1st August 1825

Heard an old Fen Farmer say to-day that on his farm he finds a great deal of wood particularly Oak, Hazel & Yew in the earth he says that the earth is actually nothing else but a decomposition of wood & that it will grow nothing but Oats. He says that the Hazel will burn well as firewood but the Oak dyes out unless continually blown — he also talked of great quantitys of shells being found as white as Dogs teeth.