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Now a word as to the extent of the drainage area of the Caldew 

 Valley. Roughly stated, it would include the whole or major part 

 of Caldbeck, Sebergham, Castle Sowerby, Ivegill, Raughton Head 

 and Gaitsgill, and Dalston, besides portions of both Greystoke and 

 CarUsle. 



Before passing on to speak of the wild flowers, I desire to offer 

 a few remarks on the timber trees of the Valley. Looking at the 

 woods of Heggle, of Warnel, of Sebergham, of Rose Castle, of 

 Holm Hill, &c., the most common timber tree is undoubtedly the 

 Oak. Most of you, I dare say, are acquainted with those three 

 venerable trees in the park below Rose Castle, which were 

 unquestionably in existence long before the wardenship of Ingle- 

 wood was an extinct office. Until near the close of the last 

 century there grew at Thistlewood several gigantic oaks, the finest 

 of which, on their falling victims to the woodman's axe, was 

 transported to Egremont with no little difficulty, there to be utilised 

 as the main axle or shaft in the machinery of a paper mill. The 

 "Fletcher Guards" oak, which stood about two miles lower down 

 the same stream, and which, I believe, was purchased by my 

 grandfather, was also a mighty member of the same family. On 

 the Rose Castle and Holm Hill properties several splendid oaks 

 fell victims to the fury of the terrible gale of January 7 th, 1839, 

 still remembered as the "great wind." The Sacra Banks oak (on 

 the latter estate,) was a tree of great size and extent of shade. 

 The other chief timber trees are the Ash, Broadleaved Elm, 

 Sycamore, Alder, Birch, Scotch Fir (fine examples near Rose 

 Castle), the White Willow, and the Crack Willow. Of less frequent 

 occurrence are the Beech, the Narrow-leaved Elm, the Aspen and 

 other Poplars, the Horse Chesnut, and the Larch. Of the manner 

 in which forest trees may sometimes be propagated, the following 

 illustration may serve as an interesting example. The letter, dated 

 1709, was written to a friend by the Rev. Thomas Robinson, 

 vicar of Ousby, under Crossfell, is as follows :— 



About twenty years ago, coming from Rose Castle early in the morning, I 

 observed a great number of crows very busy at their work upon a declining 

 ground of a mossy surface. I went out of my way on purpose to view their 



