John Evelyn Sylva Forestry

686. The publication of Evelyn's Sylva, in 1664, raised a great spirit of planting, and created a new era in this as in other branches of gardening. In his dedication to the edition of 1678, he observes, that he need not acquaint the king how many millions of timber trees have been planted in his dominions, at the instigation, and by the sole direction, of that work. The government at that time, alarmed by the devastation which had been committed during the civil war, gave great attention to the increase and preservation of timber in the royal forests.