Underwood, whether growing or cut down, O.E., examples 1330, 1440, &c., N.E.D.

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1774.  Heretofore the north orchard was hired to be pruned and they that did the labour had the brush for their pains.—Newport Mercury, May 30.

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1801.  The imprudence of a person who set on fire a quantity of brush near Cambridge.—Mass. Spy, Dec. 23.

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1802.  She fell down in the brush, and perished of cold.—Id., May 12.

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1805.  The horse coursed it over very bad race ground thickly covered with trees, logs, brush, &c.—Id., June 5.

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1816.  [The smoke] evidently proceeded from the blue mountains, the brushes and trees on which have been on fire for upwards of a week.—Id., May 15.

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1854.  

            All round the wood’s edge creeps the skirting blaze
    Of bushes low, as when, on cloudy days,
Ere the rain fall, the cautious farmer burns his brush.
J. R. Lowell, ‘An Indian Summer Reverie.’    

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