184 ''a few notches on old trees." 



The " Grreendale " is only a shadow of its ancient grandeur. 

 In the year 1724 a roadway was cut through its venerable 

 trunk higher than the entrance to Westminster Abbey, and 

 capacious enough to allow a coach and six to be driven 

 through it. Tradition says that the opening was made in 

 consequence of a bet made by Henry, the first Dake of Port- 

 land. When the tree was in its prime, it is said that 225 

 head of cattle might stand within the shadow of its branches ! 

 The supposed age is 1,500 years. 



Not far from it, and another relic of the great Sherwood 

 Forest, is the " Major " oak. 



The " Major " is reckoned to be about 1,000 years old. Its 

 trunk is hollow to the height of 15 feet from the ground. 

 The "Greendale" I stated to be nearer 1,500 years; or to put 

 the statement in another form, viz., about the time (410 a.d.) 

 when the Romans finally abandoned Britain, this tree had 

 emerged from its acorn germ, and had put an appearance 

 above ground. 



In September last I was visiting at Warwick, and I took 

 advantage of the opportunity to see what remains of a once 

 very famous oak, known as the " Bull Oak," in Wedgenock 

 Park, — formerly a deer park of the Earls of Warwick, and 

 situated a few miles from the town. It must have been 

 a fine and shapely monarch in its prime, for the remains of 

 one side of a tree which had evidently been hollow for many 

 years measures now nearly 4 yards in width, and is the 

 supporter of two huge arms. 



There are not, nor have there been for several years (I 

 should think) any leaves, although there may possibly be 

 some sap circulation in the roots and bark. A spectator 

 standing a little distance away might think he saw verdure 

 upon it, but the greenness is that of an ash tree, which 

 sj) rings almost, nay, may really do so, out of the oak roots; 



