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ALl sorts of wild trees grow of remoued plants, hauing good rootes, or of branches, or of the seeds and fruits which they beare, and whereby they re∣new themselues. Of the remoued plant, there hath alreadie enough beene said, as that it is more profitable, and of a more speedie and certaine growth: and therefore the sooner able to bestow pastime vpon his master.
The second way to grow trees, is to grow them of branches writhen and buried in the earth, gathered in such sort as that they may put forth roots, and take againe, as Columella hath very well set downe at large: notwithstanding, this way is long in taking root, and putting forth; and not to be practised, but where there are no plants to be come by. Wherefore I will not meddle with it in this place, because it is not done without difficultie and vncertaintie, and for that the pleasure thereof is long be∣before it is reaped: as also for that in this our countrie of France, there are many vn∣derwoods and strong hedges, where are to be gathered very easily, and that in great quantity, plants of all sorts of wild trees.
The third way is to sowe them of seed, as of acornes, beech maste, and of the seed that is in the leaues of elmes, for they bring forth such trees as those whereup∣on they themselues did grow: and such seeds may bee sowne in little furrowes made with a hacke or grubbing axe, and those not aboue foure or fiue fingers deepe, and therein to couer them againe very lightly with broken mould: or else they may bee sowne with the plough, as beanes and all other kinds of graine are: or with a deb∣bell, by which name they call a little sticke of halfe a foot long, and a finger or inch thicke. And of the three waies, the best is to plant or sow the acorne or other seed with the dibble, euerie one halfe a foot from another, or one foot euery one from another, by a straight line, or after the manner vsed in grounds broken vp with the hacke, making a small open place in the earth, and therein putting the acorne in the like distance of halfe a foot all along the furrowe: notwithstanding, it is not needfull to plant them so neere euerie manner of way; for the earth would not bee able to beare so much fruit as would growe, and so it must either be trans∣planted, or else it would proue out of course like a misborne thing. Wherefore you may leaue betwixt euery two furrows and plants, foure, fiue, or sixe foot distance sidewaies: and againe, if all prosper not, the worst and most ill fauouredly growne may be pulled vp.
And euen as small and great wood is to be dressed and husbanded, so also must their seed be ordered, but not after the like sort: for the mattocke would pull vp the seed, and therefore they must be vnderdigd very deftly, and the weeds weeded out all along the furrowes where the seedes are set, to the end that the weeds do not smo∣ther them, and that they doe not blinde them, taking away their aire, Sunne, and substance of the earth, whereof euerie young seede and plant standeth great∣ly in neede, as to bee holpen thereby to gather root and life, which is as yet in them very young and tender. By which meanes, you see that paines and labour taken about acornes and other seedes of trees, causeth them to grow and prosper so, as that they get the better of other plants, which in continuance might ouergrow them: b••t if they remaine as forsaken things without husbanding, they vvill bee choaked vp vvith vveedes, and the greatest part of them die: and those vvhich shall escape, vvill bee but of low growth, and appeare like an vntimely birth, lack∣ing helpe and dressing, except through long continuance of time they preuaile, and then they which planted or sowed, shall not reape any pleasure by them, but their heires onely.
And in all such sorts of planting and sowing of vvild seeds, it is necessarie to fence a place sowed or planted, so vvel and sufficiantly with ditches, hedges, or vvals, as that no beast, horse, or other may enter or get in: as also that thereby the vvood may bee kept from being handled or cut downe by passengers: for if the sprig bee brused or broken, the tree remaineth all parched and readie to drie.
According to this manner of planting of acornes, or chesnuts, they may very vvell and conueniently bee set and planted amongst the plants of trees, and rootes that are planted farre enough off one from another, for so they may haue roome be∣twixt two plants, being distant the quantitie of nine or ten foot, or thereabout, seeing it is meet and conuenient to nourish trees, and to destroie vveedes. By this meanes the acornes and chesnuts, or any other thing planted vvith the dibble, or sowne in furrowes, is dressed amongst the rest, and made to enioy sufficient scope betwixt
two plants, there to take their full growth, vntill they become like high, or very neere with the trees planted or cut, neither do they cost extraordinarily for their dressing, because the whole ground is to be dressed, because of the other plants that are in it. And in as much as it is oftentimes found in countries that there are neither vnder∣woods, woods, bushes, nor hedges whereout any may get a plant growing from roots, I haue thought good to intreat a little of the meanes of making it grow of seed. Like as is woont to bee done with fruit trees, and those which are taken from their nurceries, to bee transplanted into gardens: so may you doe with wilde trees, which after that they are growne to a sufficient thickenesse, and come to beare seede, may be otherwhere either grafted or planted, as you shall wish or desire. For which cause heere shall be put downe a treatise and chapter thereof, seeing the former in∣treateth of the intermingling of seed with plants, for to helpe out the storing of woods which are alwaies to continue.
Whereof wild trees 〈◊〉〈◊〉 grow.