2-40 



CHIPS. 



[Jan. 1885. 



GHiPS. 



Two Horse Chestnuts. — Some very 

 large horse che.stnnts are worthy of 

 mention. In one in Lincohishire, the 

 branches cover a space 300 feet in 

 circumference. One in Suffolk measures 

 100 feet high, girthing 15 feet at base. 



Famous Ash Trees. — An ash tree at 

 Woburn Abbey was 90 feet high, 

 measuring 23 feet in circumference at 

 the base ; its branches covered a space 

 about 120 feet in circumference. A 

 very famous ash tree, held in much 

 veneration by the powerful chief Lochiel 

 and his Highlaml clan, was burnt down 

 liy the soldiery in the troublous times 

 of the last century. It stood in a 

 churchyard in Lochaber, its circumfer- 

 ence was 53 feet. In the months of 

 April and May, a peculiar flower is 

 formed in loose panicles on the tree, 

 and in these months the ground under 

 the ash may be seen covered with 

 them. 



Remarkable Oaks. — In Stirling- 

 shire, an oak named "Wallace's tree" 

 was supposed to have been used by the 

 great Sir William Wallace as a hiding- 

 place from his enemies. This tree must 

 be of a great age, as in this hero's time 

 it afforded concealment to a man in the 

 hollow of its trunk. Another famous 

 oak grew near Oxford, and was su]jposed 

 to have been planted in the time of 

 Alfred the Great, or nearly a thousand 

 years ago. A tree was discovered in a 

 bog in Yorkshire, which measured so 

 much as 36 feet in circumference at tlie 

 lower end. Another oak deserving 

 mention stood near Worksop, at a 

 point where three counties unite, 

 namely York, Nottingham, and Derby. 

 Its branches overspread a space nearly 

 300 feet in circumference, sufficient 

 to give covering to an army of over 

 200 cavalry. 



Saw-Mill Finds. — In the cuttinw-uji 

 of an oak tree at a saw-mill, occasion- 

 ally very rare relics are found embedded 

 in the wood. Frequently a tree looking 

 e.xternally pei'fectly whole and sound, 

 when opened up has a crevice contain- 

 ing a liird's nest with eggs in a good 

 state of preservation, and even the bird 

 itself ; bees' uests with honey-comb are 

 of very common occurrence. These 

 crevices or holes are the result of some 

 diseased condition of the tree. 



About Alders. — The bark of the 

 alder is valuable, having good tanning 

 ])roperties. The branches and twigs 

 make superior charcoal, and the wood 

 is used by the wheelwright, engineer, 

 cooper, cabinetmaker, etc. In the 

 Hereford and Welsh districts many 

 millions of clogs are annually made 

 from this tree. It is very tough and 

 light, the wood has a very red colour. 

 Its favourite abode is by the river-side ; 

 it does not generally attain a great size. 

 The finest alders are said to be found 

 in Surrey. There are some veiy fine 

 and lofty aldei'S growing in the north 

 of England, somewhere in Durham. 

 Railway companies use this wood chiefly 

 for the purpose of making artificial 

 limbs in the case of accidents. 



Uses of the Poplar.— Thepoplar bark, 

 which is very thick, but of very little use, 

 is of a stringy or fibrous nature, some- 

 times used for making mats. The 

 timber is very light, and does not 

 readily splinter, but is rather indented 

 when subjected to a heavy blow. It is 

 not easily ignited by friction. A house 

 built of poplar is very difticult to burn, 

 and is a favourite wood with tire in- 

 surance companies ; hence the general 

 use that is made of it for brakes for 

 wheels. 



Notice toGontributors and Correspondents. 



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