BIRCH.-Betula Alba. A very fine one at South Lodge is unapproached in size by any hitherto recorded, or probably existing in the neighbourhood of London. At ground, girth, 16-ft. 7-in.; at 7-ft., 7-ft. 8-in. The spread of branches is 77-ft.; the height 65-ft. CEDAR.-Cedrus Libani. The oldest cedar in England is undoubtedly that still flourishing in the Palace Garden of Enfield, which was planted by Dr. Uvedale between 1662 and 1670. The next in age were those planted in the Chelsea Physic Garden by Sir Hans Sloane, which, when measured by Sir Joseph Banks in 1784, were fast going to decay, and were then far behind the Enfield cedar in size and beauty. The largest was blown down in the autumn of 1853, when the interior was found to be almost entirely perished. One other besides the Palace cedar was traditionally reported to have been planted by Queen Elizabeth. This stood in the grounds at Hendon-place, and was blown down in 1770. Its spread of branches was 100-ft., and it was then considered to be the finest tree in England. "The great cedar," at Combe Bank, near Sevenoaks, measures, at 6-in. from the ground, 19-ft. 6-in.; at 6-ft., 17-ft. 5-in. We give the measurements of nine trees in the parish, all of which are of exceptional size, and as the cedar at the Palace has increased in girth several feet in the course of fifty years, these statistics may hereafter be of interest. 1.-The Palace Cedar. Measurement at ground, in 1821, 19-ft. 9-in.; in 1873, 25-ft. 3-in.; at 1-ft. 6-in., in 1821, 16-ft. 1-in.; in 1873, 19-ft. 7-in.; at 3-ft., in 1821, 13-ft. 6-in.; in 1873, 16-ft. 2-in. A seedling from the above, planted by the writer at Old Park in 1846, measures 5-ft. 7-in. in circumference. Another planted there in 1851, is now 33-ft. high. 2.-At Bohun Lodge. Measurement at 1-ft. 6-in., 18-ft. 6-in. 3. At East Lodge. Measurement at ground, 18-ft.; at 3-ft. 6-in., 11-ft. 9-in. This, the larger of two sister trees, is remarkable for its height, which is upwards of 90-ft. 4.-At South Lodge, 1, measurement at 3-ft. 6-in., 14-ft. 10-in.; spread of branches, 84-ft. 2, the companion tree, at 3-ft. 6-in., 14-ft. 8-in. 5. At the Mount, Hadley. Measurement at 3-ft. 6-in., 14-ft. It is remarkable that this fine old house and grounds are in the parish of Enfield, although entirely surrounded by that of Hadley. 6. At Belmont. Measurement at ground, 14-ft. 7-in; at 3-ft. 6-in., 11-ft. 10-in. This, the finer of two trees, is 75-ft. high. 7.-At Forty Hall. 1, Measurement at 1-ft. 6-in., 15-ft. at 4-ft., 13-ft. 8-in. Diameter of spread of branches, 92-ft. 2, Measurement at 1-ft. 6-in., 15-ft. 7-in.; at 4-ft., 15-ft. Diameter of spread of branches, 100-ft. There are three other fine specimens on the lawn, one of which is remarkable for preserving a timber-like stem for upwards of 60-ft. The following measurements are worth recording, as the date of planting can, in each case, be fixed with certainty. 1.-The father of Mr. Taylor, of Grovelands, Southgate, planted a cedar there in the year 1770, the measurements of which, as now taken, are:-At ground, 16-ft. 6-in.; at 1-ft. 6-in., 13-ft. 8-in.; at 4-ft., 12-ft. 4-in. Diameter of spread of branches, 77-ft. 2. Peter Collinson, the well-known botanist, and friend of Linnæus, planted with his own hand, in 1768, on the estate of Osgood Hanbury, Esq., at Coggeshall, two cedars. Memorandum: "In token of the love and friendship which has for so many years subsisted between myself and my dear "friend John Hanbury and his family, and as a lasting "memorial of that friendship, I desire that one guinea "may be given to my sincere friend Osgood Hanbury to "purchase of Gordon, two cedars of Lebanon to be 66 planted in two places of the new part of the park last “taken in. Let the occasion of the said cedars and of "their ages be registered in the great Bible at Coggeshall, "that succeeding generations may know our friendship, "and the antiquity of these trees. To my worthy friend Osgood Hanbury and his son I recommend their care "and protection."-P. Collinson. For the present dimensions of the larger of these trees we are indebted to the courtesy of O. Hanbury, jun., Esq. Measurement at ground, 18-ft. 10-in.; at 1-ft. 6-in., 15-ft. 3-in.; at 3-ft., 15-ft. The largest branch extends 65-ft. from the main stem. The data here given show that, with one or two exceptions, the cedar of Lebanon is more rapid in its growth than any tree in cultivation. A short note may be added respecting the far-famed cedars on Lebanon. Miller, in his dictionary, gives the spread of the largest tree then remaining as 111-ft. The girth of the largest, according to Maundrell, was, in 1696, 36-ft. 6-in. The original trees are constantly decreasing in number. In 1550, 28 were counted; in 1575, Ranwollf saw 24 sound trees; in 1600, there were but 23; in 1696, Maundrell found only 16 remaining; in 1810, Burckhardt counted 11 or 12; in 1818, Dr. Richardson found that "the old cedars, the glory of Lebanon, were no more than seven in number." And a friend, who visited the district in 1872, saw three of these laying on the ground. Four trees only remain of the mighty forest which once employed eighty thousand hewers.* * 1 Kings, v. 15. The Maronites have a curious tradition that no sooner do the snows begin to fall than these cedars change their figure. The branches, which before spread themselves, rise insensibly, gathering together, and turn their points upwards towards heaven, forming a pyramid. Nature, they say, inspires this movement, without which they could never sustain the immense weight of snow remaining for so long a time. "It was a cedar tree; Its broad round-spreading branches, when they felt And standing in their strength erect, Defied the baffled storm."-Thalaba. "The Gentiles were wont to make their divels or images of this kind of wood that they might last the longer."-Gerard. CHESTNUT (HORSE).-Esculus Hippocastanum. A very fine tree near the entrance lodge at Forty Hall. Measurement at ground, 18-ft. 1-in.; at 4-ft. 6-in., 10-ft. 10-in. Greatest spread of single branch, 42-ft.; height, 80-ft. This tree was selected by Loudon, and figured in his Arboretum as a magnificent specimen of a chestnut in its prime. A remarkably picturesque chestnut at Chase Park has no main trunk, but immediately throws out branches, which resting on the ground cover an area, the diameter of which is 81-ft. |