Page 660
CHAP. XV.
Of the Aller, Poplar, Birch, Willow, and other trees haunting the water.
YOu shall vnderstand, that there are foure or fiue sorts of trees, vvhich of their owne nature grow neere vnto vvaters, and which, except they haue great store of moisture doe hardly prosper or grow at all: of vvhich, a∣mongst the rest, the Aller is one that most coueteth the vvater: for the Aller is of that nature, as that it would be halfe couered in vvater, and at the least, the most part of the rootes must of necessitie be within, and stand lower than the vvater, for otherwise they would not take, insomuch, as that trees of such nature ought to be planted in moist medowes, and neere vnto the brookes running along by the said medowes, or in marshes, for in such grounds they take and grow exceeding vvell. This tree is apt to take in moist places, because it is a vvhite vvood, containing much pith, and putting forth great store of boughes in a short time, by reason of the moistnesse of the vvaters vvherewith it is nourished and fed.
The said Aller trees may be planted two manner of wayes, as namely, either of branches gathered from great Allers, or of liue roots digged vp in most places, to∣gether with the earth, and set againe in the like ground, and that in such sort, as that the halfe of the said roots be lower than the water, and the vpper part couered with earth the depth of one finger: and in the meane time, before they be planted, they must haue all their branches cut off too, within a fingers length of the root, and it will put forth againe many young shoots, after the manner of Hasel trees. You may read more of the Aller tree in the fourth booke.
There is another sort of vvater-wood, which hereabout is commonly called white wood:* 1.1 of this kind, are the Poplar, Birch, and other sorts of wood, which grow close by the water side, and vpon the banks of ditches, springs, and little brookes: and it is a common practise in Italie, to lay their conueyances and pipes to carrie their vvater from riuers throughout their grounds, of those woods. And these kinds of trees may be easily planted of young roots along by the vvater and riuer side, both most conue∣niently and profitably, especially the white Poplar, otherwise called the Aspe tree, whose leaues are apt to shake with euerie small winde. Where rootes cannot be got, there may, in their stead, be taken faire and strong plants, such as are vsed in the planting of Willowes. The Birch doth somewhat resemble the white Poplar in his barke, and the Beech tree in his leafe, but it craueth a colder and moister soile than the Poplar. And this is the cause why it groweth so plentifully in cold countries.
The other sort of vvater-wood is the Willow: vvhich, as wee finde by proofe, groweth nothing well, except it be in a moist and warrie countrie, and neere ioyning to vvaters. The manner of planting of Willowes, is commonly, by setting of Wil∣low plants, and those such as are of a good thicknesse and strength, as namely as great as one may gripe: for looke how much the stronger and thicker they be, so much the moe shoots will they put forth, and so much the stronger. This tree differeth much from the Aller: for the Aller will haue his rootes all within water, but the Willow would stand higher, and spread his roots along into the ground that is wet and moist, and neere vnto water, vvithout hauing his roots altogether in the water: according whereunto, it is continually seene, that Willowes planted vpon causeyes & banks, ha∣uing some ditch of water ioyning thereunto, & that in such sort, as that their roots may reach but to the brinks and edges of the water, proue fairer, taller, and more plentifull than those which grow in waterish medows, because that for the ••••st part their roots stand moist in water. You may read of the Holme tree in the fourth booke.