Nov. 1892.] BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH. 



481 



moderate data, it is evident that when 12 feet in girth 

 the tree might easily have been 154 years old. Now the 

 rate for the last 13 years is known to be 0*40 inch, and 

 that of a 12 feet tree being known to be 0"80 inch, if we 

 take 0'50, or half an inch, for the average rate between 12 

 and 19 feet — a very moderate estimate, allowing for the 

 gradual diminution of the rate with age — the age comes 

 out as about 320. 



Again, Sir Eobert Christison ascertained the age of the 

 splendid beech at Cramond (1 e) to be between 200 and 

 215, with a girth of 16 feet at 5 feet: allow the New- 

 battle tree to have attained the same size at the same age 

 — it is now 20 feet at that height; take the ascertained 

 recent rate of 0*40 at 6 feet 6 inches as having lasted 

 during the whole time the tree took to grow from 16 to 20 

 feet in girth at 5 feet, and we get 120 to add to, say, 210, 

 or 330 in all. But the rate must be greater where the 

 tree girths 20 feet than where it is only 19 feet, and it 

 must in all probability be greater in proportion as we 

 recede from the present time. Hence, by this computation, 

 the tree cannot be much, if at all, above three centuries old. 

 Altogether, we may conclude that the age is not likely to 

 exceed 320 years, and may possibly not be above 2 50. 



The rate of two of the secondary trees springing from 

 one of the rooted branches of the giant I ascertained for 

 four years, as follows : — 



Gii-th. 



' Parent branch, 

 Young tree No. 1, 

 Do. No. 2, 



Increase. 



^Pg^g^ 1889. 1890. 1891. 1892. 



Average 

 Eate. 



It thus appears that the young trees are growing 

 vigorously, while their parent branch has ceased to grow. 

 The numerous young trees, of which these two are but 

 examples, must therefore be attracting much of the 

 nourishment that ought to go to the parent tree, and it is 

 to be feared that as the youths grow up they may 

 gradually starve and kill the parent. It is a serious 



