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The finest trees at Whitfield, however — and the finest of their kind in 

 the county — are two Silver Fir trees (Abies piceaj on the lawn near tha 

 Beech-grove. The best of the two stands alone and has a circumference of 

 15 feet 5 inches at 5 feet from the ground. At about 40 feet from the ground 

 it has been broken off, and sends off three stems which again quickly divide, 

 the three tallest reaching the height of 115 feet. This tree was probably planted 

 by Mr. Booth who possessed Whitfield from 1755 to 1775, and who x^lanted tha 

 Beech trees adjoining. It lost its leader from a storm, in the year 1797, a 

 fact remembered by one of Mr. CUve's labourers (who was bom on the estate, 

 and whose father and grandfather had always worked there) from the occur- 

 rence of some event which happened to one of his children at the same 

 time. The fellow tree which stands some 60 or 70 yards away amidst some 

 oak trees is also a very remarkable tree. It measures 12ft. llin. in circum- 

 ference at 5ft. —has lost its leader at about 50 feet from the ground — and 

 reaches a height of 100 feet. These trees show the same appearance of age 

 in the thinness of foliage, and were doubtless planted at the same time. They 

 are thus, in all probability, rather more than 100 years old- The Beech Grove 

 adjoining was probably planted at the same time. The trees are fine but give 

 no great measurement. A dozen gave these figures, viz., 9.3; 9.1; 9.5; 8.3; 

 8.9 ; 9.10 ; 8.9 ; 10 ; 8.8 ; 9.2 ; 8.1 ; and 8.4. On the ground beneath these grew 

 a rich crop of that excellent fimgus, the Boletus EduUs, which your Com- 

 missioner would have rejoiced in the more, if he had but been sure of its 

 identity. He has never seen it growing elsewhere in this county in such 

 abundance. 



Beyond the giant Silver Fir and the Beech Trees is a most interesting 

 plantation ot young trees — let us term it " The Sequoia Grove" — for its main 

 and most striking feature is now, and will long continue to be, a group of the 

 Sequoia Sempervirens — an old friend with a new name — for its old designation 

 was Taxodium Sempervirens. It is a lofty tree from California, the Evergreen 

 Red Wood Tree. The settlers in Upper California call it the Giant of the Forest 

 — and well they may, for it frequently attains gigantic dimensions. It will 

 grow to a height of 300 feet, and many trees have a circumference of about 50" 

 feet at 6ft. from the ground. It is called the Eedwood from the fact that its 

 wood has a beautiful mahogany red colour. It is close grained and when once 

 seasoned it will not warp, and is never attacked by insects. These Eedwood 

 trees have been planted 17 years, and are now 45ft. high. They are growing 

 with great rapidity, not less than from 3 to 4 feet a year — and five of the best 

 measured 2ft. llin.; 3ft. 3in.; 3ft. 7Hn. ; 3ft. 2 Jin.; and 2ft. 10J,in. in circum- 

 ference. They are most picturesque trees in their mode of growth, and their 

 bright red bark ; and the glaucous green of their foliage makes them very 

 striking objects in the landscape. They are now under the protection of the 

 woods beyond them, and yet three of them have lost their leaders and sent 

 up fresh ones again. As they get higher still, they will have great difiBcvdty 

 to contend with the powerful west wind. The Kedwood is a brittle tree, and 



