Sylva; Or, A Discourse of Forest Trees. Vol. 1 (of 2)Evelyn, John
History
Sylva; Or, A Discourse of Forest Trees. Vol. 1 (of 2)
Evelyn, John
Forests and forestry -- Early works to 1800; Gardening -- Early works to 1800; Trees -- Early works to 1800
3. The suckers which I speak of, are produced in abundance from the
roots, whence, being dextrously separated, after the earth has been well
loosened, and planted about the end of October, they will grow very
well: Nay, the stubs only, which are left in the ground after a felling
(being fenced in as far as the roots extend) will furnish you with
plenty, which may be transplanted from the first year or two,
successively, by slipping them from the roots, which will continually
supply you for many years, after that the body of the mother-tree has
been cut down: And from hence probably is sprung that (I fear) mistake
of Salmasius and others, where they write of the growing of their chips
(I suppose having some of the bark on) scattered in hewing of their
timber; the error proceeding from this, that after an elm-tree has been
fell’d, the numerous suckers which shoot from the remainders of the
latent roots, seem to be produced from this dispersion of the chips: Let
this yet be more accurately examined; for I pronounce nothing
magisterially, since it is so confidently reported.
4. I have known stakes sharpned at the ends for other purposes, take
root familiarly in moist grounds, and become trees; and divers have
essay’d with extraordinary success the trunchions of the boughs and arms
of elms cut to the scantling of a man’s arm, about an ell in length.
These must be chopp’d on each side opposite, and laid into trenches
about half a foot deep, covered about two or three fingers deep with
good mould. The season for this work is towards the exit of January, or
early in February, if the frosts impede not; and after the first year,
you may cut, or saw the trunchions off in as many places as you find
cause, and as the shoots and rooted sprouts will direct you for
transplantation. Another expedient for the propagation of elms is this:
Let trenches be sunk at a good distance (viz. twenty or thirty yards)
from such trees as stand in hedge-rows, and in such order as you desire
your elms should grow; where these gutters are, many young elms will
spring from the small roots of the adjoining trees. Divide (after one
year) the shoots from their mother-roots (which you may dextrously do
with a sharp spade) and these transplanted, will prove good trees
without any damage to their progenitors. Or do thus, lop a young elm,
the lop being about three years growth, do it in the latter end of
March, when the sap begins to creep up into the boughs, and the buds
ready to break out; cut the boughs into lengths of four foot slanting,
leaving the knot where the bud seems to put forth in the middle: Inter
these short pieces in trenches of three or four inches deep, and in good
mould well trodden, and they will infallibly produce you a crop; for
even the smallest suckers of elms will grow, being set when the sap is
newly stirring in them. There is yet a fourth way no less expeditious,
and frequently confirmed with excellent success: Bare some of the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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