them of very piclurefque form: but I faw 

 them only at a diftance. In Kent alfo the 

 chefnut is frequently found. 



It is faid indeed, that this tree was once 

 very common in England, and that beams of 

 it are often feen at this day, in churches, and 

 old houfes. In the belfry particularly of the 

 church at Sutton, near Mitcham in Surry, 

 I have feen beams, which are like oak; yet 

 plainly appear to be of a different kind of 

 timber; and are fuppofed to be chefnut* I 

 have often heard alfo, that the timber of the 

 old houfes of London was of chefnut. 

 Whether this tree was ever indigenous to this 

 country feems to be matter of fpeculation. As 

 its timber is faid to be ferviceable, and as its 

 fruit, though rarely of perfect- growth in this 

 climate, might however be of fome ufe ; we are 

 at a lofs to conceive, if it had once gotten foot- 

 ing amongft us, how it mould ever be, as it 

 now is, almoft totally exterminated. Some have 

 endeavoured to account for this, by mewing, 

 that it is not fo good a timber-tree, as is fup- 

 pofed; for it decays at the heart; and will 

 continue decaying, till it become merely a mell, 

 and for this reafon it has been lefs fought after, 

 and encouraged. How far this may be true I 



know 



