Il6 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1771. 



but the botanical was more immediately my point. And in the examination of 

 this, I have shown, that the chestnut tree flourishes greatly in this kingdom ; 

 that it appears wildly scattered over the face of the country ; that it was actually 

 settled among us many centuries ago; and used by our ancestors in buildings; 

 and that it was even familiarly known to the Saxons. All these united evidences 

 strongly co-operate to prove it a native of this island, and must absolutely be 

 allowed to prove it, till Mr. Barrington, or some other person, can produce 

 superior evidence to the contrary. 



XVm. Copy of Mr. Thorpes Letter to Dr. Ducarel, concerning Chestnut 



Trees, p. 152. 



XIX. Extract of a Letter from Edw. Hasted, Esq., F. R. S., and F. S. A., to 



Dr. Ducarel, concerning Chestnut Trees, p. 1 6o. 

 These last two extracts contain the particulars of several notices referred to in 

 Mr. Ducarel's letter preceding them ; all tending to show, that there have, many 

 ages past, been large quantities of chestnut trees in this country; and that many 

 are still remaining in different parts. But all this is no proof of their being 

 indigenous: and all the circumstances of their former prevalence, and later 

 decline, could be easily explained without that supposition. 



XX. A Letter from the Hon. Daines Barrington; occasioned by the three pre- 



ceding Letters, p. 167. 



I have lately had an opportunity of perusing 3 letters from Dr. Ducarel, 

 Mr. Thorpe, and Mr. Hasted, which contend that the sweet chestnut is an 

 indigenous tree of this country. As I do not see any reason for altering the 

 opinions which I have happened to form on this subject, from what is con- 

 tained in these 3 letters, I should not trouble the society with any answer to 

 the contents of them, did not Mr. Thorpe contradict, on the testimony of 

 another person, what I have asserted I was an ocular witness of. I must there- 

 fore a second time repeat, that the chestnut woods near Newington, in Kent, are 

 planted in rows at 4 or 5 yards distance (other trees often intervening) ; and 

 for a proof of this fact, I refer Mr. Thorpe to the woods on the n. e. of the 

 church, or at least they are very near to it; as also the wood to the eastward of 

 the great road to Canterbury, immediately after you leave the town of New- 

 ington. I spent very near a whole day in the examination of these woods; but 

 I would more particularly refer to the two chestnut plantations above specified, 

 as they were just then shooting from the stools, when I took this very minute 

 view of them. 



I believe I may say, that I have been almost in every corner of the 12 Welsh 

 counties; and never saw a beech tree in any of them, which had the least 



