Chap.I.
Of the beginning of Woods, first sowing, and necessarie vse.
Wood better then Gold.
It is a Maxime held in Plantations, that no land is habitable, which hath not Wood & Water, they two being as it were the only nerues & strength of a mans safe and wholesome liuing, and I haue heard many wise Gentlemen, exercised, and ingaged, in the most noble and euer laudable workes of our new Plantations, both ofVirginaand the Summer-Ilandsaffirme, that they had rather, for a generall profit, haue a fertile wholesome land, with much wood, then (wanting wood) with a Mine of gold: so infinite great is the vse of Timber (whose particulars I néede not rehearse) and so insufferable is the want, when we are any way pinched with the same. And hence it springeth that our olde auncestors (whose vertues would God we would in some small measureimitate) when they found any hard and barraine earth, such as was vnapt for grasse; or at least such as bare but grasse that would kéepe life, not comfort life, they presently plowed it vp, and sowed thereon Acornes, Ash-keyes, Maple knots, Béech apples, Hawes, Slowes, Nuts, Bullis, and all other séeds of trées in innumerable quantity, as may appeare by the Forrests ofDel la mere,Sherwood,Kings wood, and many other within this kingdome of huge great spaciousnes and compasse, from whom when the wood is spoiled, the soyle serueth to little or no purpose, except it be the kéeping aliue of a few poore shéepe, which yéeld but little profit more then their carkasse. Thus euen from the first age of the world hath our forefathers béene euer most carefull to preserue and encrease wood, and for mine owne part I haue euer obserued in all those places where I haue séene Woods decayed and destroyed, that the charge of stubbing and other necessaries allowed; those lands haue neuer againe yéelded the former profit, for the greatest exhaustment that euer I saw of wood ground was to bring it to tenne shillings an Acre when it was conuerted to pasture, and being kept to wood, it was worth euery seauentéenth yéere one and twenty pound. A simple Auditor may cast the account of this profit, but such is our gréedinesse, that for our instant vse we little respect the good of ours, or our neighbours. But it is no part of my Bookes method to call offences to question, but onely to right the Husbandman in his iourney to ordinarie profit.The excellent vses of Wood.Know then that there is nothing more profitable to the Husbandman, then the encreasing and nourishing of wood; from whence (as our common lawes termes it) springs these thrée bootes or necessary commodities, to wit House-boote, Plowe-boote, and Fire-boote, without the first we haue neither health, couert, ease, nor safety from sauage beasts: without the second we cannot haue the fruits of the earth, nor sustenance for our bodies, nor without the last can we defend off the sharp Winters, or maintaine life against the numbing colds which wouldconfound vs. The consideration of these thrée things only, might enduce vs to the preseruation of this most excellent commodity: but the other infinite necessities & vses which we make of wood, as shipping, by which we make our selues Lords of the Seas: fencing which is the bond of concord amongst neighbours: solution & trial of Mines, from whence springs both our glory in peace, and our strength in warre, with a world of others sutable vnto them, should be motiues vnresistable to make vs with all diligence hast to the most praise-worthy labour of planting wood, in euery place and corner, where it may any way conueniently be receiued.
The plantation of Wood.
If then the Husbandman shall liue in a high barraine Countrey (for low-valleyes, marshes, or such grounds as are subiect to inundations, seldome nourish wood well) or in a soyle though not vtterly barraine, yet of so hard and sower encrease, that the hearbage doth in the profit but in small quantity, I would wish him after a generall triall of his earth, to deuide it into thrée equall parts, the first and the fruitfullest I would haue him preserue for pasture for his Cattell of all kindes: the second and next in fertility for corne, being no more then those cattell may till, and the last & most barraine to imploy for wood: which though he stay long for the profit, yet will pay the interest double. And this ground thus chosen for wood, I would haue him plowe vp from the swarth about the latter end of Februarie, and if it be light earth, as either sand, grauell, or a mixt hazel earth, then immediatly to sow it with Acornes, Ash-keyes, Elme & Maple knots, Béech-apples, Chesnuts, Ceruisses, Crabs, Peares, Nuts of all kindes, Hawes, Hips, Bullice, Slowes, and all manner of other wood séeds whatsoeuer, and as soone as they are sowne with strong Oxe harrowes of iron, to harrow and breake the earth, in such sort, that they may be close and safely couered. And in the plowing of this earth, you must diligently obserue to turne vp your furrowes as déepe as is possible, that the séede taking strong and déepe roote, may the betterand with more safety encrease, and defend it selfe against stormes and tempests, whereas if the roote be but weakely fixed, the smallest blasts will shake the Trées, and make them crooked, wrythen, and for small vse but fire onely.
The fencing of young woods.
After you haue harrowed your earth, and laide your séede safe, you shall fence your ground about with a strong and large fence, and hedge, ditch, pale, or such like, which may kéepe out all manner of foure-footed beasts, for comming within the same, for the space of tenne yéeres after: for you shall vnderstand, that if any cattell shall come where young wood is péeping aboue the earth, or whilst it is young, tender, and soft, they will naturally crop and brouse vpon the same, and then be sure that the wood which is so bitten, will neuer prosper or spring vp to any height, but turne to bushie shrubs and ill-fauoured tufts, pestring the ground without any hope of profit, whereas if it be defended and kept safe the space of tenne yéeres at the least, it will after defend it selfe, and prosper in despight of any iniurie:When cattell may graze in Springs.and then after that date you may safely turne your cattell into the same, and let them graze at pleasure, and surely you shall finde it a great reliefe for your young beast, as your yearling Haiffers, Bullocks, Colts, Fillies, and such like: for I would not wish you to let any elder cattell come within the same, because the grasse though it be long, yet it is sower and scowring, and by that meanes will make your cattell for labour weake and vnhealthie, whether it be Oxe or Horse, and for milch-Kine, it will instantly dry vp their milke, but for idle heilding beasts, whose profit is comming after, it will serue sufficiently.
The vse of the clay ground for Wood.
Now if the earth whereon you sowe your wood, be a stiffe clay ground, and onely barraine through the extreamitie of colde, wet, or such like, as is séene in daily experience: you shall then plowe vp the ground at the end of Ianuarie in déepe furrowes, as is before rehearsed; and then let it rest till it haue receiued two or thrée good Frosts, then after those Frosts some wet, as either snow or raine,and then the next faire season after sowe it, as afore-said, and harrow it, and you shall sée the mould breake and couer most kindely, which without this baite, and order, it would not doe, then fence it as afore-said, and preserue it from cattell for tenne yéeres after.
A speciall note.
And here is to be noted that one Oake growing vpon a clay ground, is worth any fiue which growes vpon the sand, for it is more hard, more tough, and of much longer indurance, not so apt to teare, ryue, or consume, either with Lyme, Rubbish, or any casuall moysture, whence it comes that euer your Ship-wrights or Mill-wrights desire the clay Oake for their vse, and the Ioyner the sand Oake for smoothnesse and waynscote. And thus much for the sowing of Wood, and his generall vses.