tly admir'd at the sudden failing of most
goodly timber to the eye, which being employ'd to these uses, does many
times most dangerously fly in sunder, as wanting that native spring and
toughness which our English oak is indu'd withal. And here we forget not
the stress which Sir H. Wotton, and other architects put even in the
very position of their growth, their native streightness and loftiness,
for columns, supporters, cross-beams, &c. and 'tis found that the
rough-grain'd body of a stubbed oak, is the fittest timber for the case
of a cyder-mill, and such like engines, as best enduring the unquietness
of a ponderous rolling-stone. For shingles, pales, lathes, coopers ware,
clap-board for wainscot, (the ancient{54:1} _intestina opera_ and works
within doors) and some pannells are curiously vein'd, of much esteem in
former times, till the finer grain'd Spanish and Norway timber came
amongst us, which is likewise of a whiter colour. There is in
New-England a certain red-oak, which being fell'd, they season in some
moist and muddy place, which branches into very curious works. It is
observ'd that oak will not easily glue to other wood; no not very well
with its own kind; and some sorts will never cohere tolerably, as the
box and horn-beam, tho' both hard woods; so nor service with cornell,
&c. Oak is excellent for wheel-spokes, pins and pegs for tyling, &c. Mr.
Blith makes spars and small building-timber of oaks of eleven years
growth, which is a prodigious advance, &c. The smallest and streightest
is best, discover'd by the upright tenor of the bark, as being the most
proper for cleaving: The knottiest for water-works, piles, and the like,
because 'twill drive best, and last longest; the crooked, yet firm, for
knee-timber in shipping, millwheels, &c. In a word, how absolutely
necessary the oak is above all the trees of the forest in
naval-architecture, &c. consult Whitson, lib. 1. cap. 13.

Were planting of these woods more in use, we should banish our hoops of
hazel, &c. for those of good copse-oak, which being made of the younger
shoots, are exceeding tough and strong: One of them being of ground-oak,
will outlast six of the best ash; but this our coopers love not to hear
of, who work by the great for sale, and for others. The smaller
trunchions and spray, make billet, bavine and coals; and the bark is of
price with the tanner and dyer, to whom the very saw-dust is of use, as
are the ashes and lee for bucking linnen; an