1885.] OAKS IN MONMOUTHSHIRE. 477 



As an ornamental tree the tulip tree is m'cII known in this 

 coniitiy, especially in the south, where it thrives better, and attains 

 a larger size than in the north. Its towering, stately style renders 

 it one of the most characteristic and desirable trees for avenue 

 ]>lanting, and for solitary trees and groups in picturesque situations. 

 The beautiful green of the foliage in summer, the rich golden 

 autumn tint of the same, and the pleasing fragrance of the flowers, 

 are characteristics which no other tree possesses in the same degree, 

 and should strongly commend the tulip tree to all who plant for 

 ornament, in any part of the country in which it is found to tlirive. 

 It is fond of a good, rich, well-drained soil, and is in the more 

 favoured parts of this country a rap)id grower. 



OAKS IN MONMOUTHSHIRE. 



MONMOUTHSHIEE, though a small county, is richly wooded, 

 and is noted for its oak {Qvcixus). The oak grows in 

 great plenty all over the county, and seems to thrive and make 

 valuable dimensions on most soils. There are hundreds of oak 

 trees felled annually in the county for scantling for railway 

 waggons, spoke-making, and ship-building. There are some very 

 fine specimens to be seen in the neighbourhood of Newport. One 

 most worthy of notice, stands in a meadow belonging to Pencraig 

 Farm, occupied by Mr, Eees Keene. This grand old tree is 

 supposed to be very nearly a thousand years old. It is in every 

 sense a monarch, and is in sound and perfect health. Its dimen- 

 sions are as follows: height of trunk to the first branch, 15 feet; 

 circumference, 38 feet; the smallest diameter of the butt is 27 

 feet. The tree, including branches, contains from 950 to 1000 

 cubic feet. The spread of the branches is 36 yards. The soil 

 which it grows upon is a red clay on the red sandstone. There are 

 some very fine oaks in Tredegar Park, owned by the Eight Hon. 

 Lord Tredegar, Llantamam Park, and at Llansoar. In fact, very fine 

 oaks, in reality giants, are to be met with in many quarters of the 

 county. It was at Baesalleg, near Newport, where the famous 

 Gollynos Oak was felled. On the moorlands, near the coast of the 

 Bristol Channel, the soil of which is a blue clay, with a cold 

 bottom, the oak does not thrive. We once had a very fine oak at 

 Whitsun, near the banks of the Severn, which contained 150 cubic 

 feet of timber. This was, I believe, the last of the oaks containing 

 timber of good quality on these moors. They are generally rough, 

 scabby, and very small, and when felled they mostly turn out to be 

 rotten in the heart. We had some very small trees felled last 

 spring, all of which had holes in their butts. 



