The manner of raising, ordering, and improving forrest-trees also, how to plant, make and keep woods, walks, avenues, lawns, hedges, &c. : with several figures proper for avenues and walks to end in, and convenient figures for lawns : also rules by M. Cook.

TO The Courteous READER.

AMongst the many Books that are sent into the world in this Age, I have adventured to increase the Number by this one. I know there be many Pam∣phlets, prodigious Histories and Romances, invented by mens Fancies, which abuse many Noble Spirits, in reading of which they spend their time in vain, and dull their Wits: Which Books are more fit for Women than Men. For they will furnish them with strange Stories, and a few fine words. Also there be many Books of Disputes in Divinity, which tend more to make our Differences the greater, than any wayes to edifie or unite us: therefore if your Genius leads you to read such Books, this is not for your Fancy.

But if you take delight in Planting or Gardening, or to raise and improve Forrest-trees, or to make Walks, Ave∣nues or Lawns; to plant or improve your Woods, Hedges, &c. or to measure most sorts of superficial or solid Figures, either by Arithmetick or Geometry, with several other Rules of the same Nature, as the Titles of each Chapter, (but especially the Chapters themselves) will more fully inform you; then I hope this Book will be of good use to you: For here are several Rules, approved of by several Noble and Ingenious Men, which are as faithfully deli∣vered, as they are really intended for the good of this Na∣tion,

and all those that will put them in practice; which if you please to doe, you will employ your time so well, that you will never have cause to say, it is ill spent; and if once you do but step forward one step, and see but any success of your Labours, you will need then no Logicians Arguments, nor no Rhetoricians Eloquence to perswade you to proceed. And for your better Encouragement know, that it hath been and is the Delight and Practice of Kings, Princes, Philosophers, and all Noble spirited and wise Men: For have not many of them quitted their great Employs, and taken upon them this pleasing Art of Plant∣ing and Gardening, as is proved by several? See the Pre∣faces of Perkinson's, Gerard's, the Curate of Henonville's, and several others. For Almighty God hath Imprinted in the Hearts of most wise men such a Love to Plants in part, as their Father Adam had in his state of Innocency; that those noble and usefull Works, which the Almighty made for the use of Man, and his Glory, should be the more common for their excellent use to the Sons of Men; and that they should take care of those which are tender, and want the more care, lest they should be lost; and also that both their Vertues and their Beauties should be known in several parts of the World, that he might be the more Admired and Glorified.

For I do believe that the Blessing of God is much As∣sisting to those who Love and endeavour to Improve and Preserve his Works; for God's Works and his Word are no such different things; and also it hath been and is ob∣served, that those that are Wasters and wilfull Spoylers of Trees and Plants without just Reason so to doe, have seldom prospered in this World. See this confirmed by Esquire Evelyn, in his Preface to his Discourse of Forrest∣trees. Therefore, you that are Lovers of Trees and Plants, if once you have them, let your Love be shewed in the Care you take of them, to keep them from Cattel and

other Inconveniencies, then will you not onely have Plea∣sure and Profit of them, but others, by being defended from the malignant and sharp Air by their Heads and Bo∣dies, and also shaded from the violent Heats, and their sweet Flowers, and their refreshing Fruit will be usefull to several men.

Also Planting and Gardening addes much to the Health and Content of Man; and these two Jewels, no man that well understands himself, would willingly be without: For it is not onely set down for a certain Truth by many wise Men, but confirmed by Experience. The Learned Lord Bacon commends the following of the Plough in fresh Ground, to be very healthful for Man; but more the Digging in Gardens, saying, It is best to take the Air of the Earth new turned up by Digging with the Spade, or standing by him that diggeth: He tells you also that he knew a great Man, that lived long, who had a clean Clod of Earth brought to him every Morning as he sate in his Bed, and would hold his Head over it a good pretty while, &c. See pag. 203. of his Natural History. For though the Earth be two-fold, External or Visible, and Internal or Invisible; the External is not the Element, but the Body of the Ele∣ment, in which is the Sulphur, Mercury and Salt; for the Element of the Earth is Life and Spirit, wherein lies the Astra's of the Earth which bring forth all growing things; for it hath in it self the Seeds and seminal Vertues of all things; for as it is made fruitfull by all the other Elements, so it bringeth forth all things out of it self, as Trees, Herbs and Flowers; and every one of these is again the Astrum and Seed: See Philosophy Reformed, p. 38. Thus is shew∣ed, that the Earth hath in it the Virtues of all Herbs; it must then be also healthful as they be: But for that part of the Earth that is neer the Surface, the Plants suck most of its Virtue into them; therefore that which lieth deeper may be the more healthfull for Man to smell of

for Consumption, Loss of Appetite, &c. And Trees do not onely catch the Mildew and other offensive Dews with their Leaves, but screen the Aire of other bad ones, and makes it much the healthfuller for Man. Therefore, you that live neer to Fenns, Moors, and other unhealth∣full places, plant your Seats round with Trees, and some of those that yield healthfull smells: For it is very cer∣tain, what the aforesaid Learned Author saith, p. 204. That Odours do Nourish; for he saith, he knew a Gentle∣man that would fast three or four dayes, without Meat, Bread or Drink, by onely smelling to a great wisp of Herbs, &c. And in p. 44. in the History of his Life and Death, saith, That Odours are especially profitable for the Comforting of the Heart: And further he saith, We com∣mend above all other Odours, that of Plants growing and not plucked, taken in the open Aire, as Violets, Gilly-flowers, Pinks, Bean-flowers, Line-tree Blossoms, Hony-suckles, Wall-flowers, Roses, Mints, Lavender, &c. Orange-trees, Citron, Mir∣tles, &c. Therefore to walk or sit neer the breath of these Plants, would not be neglected.

Thus you see this Learned man takes notice of the Line-tree; and if the simple Water that is distilled from the Flowers, be good against the Plague, or other in∣fectious Diseases, as certain it is, then sure the smell from the Blossoms themselves must be very good; therefore excellent to plant neer your Houses: And (as I have heard) a wise Mans Opinion was, That the Line-trees in the Cities in Holland adde much to the Health of the In∣habitants; and it is my belief. I have hinted at the big∣ness of one Lime or Line-tree, in the ensuing lines, and shall here shew you, for your further encouragement to plant and preserve Trees, the Content of one Tree, as I had it from the Honourable Sir Henry Capell as follow∣eth.

A Witch-Elm in Sir Walter Baggott's Park in the County of Stafford.

• Two Men five dayes felling it.
• It lay 40 yards in Length.
• The Stool five yards two foot over.
• Fourteen Load of Wood brake in the fall.
• Forty eight Load in the Top.
• Eighty pair of Naves were made out of it.
• Eight thousand six hundred and sixty foot of Boards and Planks.
• It cost Ten pounds seventeen shillings Sawing.
• The whole Substance was conceived to be 97 Tuns.
• It was felled in the Year 1674.

And now I shall set before you some Rocks, which are in some Books, and for their strangeness are entertained too long, to the Abuse of many: But these which I mark here, pray endeavour to avoyd.

First Error: It is affirmed by some, that if you put your Seeds in a Box, Shell, or Squill, and so set them in the Ground, these seeds will unite in one, and so bring forth larger and better Fruit; but if they should joyn in Roots or Branches, that will not make the Fruit the better or larger, nor of two kinds in Taste, as some have said. I ra∣ther think that putting seeds into such things will stupifie them and destroy them; but if they should unite in one shoot, that shoot that groweth the fastest would lead all the sap into its Head, and so strain it through its Pores, that it would make no more Alteration of a Fruit, that such a shoot would Naturally have had, than a Graft doth by being grafted on several stocks.

For what Alteration there is of Plants, it is from their Seed, and is stamped in them at their first Conception and

Nativity, which the Art of Man helpeth and may improve somewhat, but never to alter the Kind, by Budding, Graft∣ing, &c.

I shall not trouble you and my self in Answering these following Errors; but if you be not satisfied with my say∣ing they are so, I shall answer them when you desire me, as well as I can: So I shall onely name them, and shew you them as I have found them.

Second Error: To water Seeds with coloured water; or Plants, to make them produce what coloured Flowers or Fruit you please; It is in vain to think so.

Third Er. To graft or bud Stone-Fruit, or Kernels, or Nuts, or to bud such Fruit as beareth Kernels on such as beareth Nuts or Stones; or to bud Fruits-trees on Forrest, and the contrary; or to graft or bud Figs on Peaches, or Apricocks; or to bud any sort of Trees on Coleworts; or to bud Peaches on the Mulberry-tree to have them Early; or to bud Damsons on Gooseberry, Mulberry or Cherries, to have them Ripe all Summer; or by budding Cherries on these Stocks, and to wet them in Honey and Cloves, makes them taste sweet and spicy; or by budding or grafting, to make a Fruit taste half an Apple and half a Pear, or half a Pippin and half a Pearmain; or an Ap∣ple half-sweet, half-soure; or to graft a Rose on a Holly; or to graft Cherries on other Stone-fruit to come with∣out Stones; or to graft a Vine on a Cherry; or to take the Pith out of two Grafts, and then joyn them together and graft them, brings a Fruit without Kernels, so they may when both grow; or to graft a Cyon with the small End downward, will make it bring a Fruit without Core: These, and the like, are great Errors, and very false in Grafting and Budding.

Fourth Er. To set a whole Apple or Pear, the Pippins will come forth in one shoot; or to set any sort of Fruit with the fleshy part on; are also great Errors.

Fifth Er. To bore holes in Trees, and to put Honey or other sweet things into them, to make them bear more and sweet Fruit; is also a great Fallacy.

Sixth Er. To think that the Sap of Trees at the Ap∣proach of Winter falleth from the Head into the Root, is a gross mistake. Many more there are which I could count up; but these are too many, either to be written or kept in Memory.

Thus having shewed you some Errors, I here beg Par∣don for mine own that are in this Book. I know I have committed Tautology; the Reason is, I have been long in taking true Observations: but I hope that which is so usefull, cannot be too often repeated. I have used Arith∣metick the more, because it is so usefull to the ingenious Planter; for I have not laboured to please my self onely, but for all those that seek Wisdom: For the Gifts of God are improved by communicating, and Knowledge thriveth as Ingenuity is improved and communicated: for Ingenui∣ty hath these Properties of Memory and Charity, the more you use it, the better it is; and the more you give of it, the more you shall have.

And now I shall shew you how I did proceed in that which I was born to, not made: I alwayes took Notes of what I did set or sow, the Time, and on what Ground, &c. and when it proved well, I noted it so; but when ill, I did endeavouras much as I could to know the Rea∣son; which when once I found, I noted it well: I also alwayes was very wary of taking things upon trust; for many Learned men have abused their Works by so doing; and if any man told me any thing, unless he had sufficient Experience of it, or could give very good Reasons why it was so, I alwayes was incredulous of it, unless my Judgement told me it were possible, or he by Discourse made it plain to me: For no man ought to deprive ano∣ther

of the Liberty of Humane Ingenuity, that hath Light of Nature to discern and judge by.

I have often been blamed by Noble-Men, for not con∣senting to the Opinion of some of their Favourites; for when their Notions were not grounded on Reason, or had not been proved by Experience, (though never so new) I could not well entertain them. So if you find any thing in these few Lines, that hath not Reason in it, prove by Experience whether it is true or not: And do not say, It is so or so, because I say it; but as you find it. And let me be plain with you further; alwayes when I undertook any difficult business, I was as carefull as I could be, to elect a fit time to begin that business in: And to the prayse of God I speak it, I alwayes had the greatest success in my greatest undertakings, though many times I have been al∣together Ignorant in them; and many times failed in small things, when I thought of the least danger. I know some will smile at this Truth, but let them laugh that win; I never lost by it. The wisest man that ever was, tells you, There is a Time for all things; and certainly there is in Sowing, Grafting and Gardening: For it shall be my Opinion,

To think and judge as cause I find, My Rule is not anothers Mind.

Or as the ingenious Mr. Cowley hath it from the Learned Dubartas:

Senseless is he who (without blush) denies, What to sound Senses most Apparent lies; And 'gainst Experience he that spits Fallacians, Is to be hiss'd from Learned Disputations; And such is he that doth affirm the Stars To have no force on these Inferiours.

But to conclude; I have here shewed you some Rules how to prune Forrest-trees, which well done adds much to their shape, growth, and long life; Every one that makes any Observation of Trees seeth this truth confirmed in their sshape; and though many are against pruning of Forrest∣trees, yet it adds much to their growth; and if done by a skilful hand and at fit times, it adds much to the goodness of the Timber, though several (it's possible) will tell you to the contrary, for it is the borrower that things of trust, that is Truth's greatest greatest Opposer: But to confirm the growth by pruning, take this Example: There grew a young Oak near the Orange-house at Cashiobury, about nine inches Diameter, with many young Boughs on the sides, which robbed the Head so much, that it did shoot but little, having more boughs than the Roots could well main∣tain, I took off the side-boughs in the year 1669; and in the year 1675, My Lord ordered me to fell it, it standing too near a Walk we had made. My Lord being at Cashio∣bury and discoursing of pruning Forrest-trees with the in∣genious Artists Sir Samuel Moreland and Hugh May Esquire, I shewd them the Truth confirmed in this Tree; for that year it was pruned it did grow ⅖ of an Inch, which was near as it had grown in five years before; It continued that growth very near for the six years after, as did plainly ap∣pear by Annual Circles to them and me. And as good Pruning doth help the growth of Trees, so also it doth pro∣long their Life: For it is well known that the pruning of some Annual Plants will make them live more years than one; for good Pruning may take off that which ill prun∣ing hath left, or the wind, which otherwise would de∣stroy the Tree in little time. And as I have said some∣thing in this Book of Pruning Forrest-trees, so I wish some able man would shew some Rules, or his Judgement of Pruning all sorts of Fruit-trees and Plants that bear Fruit, that there might be some light for a man to see to ground

his Reasons on; for we are much to seek both in the man∣ner how, and the Time when to Prune our Fruit-trees, both to Improve them and their Fruit.

I also have shewed you several Rules of Artificial Arith∣metick by the Canon of Logarithms, and several Rules of the Line of Numbers or Gunters Line; which for their excellent uses cannot be made too common, or too well known to the Ingenious.

And Lastly, I have not bushelled my Light, but have set it to the Publick view; which if it enlighten thee in the good and true way which I intend, to thy benefit and plea∣sure, it's possible I shall doe thee, if the Lord permit, some other piece of service, farther to direct thee in the Truth.

My request to thee is to Correct the mispointing, or pa∣ging, for my business is such, that I cannot see it Corrected my self, but trusting in your goodness shall conclude:

Small faults if you'l pardon, and some amend, Then I'le be yours to my Lifes end;

From Cashiobury near Watford, Novemb. 16. An. 1675.

M. Cook.