THE OAK TREE IN ESSEX. I15 



trees in olden times were " Braden " or "Broad Oak," and " King's 

 Oak " ; the derivation of " Braden " is apparent, but the origin of 

 " King's Oak " is not so evident. It would be interesting to discover 

 what this term indicates. There is reason to suppose that in some 

 instances these trees mark the spot of some historical event con- 

 nected with the sovereigns of our country, but this can scarcely 

 have been the case with every tree known as the " King's Oak." 

 I do not know whether any of the members of our Club can 

 afford information upon this point. 



Weeping Oak at Cressmg. — In conclusion, we must not forget 

 the Weeping Oak alluded to at the commencement of my remarks. 

 At Newbarn Cressing, between Witham and Braintree, now occupied 

 by Mr. Thomas ChaUis, there is a good specimen of this interesting 

 variety. Having been told that there was such a tree, Mr. Harris 

 Smith, of Stisted, kindly offered to assist me in the search ; but after 

 driving for some time, we had almost given up our quest, when, 

 happening to look over a hedge at Newbarn, we saw a tree much 

 crowded by other trees, the species of which we could not cjuite 

 make out, and this, upon a closer examination, proved to be the 

 object of our hunt. The oak had many of the characteristics of a 

 weeping ash, and certainly it was the most extraordinary looking 

 tree I have ever seen. To find the mighty oak, associated in one's 

 mind with all that is sturdy and strong, thus disguised, was indeed a 

 shock to one's sense of fitness. 



We all know that when our Club was founded some fourteen 

 years ago, Essex was much depreciated in popular estimation. We 

 have, however, at our meetings and in the pages of our Journal, 

 clearly established the fact that our county has its share of natural 

 beauties. When I commenced hunting for the fine trees in Essex, 

 I was told that I should never complete my work ; that I should 

 find some trouble in collecting sufficient material for a paper. 

 You will, I think, admit that the result of my search, as far as it 

 has gone, is sufficient to firmly establish the reputation of Essex for 

 the number of noteworthy specimens it contains of that tree 

 deservedly called the king of the forest. Our trees will probably 

 ihold their own, for historical interest, for beauty, for age, and for 

 size, with those of most counties in England. 



I would suggest that our members might well occupy their leisure 

 in carrying out a similar inquiry in other branches of natural history. 



