11.] COMPUTING THE AGE OF. 15 
many as three or four layers are formed in those regions 
in the same period of time. Relying, however, on the 
generally recognised rule, of 
one circle or layer for each 
year’s growth, we have a 
measure and guide for com- 
puting the age of a tree at : 
the time of felling it. Of - 
course, this can only be done 
with trees having clearly de- 
fined concentric circles; in 
the instances exceptional to 
this, we, of necessity, have to 
fall back upon historical or 
traditional records to satisfy 
our inquiries. 
It may be interesting here 
to note the size and age 
which some species of trees 
attain. It is said that speci- 
mens of the “Baobab” of 
Senegal are more than 5,000 
years old, and that some of 
them have a girth of go feet. 
Again, some cedars that were 
seen in Lebanon in the six- 
teenth century were consi- 
dered to be the remains of 
the forest from which the 
timber was drawn to build 
the temple of Solomon. By 
tradition, and other reason- FIG, 6. 
ing, the age of these Cedars 
was set down at about 3,000 years. Maundrell men- 
eno =eSes== 
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