446 on rearing ocih woods. Feb. l^r 



country becomes completelj inclosed, even bj trees 

 in hedge-rows, beltings become lefs necefsary. 



It is said, most of the other sorts of trees grow- 

 faster than the oak, for the first forty years, but af- 

 ter that period, the oak grows faster than any of 

 them, and that it is inconceivable, how much both 

 the wopd and the bark increase, by allowing the tree 

 to grow till it is ripe ; even many of the branches 

 become fit for fliip-building, and are converted into 

 what is called the ribs of fhips. 



I have often thought, Mr Editor, that it would 

 be a speculation well worth the attention of a com- 

 mercial company, to purchase oak woods, when 

 they come to be sold, at twenty or twenty-five years 

 growth, from the proprietor, at an auction, (and they 

 are commonly sold by auction,) and agree to pay to 

 him a like sum at the expiration of other twenty or 

 twenty-five years, and so in proportion, for the 

 time the purchasers find it eligible to keep the 

 wood growing, till it is fully ripe. For it is pof- 

 sible that Vv'oods, being brought to sale so very young, 

 may be owing to some exigency in the finances of 

 the proprietors. Wifhing every succefs to the Bee, 

 I am, Sir, 



Your very humble servant, 

 Edh. Dec. I7;i. MEANWELL. 



ACCOUNT OF AN ANCIENT STONE COFFIN. 



Sir, To the Editor of the Bee. 



In the month of December last year, when some 



people were digging gravel for repairing the public 



road betwixt Edinburgh and Dumfries, in the pa- 



