S6

TO THE READER.

yoluptates « condiendi cibos, et luxuriosius fercula struendi, capitumque et capillo-

agricolarum . ., . . c

mihi ad sapi- “ rum concmnatores, non solum esse audivi, sed et ipse vidi- Agricola-

proxime^vi- “ tionis rtequc Doctores, qui se profiterentur, neque Discipulos cognovi ”dere ll Cic CC de ® ut ^ ^ eave f°r our peruked gallants to interpret, and should nowSenectute. apply myself to the directive part, which I am all this while bespeaking,if, after what I have said in the several paragraphs of the ensuing dis-course upon the argument of wood, (and which in this edition, comingabroad with innumerable improvements and advantages, so furnished as Ihope shall neither reproach the author or repent the reader,) it might notseem superfluous to have premised any thing here for the encouragementof so becoming an industry. There are divers learned and judicious menwho have preceded me in this argument; as many, at least, as haveundertaken to write and compile vast herbals and theatres of plants; ofwhich we may have some of our own countrymen, (especially the mostindustrious and learned Mr. Ray,) who have boldly, I dare affirm it, sur-pafsed any, if not all the foreigners that are extant. In those it is youmeet with the discription x>f the several plants, by discourses, figures,names, places of growth, time of flourishing, and their medicinal virtues,which may supply any deficiency of mine as to those particulars; if, for'bearing the repetition, it should by any be imputed for a defect, thoughit were indeed none of my design. I say these things are long since per-formed to our hands; but there is none of these (that I at least know of,and are come to my perusal) who have taken any considerable pains howto direct and encourage us in the culture of Forest-trees, the grand defectof this nation, besides some small sprinklings to be met with in GervasMarkham, Old Tufser; and, of foreigners, the Country-farm, long sincetranslated out of French , and by no means suitable to our clime andcountry. Neither have any of these proceeded after my method, and soparticularly in raising, planting, drefsing, governing, &c. or so sedulouslymade it their businefs to specify the mechanical uses of the several kinds,as I have done, which was hitherto a great desideratum, and in whichthe reader will lilcewife find some things altogether new and instructive;together with directions and encouragements for the propagation of someforeign curiosities of ornament and use, which were hitherto neglected.If I have upon occasion presumed to say any thing concerning theirmedicinal properties, it has been modestly and frugally, and with chief,if not only, respect to the poor woodman, whom none, I presume, will