The Locust. 



To Doctor Peter Townsend. 



338. Smith's Town, Long Island, 25 Feb. 1820. 



Dear Sir, — Yesteiday morning 1 received the letter which you raentioued 

 having written me of the 22d, on the subject of the posts, to which 1 had cer- 

 tified, on the evening of that day, at the Judge's. I observe by an extract of 

 Mr. Cobbett's letter, quoted by you, that he is desirous of further information, 

 and mentions something of obtaining the post. This memento of antiquity, 

 though not intrinsically worth six cents, I would hardly part with for its 

 weight in silver ; but such information as I can give you is cheerfully at his 

 service. There are many Locust posts in my post-and-rail cross-fences, put 

 in by a former proprietor of the farm, who has been dead about twenty- six 

 years; probably some of them have been standing fifty years or upwards, 

 most of which are at this day in a perfectly sound state above and below the 

 surface of the ground. Since residing on this/a/vn (about three years since), 

 I have taken down an old barn which had been repaired by putting in new 

 sills and other parts of its foundation, under, as nearly as I can ascertain, 

 about forty-one or two years ago. One of these sills was of Locust, about 

 eight inches square, which, by the inattention of the proprietor, had been 

 buried many years under the dirt and filth which invariably collect about such 

 buildings j the foundation timbers had all disappeared, and some of the posts 

 rotted and entirely decayed tv.o or three feet above the base, when 1 took 

 possession here eleven years ago. In removing the dirt to manure my gar- 

 den, about two feet below the surface, I came to the Locust sill. While the 

 other timbers had all mouldered down, and some of them so far incorporated 

 with the dirt as scarcely to be distinguished or known from it, the Locust 

 was in so perfect and uninjured a state that I had a pair of axletrees made 

 from off it for a wagon, which are now doing good service, I recollect my 

 father's cutting a quantity of large Locust timber for market, some of the 

 limbs of which were converted into posts to put up a board fence near the 

 house. This fence I assisted in making : one side was flatted to receive the 

 board, and the posts set into the ground, with the natural bark on, for about 

 twenty-eight inches. Fourteen years afterwards, and after my father's de- 

 cease, in making a new disposition of the ground, 1 was present when my 

 brother Ebenezer took up these posts. There was very little visible decay 

 even of the bark, and the wood, when stripping the bark off, had the appear- 

 ance of being just felled. Many instances might be given of the durability 

 and usefulness of this very valuable timber. So sensible are we, in this quar- 

 ter, of its great worth, that every farmer of common prudence is taking the 

 utmost pains to cultivate it, when and wherever he can. Should you make 

 any further communications to Mr. Cobbett, I beg you will tender to him my 

 best wishes for the health and happiness of himself and his family. With 

 sentiments of much friendship and esteem, I am. 



Your obetUent and most humble Servant, 



Richard Smith. 



