1885.] HISTORICAL NOTICE OF CELEBRATED TREES. 230 



The Walnut. 



The walnut tree (Jufflans refjia), the nut of Jove, and the 

 Persian nut of Theophrastus, is found indigenous to the more 

 northern parts of Persia, towards the Caucasus, and sometimes in 

 the Eussian territory to the north of these mountains. It is apt 

 to he injured by the spring frosts of Europe, hut in many parts it 

 thrives well, and wherever it does thrive the wood is valuable ; a 

 fine tree has been often sold for several hundred pounds. It grows 

 to a considerable size, and attains a great age. Evelyn relates that 

 the architect Scannonzi saw a table made of a single piece from the 

 trunk of a walnut, which was 25 feet in breadth, and of a proper 

 length and thickness. It was upon this ample board that the 

 Emperor Frederick III. gave a splendid entertainment in 1742. 

 The age of the tree was calculated at nine centuries. 



The Oak. 



In point of strength, durability, and general application, the 

 oak {Qiicrcus rdbur), the monarch of the woods, is the most im- 

 portant of all our timber trees. The trunk of this detached tree 

 acquires by far the greatest diameter, some of the old hollow trees 

 of this description having a diameter of as much as 1 6 feet in the 

 cavity, and still a shell of timber on the outside sufficiently 

 vigorous for producing leaves or even acorns. The age to which 

 it can continue to vegetate, even after the core has been decayed, 

 has not been fully ascertained ; but in favourable situations it must 

 be very considerable. Pliny speaks of oaks in the Hercynian 

 forest, which he deems coeval with the world. Among the oldest 

 still extant in England is the Parliament oak, in Clipstone Park 

 (supposed to be the oldest park in England), which derives its name 

 from a Parliament having been held under it by Edward the First, 

 in 1290. 



The oak in Yardley Chase has been thus immortalized by 



Cowper : 



' ' couldst thou speak 

 As in Dodona once thy kindred trees, j 



Oracular, I would not curious ask 

 The future, best unknown ; but, at thy mouth, 

 Inquisitive, the less ambiguous past ! 

 By thee I might correct, erroneous oft, 

 The clock of history ; facts and events 

 Timing more punctual ; i^nrecorded facts 

 Eecovering ; and misstated, setting right." 



The Winfarthing oak, now a bleached ruin, is said to have been 

 called an old oak at the time of the Conquest. The oak in Melbury 

 Park, Dorsetshire, is called by Mitchell, " as curly, surly, knotty 



