it seems was stone) or that the elms
grew spontaneously. In the mean time, some affirm they were first
brought out of Lombardy, where indeed I have observ'd very goodly trees
about the rich grounds, with pines among them, _vitelus almi_; for I
hear of none either in Saxony or Denmark, nor in France, (growing wild)
who all came and prey'd upon us after the Romans. But leaving this to
the learned.

9. The elm is by reason of its aspiring and tapering growth, (unless it
be topped to enlarge the branches, and make them spread low) the least
offensive to corn and pasture-grounds; to both which, and the cattel,
they afford a benign shade, defence, and agreeable ornament: But then as
to pastures, the wand'ring roots (apt to infect the fields and grass
with innumerable suckers) the leading mother-root ought to be quite
separated on that part, and the suckers irradicated. The like should be
done where they are placed near walks of turf or gravel.

10. It would be planted as shallow as might be; for, as we noted, deep
interring of roots is amongst the catholick mistakes; and of this, the
greatest to which trees are obnoxious. Let new-planted elms be kept
moist by frequent refreshings upon some half-rotten fern, or litter laid
about the foot of the stem; the earth a little stirred and depressed for
the better reception and retention of the water.

11. Lastly, your plantation must above all things be carefully preserved
from cattel and the concussions of impetuous winds, till they are out of
reach of the one, and sturdy enough to encounter the other.

12. When you lop the side-boughs of an elm (which may be about January
for the fire, and more frequently, if you desire to have them tall; or
that you would form them into hedges, for so they may be kept plashed,
and thickned to the highest twig; affording both a magnificent and
august defence against the winds and sun) I say, when you trim them, be
careful to indulge the tops; for they protect the body of your trees
from the wet, which always invades those parts first, and will in time
perish them to the very heart; so as elms beginning thus to decay, are
not long prosperous. Sir Hugh Plat relates (as from an expert carpenter)
that the boughs and branches of an elm should be left a foot long next
the trunk when they are lopp'd; but this is to my certain observation, a
very great mistake either in the relator, or author; for I have noted
many elms so disbranched, that the remainin