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them of very picturefque form : but I faw 

 them only at a diftance. In Kent alfo the 

 chefhut 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 

 it's timber is faid to be ferviceable, and as it's 

 fruit, tho 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 footing 

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

 is, almoft totally exterminated. Some have 

 endeavoured to account for this, by {hewing, 

 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 



