14 'Mr. mar.sham on thv JJfefulnejs , See. 
tree of the fame age, that ftands near other trees. Thus 
my wafhed beech increafed above fix times as much as 
Mr. drake’s beautiful beech at Shardeloes, though that 
.tree feemed in good health when I law it in 1759 anc ^ 
<1766. But it increafed only 2 in. -^ths in thofe feven 
years; which may perhaps be owing to its vaft height, 
being feventy-four feet and a half to the boughs (as the 
late knight of the fliire for Suffolk, Sir john rous, told 
me that Mr. drake had informed him) only fix feet and 
four inches round, and having a fmall head, and little 
room to fpread. 
Stratton, 061 . 29, 1775. 
