341 



associations with which the tree is environed are common to the rest of the ancient 

 trees of which this country affords several notable instances, being those which 

 antiquity imparts, but this particular tree, from its huge dimensions and great 

 age, has higher claims to our attention than any of which I have read. It is not 

 only a remnant of the forests of Ancient Britain, but a monarch among tlie kings 

 of trees. Not only has it outlived its contemporaries, but it has outgrown them, 

 and in it we see not only the oldest oak in England, but possibly the oldest living 

 organism. For upwards of 1,000 years it has kept alive the vital spark, it has 

 partaken of the plant pabulmm in the soil through the same roots, and has 

 returned the sap to the roots through the same vessels. There, alone, this giant 

 stands on the pleasant grass-grown plateau dotted with flowers and herbs, the 

 wonder of many visitors, who appear as pigmies in contrast with its vast bulk. 

 Five times has York Minster — man's work — fallen in half the period ! Annually 

 has it put forth its buds, its leaves, its flowers, and the bonny squirrel has dined 

 upon its fruit, and despite all that storm and tempest and wanton hands have 

 done to its main lateral branches, which once reached 100 yards from its trunk, 

 and covered half an acre of ground, it still is not what Shakespeare terms— 



"An oak \vithout one green leaf," 



but is, at this season, crowned with a coronet of verdant foliage. 



Tradition speaks of it as having been in a state of decay for several 

 generations. The intermixture of foliage amongst the dead branches shows how 

 sternly the giant struggles for life, and how reluctantly it surrenders to conquer- 

 ing time. " Compared with this," says Dr. Hunter in his Evelyn's Si/lva, "all 

 other trees are children of the forest." It is said that a coach might be driven 

 through the boles of the celebrated oalcs of Winfield Chase in Cumberland, and 

 that of Welbeck in Nottinghamshire, as described and pictured in the recent 

 number of the Graphic of June 8th, 1889 : but supposing the trunk of the Cow- 

 thorpe Oak to be hollowed for the purpose, two coaches might pass through it. 

 The leading branch fell during a storm a.d. 1718, and weighed with accuracy 5 

 tons 110 lbs. 



Under the shadow of the Druidical worship-inspiring Newland Oak, Mr. 

 Moore, in the absence of its author, read the following few notes. 



THE LEAFING OF THE OAK AND THE ASH. 

 [By Dr. T. A. Chapman.] 



If the Oak is in leaf before the Ash, 



'Twill be dry, and warm, and good wheat to thrash 



If the Ash is in leaf before the Oak, 



'Twill be cold, and of rain too great a soak ; 



If the Oak and the Ash open their leaves together, 



Expect a summer of changeable weather. 



If the Oak is out before the Ash, 

 'Twill be a summer of wet and splash ; 

 But if the Ash is before the Oak, 

 'Twill be a summer of fire and smoke. 



