inter be well
advanc'd, in regard of their pithy substance. Therefore, such as you
shall have occasion to make use of before that period, ought to be well
grown, and fell'd with the earliest, and in the first quarter of the
increasing moon, that so the successive shoot receive no prejudice:
Some, before they fell, disbark their alders, and other trees; of which
see Cap. III. Book III. But there is yet another way of planting alders
after the Jersey manner, and as I receiv'd it from a most ingenious
gentleman of that country, which is, by taking trunchions of two or
three foot long, at the beginning of Winter, and to bind them in
faggots, and place the ends of them in water 'till towards the Spring,
by which season they will have contracted a swelling spire, or knurr
about that part, which being set, does (like the gennet-moil apple-tree)
never fail of growing and striking root. There is a black sort more
affected to woods, and drier grounds; and bears a black berry, not so
frequently found; yet growing somewhere about Hampsted, as the learned
Dr. Tan. Robinson observes.

2. There are a sort of husbands who take excessive pains in stubbing up
their alders, where-ever they meet them in the boggie places of their
grounds, with the same indignation as one would extirpate the most
pernicious of weeds; and when they have finished, know not how to
convert their best lands to more profit than this (seeming despicable)
plant might lead them to, were it rightly understood. Besides, the
shadow of this tree, does feed and nourish the very grass which grows
under it; and being set, and well plashed, is an excellent defence to
the banks of rivers; so as I wonder it is not more practis'd about the
Thames, to fortifie, and prevent the mouldring of the walls, and the
violent weather they are exposed to.

3. You may cut aquatic-trees every third or fourth year, and some more
frequently, as I shall shew you hereafter. They should also be abated
within half a foot of the principal head, to prevent the perishing of
the main stock; and besides, to accelerate their sprouting. In setting
the trunchions, it were not amiss to prepare them a little after they
are fitted to the size, by laying them a while in water; this is also
practicable in willows, &c.

4. Of old they made boats of the greater parts of this tree, and
excepting Noah's ark, the first vessels we read of, were made of this
material.

When hollow alders first the waters tr