t was printed by order of the
Society, and by their printer, since it was a Corporation.' This latter
reference evidently anticipates events, as one often had reason to note
in this so-called diary, because Sylva was not actually published until
the beginning of 1664, when along with it were included _Pomona_, and
the _Kalendarium Hortense_. In February, 1664, '16th, I presented my
"Sylva" to the Society; and next day to his Majestie, to whom it was
dedicated; also to the Lord Treasurer and the Lord Chancellor.'

There is no doubt that _Sylva_ was a work of national importance. Then,
as now, England was dependent on her Navy. But the stock of Oak timber
suitable for the requirements of the naval dockyards had become almost
exhausted. From a tonnage of 17,110 tons in 1603, our fleet had risen to
57,463 tons in 1660, and during the 25 years of Charles II's reign it
increased to 103,556 tons. To supply these rapidly expanding
requirements the stock of timber in the country was feared to be
inadequate. From 197,405, loads of timber fit for the Navy in the New
Forest in 1608, the stock sank later to 19,873 in 1707; and in the royal
forests in Gloucestershire a similar state of affairs obtained. At a
meeting of the Council of the Royal Society in November 1662, Evelyn
followed up his recent _Sylva_ by suggesting a discourse 'concerning
planting his Majesty's Forest of Deane with oake, now so much exhausted,
of ye choicest ship-timber in the world.' This was before the days of
steam or even of macadamized roads, when we had to grow our own supplies
of food and Navy timber. True, oak for wainscoting and the like had long
been imported from the Continent; but if we had been anything like
dependent on foreign oak, the Dutch War which shortly afterwards broke
out would probably have cut off the same entirely from reaching our
ports.

It is unnecessary to say much about this charming classic of Forestry,
of whose various excellences the reader can herein judge for himself.
Gracefully written in nervous English and in a cultured style, ornately
embellished according to the then prevailing custom by apt quotations
from the Latin poets, it contains an enormous amount of information in
the shape of legends and of facts ascertained by travel, of observation,
and of experience. No man of his time could possibly have been better
qualified than Evelyn for undertaking the special duty laid upon him;
and he carried out his task in a brillia