Vinetum Britannicum, or, A treatise of cider and such other wines and drinks that are extracted from all manner of fruits growing in this kingdom together with the method of propogating all sorts of vinous fruit-trees, and a description of the new-invented ingenio, or mill, for the more expeditious and better making of cider : and also, the right method of making metheglin and birch-wine : with copper-plates / by J.W., gent.

SECT. I. Of the profits arising thereby.

WE all very well know that Advan∣tage is the great Mark aim'd at by most, and the Haven to which the greater part of mankinde steer their Course. It is that which makes the toil and labour of so many ingenious and industrious men become easie and pleasant to them, and makes the Husbandman wait with so much patience for his long expected Crop; so that it is the profit and advantage that is to be expected from these Plantations that

must encourage our Country-men to un∣dergo the pains and expence that these will necessarily require; part of which advantages are before already in general toucht at, but the more particular those which are most to be respected.

I am unwilling to trouble you with so exact an account as may be taken, how many greater and lesser Trees should be planted on an hundred or one thousand Acres of Land, at so many foot and inches distance, like what of late hath been pub∣lished to the world, by an account to an Acorn, how many of them will plant one thousand Acres of Land at a foot distance, &c. having more of nicety than discretion in it; onely you may conclude, that one hundred Apple-trees may be planted in an Acre of ground at about twenty foot di∣stance; which is a good size for the Red-streak, that Tree never growing very large: the greater distance you plant them at, the fewer will be required: Considera∣tion also must be had to the goodness of the Land; a dry hungry Soil requiring more Trees: than a more liberal, because the Trees will rarely be very large; and the more they shadow the ground, the better, as before was observed.

The Rates and Prizes of planting one hundred of these Trees, are also easily to be computed; you may have them at the Gardeners, brought home, planted, and sta∣ked, if they require it, for about five pound the hundred.

The yearly profit of the Herbage or Tillage of this Acre of Ground for the first seven years after planting, may well be employed in digging about the Roots of the Trees, carrying off convenient and proper Soil or compost for them, and main∣taining the Fences, paying Duties, &c.

At seven years end, these one hundred Trees may, one Tree with another, yield a bushel of Apples each Tree: for al∣though it is not to be denied, but that some of them may have perished, and others, as yet but young, raised in their places, yet may some of these Trees at seven years growth bear two or three bushels, and some a bushel and a half, which may in the whole make one hundred bushels, which at six pence per bushel is fifty shillings; the Herbage then will be worth at least twenty shillings per annum, although the Ground were worth less before it was planted: The eighth or ninth year your Trees may, one with another, and one year with ano∣ther,

yield you at least two or three bush∣els on a Tree, and sometimes more; which at so low a rate, your five pound first ex∣pended, and the forbearance of the pro∣fit of your Land, and interest of your Money for seven years, will bring you in at the least five pound per annum, the Herbage being still allowed for the main∣tainance of your Plantation.

But if a good Fruit-year happen, and your one hundred Trees yield you four or five hundred bushels of Fruit, and those worth twelve pence or eighteen pence the bushel, it will, in one year, more than retaliate all your past labour, charge, and loss.

The like Calculation might be made of the profits arising from the propagating of several other sorts of the before-mentioned Fruits; but he that understands the me∣thod of planting them, will easily compute the advantage.