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hilla of Stoke Edith and St. Devereux Park, — they would find the two species 

 80 closely connected by intermediate varieties, that it was impossible to say 

 which was which, and which was not (laughter). For instance, at Holm Lacy 

 there was every variety between that noble representative of sessiliflora, " the 

 Monarch," and that interesting old "Trysting-tree," which was the largest of 

 the pedunculata there. Nevertheless, when the forms of each kind were 

 distinct, their different mode of growth could be recognised at sight, and 

 greatly to the advantage of sessilijlora, he thought, as an ornamental tree. 

 Pedunculata by no means always grew in the pollard form — the tallest and 

 most perfect trunk at Holm Lacey was a pedunculata, and many others took 

 the same growth. This depended more on the way the young trees were 

 grown. 



With reference to the rapidity of growth, his inquiries had led him to 

 believe that pedunculata was the faster grower of the two. He then read 

 passages from a letter he had received from Mr. Wells, of Holm Lacy, to prove 

 this: — 



" I am glad to see by the Hereford Times that my favourite oak has found an 

 advocate in Mr. Key. Still, among so many conflicting statements brought forward, it 

 is difficult to arrive at the truth. All the facts which I have proved for myself goes to 

 show that Q. Sessiliflora is the slowest grower. In 1855 I sowed the two species — acorna 

 gathered by myself— and at one year old I remarked that Q. Pedunndata was on an 

 average 7 inches high ; Q. Sessiliflora 4 inches high. At two years old Q. Pedunculata 

 24 inches, Q. Sessiliflora 10 inches, and this year the result is the same — seeds selected 

 by myself and sown side by side. So much for the two species in their youth. Again in 

 1861 I selected two fine specimens, one of each sort, and have measured them yearly at 

 the same height from the ground, the exact spot marked with gimlet holes in the bark, 

 in which I put nails to guide the tape in making my yearly measurements. 



Q. Pedunculata was in ISRl — 15ft. liin. I Q. Sessiliflora was in 1861 — 12ft. lOin. 

 „ „ 1865— Ifift. 6|in. | „ „ 1865— 13ft. lin. 



" Thus Pedunculata has grown 5 inches in circumference and Sessiliflora 3 inches. 

 Again the result is against my pet, still there is a sturdiness about the seedlings of 

 Sessiliflora which is very marked, and the roots are proportionally larger than Pedun- 

 culata, and when aged it is a much finer park tree, acquiring a deeper tint in Autumn, 

 I consider the timber hard and brittle. 



"Please observe that had I gathered the acorns indiscriminately and sown them 

 mixed, Sessiliflora would have gone to the waU ; and if any were not used, and many 

 seedlings are constantly thrown away, it would hare been the smaller ones. Again, 

 Sessiliflora is not so fruitful : is not this one reason why the one sort is so scarce 1 



"S. 'Wblls." 

 Mr. Fraser, the forester at Stoke Edith, also writes : — 

 " I have read Mr. Key's paper, and must say that it is contrary to anything 

 that I have seen, or heard, or read on the subject; he says, indeed, that practical 

 men are mostly in favour of Pedunculata, which is true. One of the carpenters a short 

 time ago was working a tree he had cut down in the park ; the wood was of dark colour 

 and coarse grain. He observed that it was not fit for post, or rail, or fence of any sort, 

 as it would not last. I found it to be the Sessiliflora. The rohur (as Sir J. Smith calls it) 

 grows with long slender shoots, is finer in the grain and much tougher, and will last 

 much longer out of doors ; so say the carpenters, and I think with truth. But there 

 are a great many varieties of oaks. I went to Devereux Pool and find the large one 

 there, a Hybrid, rather inclining to Sessiliflora. but not without a peduncle, but one of 

 them, measured in a field near Park farm, is decidedly Sessiliflora, having no stalk at all. 

 I have examined a number of the largest oaks In the park and find that no two of 

 them are exactly alike, but the tallest and finest of them are Pedunculata. The soil and 

 situation has more to do with the size and growth of the oak than the variety, for I 

 think they are only such after all. and I see Babington is of the same opinion. I sowed 

 a quantity of acorns some years ago, and found great varieties among them, although 

 all were from the same tree. 



"G. Frasbe." 



