89 



round they measure, in feet and inches, at 5 feet from the ground as follows : — 

 14.1: 12.1 J 11.8i; 12.3; 13.8; 12; 14.10; 14.10; 14.8; 12.11; 12; 12.7 and 

 9.7 respectively, giving an average of 12 feet 8 inches. These trees are now 

 decaying fast and have lost many branches. A large branch fell the other day 

 from the weight of leaves being too much for the rotten limbs to carry. — 

 (Mr. Henry Southall). 



[ Note. — Two young elm trees have sprang up within the church and 

 have been allowed to remain there. They are suckers from the roots of 

 the trees on that side of the churchyard, cut down many years since. 

 They are said, by the man who shows the church, to grow in the pew in 

 which the "Man of Ross" was accustomed to sit, and thus do reverence 

 to his memory. 



Kyrle also originated the causeway from the south side of the 

 bridge to the town of Koss, and "with his own hands planted shady rows 

 of elms on each side." These elms no longer exist, having probably had to 

 give way to the improvements effected there. ] 

 The Hill Court Elms, about two miles from Ross, form a very noble 

 avenue of trees, the finest in the county. Captain Manly Power has very kindly 

 taken the following measurements of them at this time for me " at five feet 

 from the ground :— 15.6 ; 14.2; 15.2; 14.8; 12.2; 13.7; 13; 15.7; 15; 14.8; 

 and 14.10 respectively. The remainder of the trees would average about 12 

 feet ia girth. The trees are in full vigour but getting past their prime and 

 many have lost some large lower limbs. The largest trees grow on the higher 

 ground in a light sandy loam, and they decrease in size as they get towards the 

 bottom of the avenue where the soil is rather stronger and not so near the lime- 

 stone, and there the oak and the thorn grow better. It is believed that they 

 were planted about the year 1700." 



These measurements wUl serve to give a good general idea of the size to 

 which the common English Elm will grow in Herefordshire. Many other elms 

 of great size and beauty exist in the coxmty, and the regret that their measure- 

 ments have not been obtained would be the greater if there was not so good a 

 chance of their being carefully recorded in the reports of the Commissioners 

 of the Club. 



Noble trees are to be found at Kentchorch, Sufton, Longworth, Ledbury, 



Stoke Edith, Moorcourt, Croft Castle, Brampton Bryan, and throughout the 



valleys of the Wye, the Lug, the Arrow, and the Teme. 



[ Note. — On the accession of Charles II. the joy oijthe people took 

 the fancy for Elm tree planting to commemorate the restoration of the 

 monarchy. The Elms in the broad walk at Christchurch are said to 

 have been then planted ; and some of the Ebns in the long walk at 

 Windsor— trees very similar in condition and size— are said to have been 

 planted by King Charles himself. ] 



