fellowes. Let no man thinke
this vnpossible, but looke in the eleuenth Chapter of dressing of trees.
If they touch, the winde will cause a forcible rub. Young twigs are
tender, if boughes or armes touch or rub, if they are strong, they make
great galls. No kind of touch therefore in trees can be good.

{SN: The best distance of trees.}
{SN: The parts of a tree.}
Now it is to be considered what distance amongst sets is requisite, and
that must be gathered from the compasse and roomth, that each tree by
probability will take and fill. And herein I am of a contrary opinion to
all them, which practise or teach the planting of trees, that euer yet I
knew, read, or heard of. For the common space betweene tree and tree is
ten foot: if twenty foot, it is thought very much. But I suppose twenty
yards distance is small enough betwixt tree and tree, or rather too too
little. For the distance must needs be as far as two trees are well able
to ouer spread, and fill, so they touch not by one yard at least. Now I
am assured, and I know one Apple-tree, set of a slip _finger-great_, in
the space of 20 yeares, (which I account a very small part of a trees
age, as is shewed Chapter 14.) hath spred his boughes eleuen or twelue
yards compasse, that is, fiue or sixe yards on euery side. Here I
gather, that in forty or fifty yeares (which yet is but a small time of
his age) a tree in good soile, well liking, by good dressing (for that
is much auaileable to this purpose) will spread double at the least,
viz. twelue yards on a side, which being added to twelue alotted to his
fellow, make twenty and foure yards, and so farre distant must euery
tree stand from another. And looke how farre a tree spreads his boughes
aboue, so far doth he put his roots vnder the earth, or rather further,
if there be no stop, nor let by walls, trees, rocks, barren earth and
such like: for an huge bulk, and strong armes, massie boughes, many
branches, and infinite twigs, require wide spreading roots. The top hath
the vast aire to spread his boughs in, high and low, this way and that
way: but the roots are kept in the crust of the earth, they may not goe
downward, nor vpward out of the earth, which is their element, no more
then the fish out of the water, Camelion out of the Aire, nor Salamander
out of the fire. Therefore they must needs spread farre vnder the earth.
And I dare well say, if nature would giue leaue to man by Art, to dresse
the roots of trees, to take a