40 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
was 30 feet, at 4 feet the circumference is 29 feet, and the sheer 
height 80 feet.? 
The “ Ruysdael Oak,” so named by a late Duke of Portland, 
because it resembled in shape those peculiarly formed trees which 
that great painter delighted to introduce in his pictures. It 
stands on a commanding eminence in the park, not far from the 
‘Seven Sisters,’ and forms a striking object from whichever side 
it is seen, notably from the mansion itself.” 
The ‘Simon Forester” oak is another of the famous trees in 
Sherwood Forest, with a circumference of 22 feet and a height of 
from 50 to 60 feet. 
Such are some of the notable old trees of ‘‘Sherwood Forest” 
which have received names, but although now no longer a royal 
forest, there still exist many other grand old oaks that date back 
to times when this great forest was the hunting-ground of kings. 
We now come to the oaks in Windsor Park. . 
The “Cow Pond Oak” may be first noticed, as it is one of the 
few trees of which we can fix the date of planting with any 
accuracy. ‘The account is, ‘‘ About the year 1715 the plantation 
lying between Cumberland Lodge and Cow Pond was formed, 
and we mention it simply because it contains what is generally 
considered to be the most perfect timber tree in Windsor Park. 
It has a straight clean bole over 40 feet up to the first branch, 
with a girth of 10 feet 4 inches at 5 feet from the ground ; now, 
taking the age up to 1880, would be 162 years, this would give 
an annual increase in circumference of *765 inch. 
“ Herne’s Oak.” This tree or trees, for it appears there were 
two claiming the honour of being the tree immortalised by 
Shakespeare in the ‘ Merry Wives of Windsor ”— 
‘« There is an old tale goes, that Herne the Hunter ; 
Sometime a keeper here in Windsor Forest, 
Doth all the winter-time, at still midnight, 
Walk round about an oak, with great rage’d horns ; 
And there he blasts the trees, and takes the cattle, 
And makes milch kine yield blood, and shakes a chain 
In a most hideous and dreadful manner.” 
‘In the Report of the Society’s Excursion in 1889, the dimensions of the 
“Major Oak” are given as—girth, 29 feet 6 inches at 5 feet up; height, 60 
to 70 feet ; spread of branches, 90 feet. 
***Gaunt and dead at least fifteen years, but it still defies the blast and 
maintains an upright position’ (Report of Society’s Excursion, 1889).—Ep. 
