Page:Virgil's Pastorals, Georgics and Aeneis - Dryden (1709) - volume 1.pdf/277

Geor. II. From Roots hard Hazles, and from Cyens rise Tall Ash, and taller Oak that mates the Skies: Palm, Poplar, Firr, descending from the Steep Of Hills, to try the dangers of the Deep. The thin-leav'd Arbute Hazle, graffs receives, And Planes huge Apples bear, that bore but Leaves. Thus Mastful Beech the bristly Chesnut bears, And the wild Ash is white with blooming Pears. And greedy Swine from grafted Elms are fed, With falling Acorns, that on Oaks are bred. But various are the ways to change the state Of Plants, to Bud, to Graff, t' Inoculate. For where the tender Rinds of Trees disclose Their shooting Gems, a swelling Knot there grows; Just in that space a narrow Slit we make, Then other Buds from bearing Trees we take: Inserted thus, the wounded Rind we close, In whose moist Womb th' admitted Infant grows. But when the smoother Bole from Knots is free, We make a deep Incision in the Tree; And in the solid Wood the Slip inclose, The bat'ning Bastard shoots again and grows: And in short space the laden Boughs arise, With happy Fruit advancing to the Skies. The Mother Plant admires the Leaves unknown, Of Alien Trees, and Apples not her own. Of vegetable Woods are various Kinds, And the same Species are of sev'ral Minds.