trees continue to this age,how many ages is it to be supposed strong and huge timber-trees willlast; whose mafsy bodies require the years of divers Methusalahs, beforethey determine their days; whose sap is strong and bitter; whose barkis hard and thick, and their substance solid and stiff; all which. are •defences of health and long life ? Their strength withstands all forciblewinds; their sap of that quality is not subject to worms and tainting;their bark receives seldom or never by casualty any wound; and notonly so, but they are free from removals, which occasion the death ofmillions of trees; whereas the fruit-tree, in comparifon, is little, andfrequently blown down; his sap sweet,.easily and soon tainted; his barktender, and soon wounded; and himself used by man as man useshimself; that is, either unskilfully or carelefsly.” Thus he. But Vofsiusde Theolog. Gent. lib. v. cap. v. gives too little age to Ashes when hespeaks but of one hundred, years, (in which, as in the rest, he seems toagree with my Lord Bacon , Hist. Vitas et Mort. Art. i.) and to theMedica, Pyrus, Prunus , Cornus, but .sixty. He had as good have held hispeace ; even Rosemary has lasted amongst,us a hundred years.

I m'wht to this add muck more, and truly with sufficient probability,that timber-trees (especially such as be of a compact, resmous, 0 rbalsamical nature, of which kind are the Yew, Box, Hornbeam , WhiteThorn Oak, Walnut, Cedar, Juniper, &c.) are capable ot very longduration and continuance. Those of largest root, (a sign of age) ar*

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