328 December 174-8. 



THE millers who attended the mill which 

 ftoodhere, faid, that the axle-trees of the wheels 

 of the mill were made of white oak, and that they 

 continued good three or four yaars, but that the 

 fir-wood does not keep fo well. The cogs of the 

 mill-wheel, and the pullies, are made of the 

 wood of the white walnut-tree, becaufe it is the 

 hardeft which can be got here. The wood of 

 mulberry-trees is of all others reckoned the moft 

 excellent for pegs and plugs in {hips and boats* 



AT night I went over the river Delaware, 

 from Wilmington, to the ferrying-place, on the 

 New Jerfey fide. 



Dec. 1 3th. IN the morning I returned to 

 Raccoon. 



ON many trees in the woods of this country, 

 either on one of the fides, or in the middle of a 

 branch, or round a branch, are greater or lefler 

 knobs or excrefcences. Sometimes there is only 

 a fingle one in a tree. In the fize there is a con- 

 fiderable difference, for fome of thefe knobs are 

 as big and bigger than a man's head, others are 

 only frnall. They projeft above the furface of 

 the tree, like a tumor. Sometimes a tree was 

 quite covered with them. They do not lie on 

 one fide only, but often form a circle round a 

 branch, and even round the ftem itfelf. The 

 trees which have thefe knobs are not always 

 great ones, but fome not above a fathom high. 

 The knobs commonly confift of the fame parts 

 as the wood itfelf, and look within like curled 

 wood. Some of them are hollow. When a knob 

 on a little tree is cut open, we commonly find a 

 number of little worms in it, which are feme-? 



times 



