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feftfon. Thcfe particulars, extraordinary as they 

 may fecnn, J had from the farmer's own mouth, 

 whofe father and himfelf have occupied the land 

 for very many years, and from appearances I think 

 they may be credited. About twenty years ago, I 

 had the curiofity to mcafure this tree ; its head was 

 as green and vigorous laft fummer as it was at that 

 times und though hollow as a tub, it has increafed 

 in its mcafure fome inches. Upon the whole, this 

 bears every mark of having been a fliort ftemmed 

 branchy tree, of the firfl magnitude, fpreading its 

 arms in all directions round it. In memory of the 

 prefent tenant, the laft remaining branch, one of the 

 fmalleft, was found, extended forty feet from the 

 trunk, and was cut off in his father's time for re- 

 pairs upon the farm. 



The aperture- is a fmall ill-formed Gothic arch; 

 hewed out, or enlarged with an ax, and the bark 

 now curls over the wound — a fure fign that it conti- 

 nues growing; and hence it is evident, that the 

 hollow oaks of enormous fize, recorded by anti^ 

 quaries, did not obtain fich bulk whilft found, for 

 the fheil increafes when the fubftance is no more. 

 The'blea, and the inner bark, receive annual tri- 

 butes of nutritious particles from the fap in its pro- 

 grcfe to the leaves, and from thence acquire a 



power 



