LITTLE GADDESDEN. 2 19 



The xst April, 1748. 



Agrifolium Raj. Syn. 466. [Ilex Aquifolium.J Holly 

 had grown by itself in some places here at Little Gaddes- 

 den, close in front of the houses, on the green, pa betes- 

 marken. Those living near had constantly clipped off 

 the same expressly, so that this tree did not get to grow 

 high, but spread out with its branches to a considerable 

 width. The reason why they thus clipped it was that 

 the women might get to lay their linen, which they had 

 washed, on it to dry, for which purpose these trees were 

 now very useful. 



Sag-Stallen. Saw-pits, where they sawed asunder 

 trunks of trees and logs, stackar och. klabbar, into 

 boards and other things, they had here in England at 

 most farms, and made in a very handy way. Instead of 

 having Sag-backar, sawyers' trestles, as we have in 

 Sweden, on to which we must with much difficulty lift 

 the stocks or trunks we wish to saw to pieces, they have 

 here dug a pit down in the earth of a fathom's depth 

 more or less. The length of the pit is commonly 6 to 

 8 feet, the breadth 3 to 4 feet. Internally it is commonly 

 lined with boards, so that the earth may not fall down 

 into it from the sides. 



De Sagar. The Saws, which are commonly used here 

 consist of a broad saw-blade, sag-blad [T. I. p. 221], 

 with handles, haudtag, at both ends. One carl stands 

 therefore down in the pit, and the other [the top sawyer] 

 above, each of whom holds his end of the saw. They 

 have' the stocks rolled across the pit, when they wish to 

 saw it across, or along the pit, when they wish to saw it 

 into boards. They thus avoid having to lift the stocks 

 up into the Sag-backar, or high frames. When any 

 carpenters or others buy a whole beech in the woods or 

 in any of the fields, they first saw it off close to the 



