G Dr Harvey*s Observations on the 



I. Viewing, then, every individual tree as an individual 

 plant, the popular notion seems to be nearly limited to this, 

 that, as compared with any known animals, the generality 

 at least of trees are very long-lived, and capable of attain- 

 ing to a gigantic size. It is believed, indeed, that, equally 

 with all other living beings, they are subject to the law of 

 mortality, and reach only a certain size, and, perhaps, that 

 the appointed term of life and size of organism vary in each 

 species of tree ; but, beyond the general fact just stated, little 

 appears to be known, and there seems to be a general per- 

 suasion, that nothing definite has yet been ascertained on the 

 subject. Even in works on Botany and Vegetable Physiology, 

 little information is to be had, and none that is satisfactory. 

 For the most part the subject is passed over in silence, or, if 

 treated of, the observations made are of the most meagre 

 description. M. Richard, for example, in his Nouveanx Ele- 

 mens de Botanique, has sections respectively entitled, " De la 

 duree des Arbres ;" " De la hauteur des Arbres ;" " De la 

 gi'osseur des Arbres ;" from the first of which we learn mere- 

 ly, that trees growing in a suitable soil may live for ages — 

 the olive for about 300 years — the oak for about 600 — the 

 boabab, according to the (erroneous) calculations of Adanson, 

 for about 6000 years ; and that the cedars of Lebanon appear 

 to be in a manner indestructible ; from the second, that cer- 

 tain trees acquire, after many years, a considerable height 

 and thickness, and, in general, that the greatest increase in 

 height which the forest trees of France arrive at, is from 120 

 to 130 feet, those of America, however, often exceeding 150 

 feet; and, from the third, that the trunks of individual boababs 

 have a girth of 90 feet, of a dragon-tree in the Canaries, a 

 girth of 45 feet, of a sycamore, in South Carolina, a circum- 

 ference of 62 feet ; and, generally, that in France certain trees 

 which he specifies have trunks with a girth of from 25 to 30 

 feet* 



That trees, as such, are naturally very long-lived, and grow 

 to a vast size, is indeed most certain. In Britain there are 

 still extant, and growing, oaks, and probably elms, which were 



^ Richard, Op. cit., 6th Ed., pp. loO-l, 2. 



