cient to convince the gain-sayer. And when by this husbandry a few
acorns shall have peopl'd the neighbouring regions with young stocks
and trees; the residue will become groves and copses of infinite delight
and satisfaction to the planters. Besides, we daily see what course
lands will bear these stocks (suppose them oaks, wall-nuts, chess-nuts,
pines, firr, ash, wild-pears, crabs, &c.) and some of them (as for
instance the pear and the firr or pine) strike their roots through the
roughest and most impenetrable rocks and clefts of stone it self; and
others require not any rich or pinguid, but very moderate soil;
especially, if committed to it in seeds, which allies them to their
mother and nurse without renitency or regret: And then considering what
assistances a little care in easing and stirring of the ground about
them for a few years does afford them: What cannot a strong plow, a
winter mellowing, and summer heats, incorporated with the pregnant turf,
or a slight assistance of lime, loam, sand, rotten compost, discreetly
mixed (as the case may require) perform even in the most unnatural and
obstinate soil? And in such places where anciently woods have grown, but
are now unkind to them, the fault is to be reformed by this care; and
chiefly, by a sedulous extirpation of the old remainders of roots, and
latent stumps, which by their mustiness, and other pernicious qualities,
sowre the ground, and poyson the conception; and herewith let me put in
this note, that even an over-rich, and pinguid composition, is by no
means the proper bed either for seminary or nursery, whilst even the
natural soil it self does frequently discover and point best to the
particular species, though some are for all places alike: Nor should the
earth be yet perpetually crop'd with the same, or other seeds, without
due repose, but lie some time fallow to receive the influence of
heaven, according to good husbandry. But I shall say no more of these
particulars at this time, because the rest is sprinkl'd over this whole
work in their due places; wherefore we hasten to the following title;
namely, the choice and ordering of the seeds.

3. Chuse your seed of that which is perfectly mature, ponderous and
sound; commonly that which is easily shaken from the boughs, or gathered
about November, immediately upon its spontaneous fall, or taken from the
tops and summities of the fairest and soundest trees, is best, and does
(for the most part) direct to th