8S NATURAL AND CIVIL 



Number. The number or thickness of the 

 trees, seems to depend chiefly on the richness 

 of the soil. In some parts of the country they 

 are so thick, that it is with difficulty wc can ride 

 among them. In other places, they have resolv- 

 ed themselves into trees of large dimensions, 

 which are generally at the distance of eight or 

 ten feet from each other. On one acre, the 

 number of the trees, is commonly from one 

 hundred and fifty to six hundred and fifty ; va- 

 rying in their number, according to the richness 

 of die soil, and the dimensions the trees have 

 attained. Estimating; a cord to be four feet in 

 height, and v.'idth, and eight feet in length, the 

 quantity of wood which is generally found on 

 one acre, is from fifty to two hunched cords j 

 where the large pines abound, the quantity of 

 wood is much larger than what is here stated ; 

 but these trees are never measured as cord 

 wood, but always applied to other purposes. 



Age. There is a circumstance attending the 

 growth of trees, which serves to denote their 

 age, with great accuracy. Tlie body of a tree 

 does not increase by an universal expansion of 

 all its internal parts, but by additional coats of 

 new wood : And these are formed every year, 

 by the s^ which runs between the bark, and 

 the old wood. When a tree is cut down, this 

 process of nature becomes apparent in the num- 

 ber of parallel circles, or concentric rings, which 

 spread from the centre to the circumference of 

 the tree. In many observations made by oth^. 

 €rs, and by myself, upon trees whose ages were 

 known, the number of these circles was found 

 to agree exactly with the age of the tree. By 



