524 STATE AND PROSPECTS OF ARBORICULTURE IN HAMPSHIRE. 
list of oaks. In Hursley Park, near Winchester, near the South- 
ampton gate, stands one that was, within living memory, a fine 
specimen ; it, however, began to show symptoms of decay, when 
the late Sir W. Heathcote, about ten years ago, had the soil 
removed from around the roots, and replaced with fresh mould. 
Having visited it several times since this was done, I can say 
that it is reviving, and that the leafage is increasing, and alto- 
gether it looks more healthy. I think that, if this process had 
been adopted sooner, in all probability its decay would have been 
arrested, It has a circumference of 17 ft. 10 in.; a small protu- 
berance comes in the way of the tape at 43 ft. up, which, if 
avoided, reduced the girth to 17 ft. 7 in.; the butt is 10 ft. long. 
Another very picturesque oak stands in a dell near Dog-Kennel 
Pond, which has a girth of 17 ft. 8 in. ; soil, deep stiff clay ; sub- 
soil, chalk. In Elvetham Park (Lord Calthorpe), south of the 
house, stands another oak with a circumference of 17 ft. 10 in., 
a bole of 22 ft., and a sheer height of 70 ft. ; soil, clay, in the 
Bracklesham beds. 
Just within the entrance gate to Middleton House, near Whit- 
church, stands a grand oak with a circumference of 16 ft. 63 in:, 
a bole of 25 ft., and the whole tree contains 576 ft. of timber. 
This tree, taking all its points into consideration, has no com- 
peer in this county. 
With this specimen I will leave following the sizes of the various 
oaks which I have measured in the county, and turn to one which 
strikes the eye of the most careless observer. It is near the 
“ Hunter’s Inn,” Woodley, Romsey, on the north side of the 
road to Winchester; the bole may be put at 18 ft., but a leader 
of a smaller size tapers to the whole height of the tree. At 9 ft. 
up it begins to throw out branches, and up to what may be con- 
sidered the top of the bole, namely, 18 ft., these branches leave 
at all angles, from the horizontal to the perpendicular (none 
of timber size), and with a regularity almost artificial, for, 
when denuded of its leaves, it appears as if trained against a wall; 
and whether viewed from north, south, east, or west, it appears 
equally the same ; the head forms a large dome, which, on Novem- 
ber 28th, 1884, was one mass of green leaves, hardly a leaf 
turned, which was in singular contrast to all the others around 
it. This peculiarity of the tree is very remarkable, especially as 
that season was unusually fine, and so thoroughly ripened the wood 
that few leaves on any other deciduous trees were to be seen. 
