[ 1^3 ] 
reafon of its decay may be afllgned to the great in- 
Greafe of the metropolis, which confumed moft of 
the chefniit timber near it; and the dubbs of fuch 
beiiag much fubjedl to decay, few, if any of them, 
could naturally lafl; to this time, fo as to bring any 
profit to the owner, but have been grubbed up from 
time to time, till they are now almoft totally era- 
dicated ; and I think, there is great probability that 
the univeiTal decay and deftrudtion of this kind of 
timber, throughout the realm, appeared in fo ferious 
a light to the legiflature, as to give the firff rife for 
our laws for the prefervation of timber in general. 
Oak timber is fo entirely different from chefnut, 
in the rings and fpaces, which appear when cut 
tranfveriely, that it is impoflible to miftake the one. 
from the other. 
In a note, p. 96. of the Anglo-Norman anti- 
quities, mention ia made, of a large tradt of chefnut 
woods, near Sittingbourne, in Kent (and in the North 
Weft part of Eafl Kent,- as it fliould be printed); 
which is certainly right ; thefe woods are a very large 
tradl, which more or lefs have chefnut flubbs fpread- 
over the whole fpace of them. They extend fomc 
miles, from the environs of the town of Milton,, 
by the old highway (now difufed), leading from, 
thence to Maidftone. The general name of the- 
whole tradf, is Chefnut or Cheflney Woods. Tiie 
40 acres mentioned in the laid note to have been! 
grubbed up, were only felled; and were of fuch a 
lize and growth, as to be moftly ufed as timber. On; 
the top of Chefnut Hill between Newington and^ 
Sittingbourne, there ftood a chefnut tree of prodigi- 
ous fize, which has been felled within thefe few 
Y. 2 years, > 
