502 The yonrnal of Forestry. 



The trees in question were planted on the site of an old wood of ash and 

 oak in the year 1868. For a few years there was but little visible progress, 

 but about four years ago the place was drained, and there has been since 

 then a great alteration. The site, I may remark, is a sloping bank with a 

 north aspect. The upper part is somewhat exposed, but the bottom is 

 sheltered, and borders a little brook. It is by the side of this stream that 

 the trees have made such notable progress. I had a few measured. That 

 which seemed to be the tallest was about 25 ft. in height, with a circum- 

 ference of 12 in. at 5 ft. from the gi-ound. Another which stood near it 

 seemed to be of equal height, but of somewhat smaller girth. The next 

 tallest that was measured proved to be 24 ft. in height, and llf in. in 

 circumference. Several others around it appeared to be of precisely the 

 same dimensions. All these trees were within two or three yards of the 

 stream. From thence as you went upwards they gradually became smaller, 

 until at the top the average size seemed to be 5 ft. to 6 ft. Many were 

 considerably shorter than this, and none, I think, higher than 8 ft. 



The soil is a clay, mixed with shale, belonging to the prevalent boulder- 

 drift of the district. 



As such a growth as that of the trees just mentioned is somewhat 

 unusual in this part of the world (being 25 ft. in nine years), I thought the 

 fact might be interesting to some of your readers. 



J. W. Barry. 



Eeivorth Hall, Ti/rl% October 8, 1877. 



LARGE YEW TREES. 



Sir, — Your correspondent who gave us some " gossip about the yew " at 

 l^age 218 of your last mouth's issue, in quoting from Sir John Sinclair's 

 Statistical Account of Scotland, among others, mentions a yew in the 

 parish of Kippen " covering by its lower branches a circle of 140 feet in 

 circumference," but judging from its present dimensions a considerable 

 period must have elapsed since that measurement was taken. 



This beautiful object stands on the lawn at Arngomery House, Stirling- 

 shire, and, as measured the other day, its lower branches cover a circum- 

 ference of 210 feet in a complete circle, while 15 feet of the ends of the 

 lower branches lie close on the ground, with the points turned up like so 

 many young yews. The trunk or stem is clean to a height of 9 feet, with 

 a circumference of fully 12 feet at the middle. It stands 50 feet high, and 

 has a symmetrical pyramid shape, and is closely furnished with beautiful 

 fresh green branches from top to bottom. It is the common variety of 

 yew {Taxus laccata), and its age is unknown. Altogether it is one of the 

 most remarkable and picturesque objects of the kind in this part of the 

 country. 



A. B. 



