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be frankly confeased, do not as yet apply to WliitfielJ. Some of the knolls, 

 scattered with oak trees, are certainly very beautiful and pictiuesque. The 

 gi'ove above the pleasure grounds, for instance, presents an admirable esamiJe 

 of the superiority of clustered trees over fonnal clumps. Some one — Sir Uvedale 

 Price probably — has said that trees should be planted as you see a herd of deer 

 arrange themselves on rising ground, picturesquely clustered together, with 

 scattered members here and there, and many examples of this form of planting 

 are to be seen at "SMiitfield. 



The trees generally, as has been said, are more remarkable for their 

 number than for their size. They present the vpell rounded outline of full- 

 grown trees, but are as yet only just beginning to develope their tr\ie picturesque 

 features. Indeed, studying them asthetically, they are far too numerous. The 

 estate has the happy failing of being overgrown with oaks ; for fine and bold 

 and noble as the sturdy oak is in form and outline, it is by reason of these 

 virtues formal and stiff when in vigorous gi-owth. Doubtless, at this age of 

 growth it owes much of the great appreciation it obtains to the knowledge of 

 the value it denotes, and justly so. Still, when it is repeated again and again, 

 when its monotonous outline meets a critical eye at every turn, the very fact of 

 its value becomes almost an objection to it. To use an expressive Americanism, 

 "the almighty dollar" comes oppressively uppermost. This is not as it should 

 be. In the very heart and centre of a noble estate, value should ever be 

 subordinate to beauty and vaiiety of effect, both in colour and outline. In his 

 last visit your Commissioner had the satisfaction to observe that several hundred 

 trees of goodly size were marked for felling. The improvement will be vei-y 

 great, and the operation may still be continued with proportionate advantage 



The largest oak is at the entrance of the pleasure grounds from the lawn, 

 and a very fine tree it is, though battered by storms and damaged at heart. It 

 is of the semliflora variety, and has a girth of ICft. Sin. The diametric 

 spread of its branches is 25 yards La extent N. and S., and 24 yards B. and W. 

 It lost a very large bough from a storm in the spring of 18G8. An ivy tree of 

 considerable size climbs the bole, and adds to its picturesque effect. 



About the Wormbridge propei-ty are also some fine old oak and other 

 trees, denoting a gentleman's residence. One oak tree, in "Wormside meadow, 

 measures 1-lft. Sin. ; another, in Druid's meadow, 15ft. 2in. ; and two others 

 13ft. 6in. and 12ft. Sin. respectively, all fine growing trees ; a pollard oak 

 behind the church 14ft. Gin. ; another in the garden meadow of AVormbridge 

 farm house 16ft. lin. at 5ft. from the ground, with several other good trees 

 scattered about, and most of them in a healthy, growing state. 



In the field opposite the church at Wormbridge, which was formerly the 

 garden of the house, are two young oaks and two WeUingtonias, which were 

 planted on the day of the Prince of "Wales's marriage (March 10th, 1863) and 

 which are growing well. 



A pedunculate oak at the entrance of the fruit garden measures 12ft. Sin. 

 in girth. A very fine picturesque tree, "the weeping oak " in the Bason 



