THE OAK TREE IN ESSEX. 



99 



'"iG. 6. — Oak af 'lin-Aonx (Iar.non. 



Epping Forest may explain the dearth of large oak trees, for though 

 the lopping rights were regulated by law, yet such rights would be 

 likely from time to time to be abused. Nor must we forget that the 

 trees which most largely prevail in the Forest are the beech and the 

 hornbeam, trees which are extremely scarce in some parts of the 

 country outside private grounds. 



Danbury Oaks. — I believe that I am justified in saying that the 

 spot in all Essex richest in fine oak trees is the park at Uanbury 

 Palace. The largest tree is situated S.W. of the Palace (fig. 7). It 

 now measures thirty-one feet in ciicumferencc, but probably its 

 girth was some five or six feet more before a portion of the trunk 

 collapsed. The inside of the bole was completely burnt out more 

 than sixty years ago ; the tradition is that it was fired in smoking 

 foxes out of the tree. Thirty-five years ago. Bishop Wigram caused 

 an iron band to be put round the trunk to strengthen it. This iron 

 band is now imbedded in places some inches into the tree, and as 

 the trunks of hollow oaks increase in thickness both inside and out- 

 side, it is evident that this fine old giant, which was perhaps the 

 largest tree Essex ever possessed (excepting only the Hempstead 

 Oak), may yet survive many years. 



