98 



leaves as regards cutting, of any of our Oaks. In the last edition of 

 Emerson's "Trees of Massachusetts," it is impossible to distinguish 

 two plates, one of which is marked Q. coccinea, the other Q. rubra. It 

 is undoubted!}^ an accidental mistake. 



Quercus rubra, L. (Red Oak.) This species is common 

 throughout the count}^ often growing to great size. It is easily- 

 distinguished from the other Oaks by the large acorns. A Red Oak 

 in Manchester measured, in 1875 by Mr. N. Ropes and the writer, 



was, 



Circumference 11 feet 11| inches, 1 foot from the ground. 

 " 9^7 u 6 feet " - 



One at Swampscott was 11 feet 9 inches at 1 foot from the ground. 



On the Sawyer place, previously referred to, in 1877 Mr. Wm. 



Merrill and the wa'iter measured one huge Red Oak which had been 



felled. At the place where it was cut it was, 



• 



Circumference 23 feet 10 inches 



" 16 '< 4 »« 2 feet above. 



" 11 " 4 " 5 " " 



" 12 " 10 " 13 " " 



Another still flourishing, was, • 



Circumference 15 feet 2 inches, 2 feet from ground. 

 12 - 4 " 5 " " " 



The Pin-Oak (Q. Palustris) has not yet been noticed, but still ought 

 to be found. 



Castanea vesca, L. (Chestnut.) The Chestnut is found from 

 Lynn to the Merrimac Valley, but, except under cultivation, is rarely 

 seen in the eastern portion of the county. Undoubtedly the finest 

 trees are those of the Burley woods in Danvers, some of which must 

 be upwards of one hundred years old. Among these Mr. Sears 

 measured two which were, 



(1) Circumference 11 feet inches at the ground. 



" 8 " '' <' 5 feet above. 



Height 90 feet. 



(2) Circumference 10 feet 7 inches at the ground. 



" G " 7 " " 6 feet above. 



.< G •' 5 " " 15 " " 



Height 85 feet. 



The Chestnut is one of the easiest trees to cultivate among our 

 native species, and of very rapid growth under favorable circum- 

 stances. Hon. Benj. Perley Poore has, at "Indian Hill," his summer 

 residence, a fine row of Chestnuts which he planted in 1848. Sept., 

 1877, he politely gave the writer an opportunity to measure them, as 



