ots.

But that none be discouraged, who may upon some accident, be desirous,
or forc'd to transplant trees, where the partial, or unequal ground does
not afford sufficient room, or soil to make the pits equally capacious,
(and so apt to nourish and entertain the roots, as where are no
impediments), the worthy Mr. Brotherton (whom we shall have occasion to
mention more than once in this treatise) speaking of the increase and
improvement of roots, tells us of a large pinaster, 2 foot and 1/2
diameter, and about 60 foot in height, the lowest boughs being 30 foot
above the ground, which did spread and flourish on all sides alike,
though it had no root at all towards three quarters of its situation,
and but one quarter only, into which it expanded its roots so far as to
70 and 80 foot from the body of the tree: The reason was, its being
planted just within the square-angle of the corner of a deep, thick and
strong stone-wall, which was a kind wharfing against a river running by
it, and so could have nourishment but from one quarter. And this I
likewise might confirm of two elms, planted by me about 35 years since;
which being little bigger than walking-staves, and set on the very brink
of a ditch or narrow channel (not always full of water) wharfed with a
wall of a brick and half in thickness, (to keep the bank from falling
in) are since grown to goodly and equally spreading trees of near two
foot diameter, solid timber, and of stature proportionable. The
difference between this, and that of the pine, being their having one
quarter more of mould for the roots to spread in; but which is not at
all discover'd by the exuberence of the branches in either part. But to
return to planting, where are no such obstacles.

6. _Theophrastus_ in his Third Book _de Causis_, c. 7. gives us great
caution in planting, to preserve the roots, and especially the earth
adhering to the smallest fibrills, which should by no means be shaken
off, as most of our gardeners do to trim and quicken them, as they
pretend, which is to cut them shorter; though I forbid not a very small
toping of the stragling threds, which may else hinder the spreading of
the rest, &c. Not at all considering, that those tender hairs are the
very mouths, and vehicles which suck in the nutriment, and transfuse it
into all the parts of the tree, and that these once perishing, the
thicker and larger roots, hard, and less spungy, signifie little but to
establish the stem; as I