LITTLE GADDESDEN. 33 1 



been cut off at the top, that it might strike out many 

 shoots, which were cut off after they had grown to some 

 thickness, and carried home for fuel, after which the stub 

 was again left freedom to strike out others, which twigs 

 again, after some time were cut off for the same object. 

 This mode of providing fuel, I have seen very much used 

 [T. I. p. 328] in the districts where I travelled in Eng- 

 land. On the stub left remaining in the hedge there was 

 a shoot left, which had run up from the roots, and could 

 at some future time be used in the same way. 



Another ash had 92 sap-rings at the large end, which 

 denoted the age. The diameter at that place was 19 

 inches. Up to the 19th year it had made quite small 

 sap-rings, but in the 19th year it had made one large 

 enough, and in the 20th the largest of all. After that it 

 had had, Sedan hade hon framgent hade, large sap- 

 rings, until it reached 38 years, after which they began 

 to be narrower and narrower. The length of this log 

 was 19 feet 6 inches. At the little end there were 80 

 sap-rings. The diameter was there 13 inches. It was 

 cut and managed in the same way as the former one. 



Ek-tradets alder och vaxt. 



The Oak tree's age and growth. 



We afterwards came across a felled oak, which we 

 also examined, to get to know its age. At the large end 

 were 48 sap-rings. The diameter was 22 inches. After 

 it had attained a height of 9 feet from the roots it had 

 been cut off, that it might strike out many shoots, which 

 could be used for fuel. It had considerably thick sap- 

 rings. On one side of the hedge in which it had stood, 

 was a road, on the other ploughed fields, only small trees 

 with it in the hedge. The soil the same as everywhere 

 here at Little Gaddesden. At the little end the sap-rings 

 could not be distinctly seen, for it was cut several times. 



