146 OBober 1748. 



faw fome pofts made of chefnut wood, and 

 put into the ground only the year before, 

 which were already for the greateft part 

 rotten below. 



The Saff'afras free, or Laurus Saff'afraSy 

 Linn, grows in abundance in the country, 

 and ftands fcattered up and down the woods, 

 and near bufhes and enclofures. On old 

 grounds, which are left uncultivated, it is 

 Ciie of the firft that comes up, and is as 

 plentiful as young birches are on thofe 

 Sivedijh fields, which are formed by burn- 

 ing the trees which grew on them.* The 

 faffafras grows in a dry loofe ground, of a 

 pale brick colour, which confifts for the 

 greateft part of fand, mixed with fome 

 clay. It feems to be but a poor foil. The 

 mountains round Gothenburgb, in Sweden, 

 would afford many places rich enough for 

 the Sajfafras to grow in, and I even fear 

 they would be too rich. I here faw it 

 both in the woods amidft other trees, and 

 more frequently by itfelf along the enclo-. 



fures. 



* In Mr. OJhecK's Voyage to China^ Vol. i. p. 50. in a 

 note, an account is given of this kind of land, which the 

 S'wedes call S^edieland, where it is obferved, that the trees 

 being burnt, their alhes afford manure fufficient for three 

 years, after which they are left uncultivated again, till aftet 

 twenty or more years, a new generation of trees being pro4 

 duced on them, the country people burn them, and cultivate 

 the country for three years again. F. 



