672 PHILOSOPHICAL TKANSACTIONS. fANNO I694. 



and that for certain, any great noise, as winding of horns, drums, &c. repels it 

 from any house, or barn, or stacks of hay ; on account of which remedy, they 

 have had few or no losses in that kind since Christmas. That it happened 

 during this summer, at least one night in a week, and that commonly either 

 Saturday or Sunday ; but that now of late it appears something oftener. The 

 place whence it proceeds is both sandy and marshy. 



Extract of another Letter from Mr. Anthony Van Leuwenhoeck, to the Royal 

 Society. Concerning the Difference of Timber growing in different Countries, 

 and felled at different Seasons of the Year. N" 213, p. 224. 



As to the difference of timber felled in winter from that felled in the summer, 

 the common opinion is, that the former is the stronger, and more lasting, as 

 being more close and firm ; but his own opinion is, that there is no difference, 

 except in the bark and outermost ring of the wood, which in the summer are 

 softer, and so more easily pierced by the worm. Wood consisting of hollow 

 pipes, which both in summer and winter are full of moisture, they do not shrink 

 in the winter, and therefore the wood cannot be closer at one time than another, 

 for otherwise it would be full of cracks and clefts. The sudden and unexpected 

 rotting of some timber, he conceives to proceed from some inward decay in the 

 tree, before it was felled ; having observed all trees to begin to decay at first in 

 the middle or heart of the tree, though possibly the tree may stand and grow 

 for near 100 years afterwards, and increase in size all along. 



He says, he was once of opinioHj that trees growing in good ground, but 

 increasing slowly, were the best and strongest timber ; and that those trees 

 which in few years grew large, were the softest and brittlest ; the contrary to 

 which, on inquiry of experienced workmen, he found to be true, and instances 

 in an elm of 60 years growth, which was 1 1 feet in circumference^ and proved 

 excellent tough timber. 



The age of trees is to be known by the number of rings to be seen when the 

 tree is cut across, in each of which is one circle of large open pipes : now the 

 fewer there are of these large pipes, the stronger the timber is j hence those 

 trees that make the largest growth in a year must be the closest and strongest ; 

 and therefore those trees that grow in warm countries grow fastest, and are the 

 best and toughest timber, which he confirms by Riga and Dantzic oak, which 

 is of slow growth, and proves spongy and brittle timber ; whereas the contrary 

 is observable in English and French oak, which grows faster, and is excellent 

 timber. 



