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The Forest Trees of Wiltshire. 145 
near to Bishop’s Waltham, in Hants. It is.not for its great age 
or enormous size that it is noticed, for although a large tree, it is 
by no means an old one, but for its symmetry and beauty. To all 
appearance it is now in the full vigour of growth, and not unlikely 
to continue so for many generations. But even for size, it is some- 
what of a giant, as the following dimensions will show. At six 
feet from the ground its trunk, which is clean and clear to a 
height of eighteen feet, measures fourteen feet round it. At that 
height it branches out into a splendid head, the circumference of 
which is two hundred and forty feet. Such a fine, healthy, growing 
tree, so handsome and uniform in figure, is seldom seen. Bowood, 
too, in its woods and lovely pleasure grounds affords many beautiful 
specimens of this charming tree. So also does Roundway Park, 
where fine beeches form an important feature among the many 
beauties of that delightful place. 
To give the first in rank,— Tue Monarcu Oax,”’—the third 
place here, may seem to be disloyal; but no disloyalty, nor even 
; any slight is intended, for no one holds the Oak in more esteem, 
_ or has more veneration for it than the writer. With him it stands, 
_ and always did, first and foremost for beauty, grandeur, and useful- 
ness, no tree unless it be the Cepar or Lzsanon being at all to be 
compared to it. What some of the “Pines” and “ Firs” which 
have been introduced during the present century ;—what the great- 
est and grandest of all as it is found in its native country—the 
* WELLINGToNIA GIGANTEA”’ may become some generations hence, 
no one can say; but at present, here, the oak and the cedar are 
without compeers. Everywhere in this country the oak is to be 
met with, and grand specimens of it, in greater numbers than of 
any other tree, are to be found. Here, in this county, there is no 
lack of them. In the two princely domains which have been 
especially mentioned, the monarch is to be seen in all his glory. 
In every state of existance you will find him, from the sapling with 
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smooth shining bark, up to the mature timber-tree in its noble 
proportions, its sound, solid trunk with its rough covering, crowned 
with a forest of boughs spreading on all sides and stretching its 
arms towards Heaven, and down to the storm-riven, branchless, 
