BOX, in its most common acceptance, denotes a small chest or coffer for holding things.
Fire-boxes, or tinder-boxes, pay, on importation, a duty of 3s. 101/2d. the gross; whereof 3s. 41/2d. is repaid on exportation. Wooden money-boxes pay 3s. 71/2d. the gross; whereof 3s. 21/2d. is repaid on exportation. Nest-boxes pay 11s. 61/2d. the gross; whereof 10s. 11/2d. is repaid. Pepper-boxes pay 4s. 31/2d.; whereof 3s. 91/2d. is repaid. French boxes, for marmalade or jelly, pay each dozen 3s. 11/2d.; whereof 1s. 91/2d. is repaid. Sand-boxes pay 3s. 101/2d. the gross; whereof 3s. 41/2d. is repaid. Snuff-boxes, if of wood, pay 2s. 41/2d. the dozen; whereof 2s. 11/2d. is repaid: if of horn, they pay 4s. 91/2d. the dozen; 4s. 31/2d. being drawn back: if of ivory or tortoise-shell, they pay 9s. 61/2d. the dozen; whereof 8s. 71/2d. is drawn back. Soap-boxes pay 7s. 81/2d. the shock, containing sixty boxes. Spice-boxes pay 1s. 11/2d. the dozen. Tobacco-boxes, pay 5s. 91/2d. the gross. Touch-boxes, covered with leather, pay only 61/2d. the dozen; but if the leather be the most valuable part, they pay 6s. 111/2d. for every 20s. value upon oath: if covered with velvet, they pay 2s. 101/2d. the dozen: and if of iron, or other metal gilt, they pay 3s. 101/2d. the dozen: in all which cases, a proportionable draw-back is allowed.
Box is also used for an uncertain quantity or measure: thus a box of quicksilver contains from one to two
hundred weight; a box of prunellas, only 14 pounds; a box of rings for keys, two gros, &c.
Box of a plough, the cross-piece in the head of a plough, which supports the two crow-staves. See PLOUGH.
Box, or BOX-TREE, in botany, the English name of the buxus. See BUXUS.