Mah. 1893.] BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBUKGH. 



589 



tliiit in 1776, wlieii the experiment was made, the two 

 were ahnost identical in size, but, to make the result quite 

 reliable, he chose as the tree to be washed the one which 

 was the least thriving of the two at the time. He also 

 took the increase of five other beeches of the same age for 

 further comparison, and here follow the results : — 



The increase in the washed tree is so remarkable as 

 to cast some doubt on the accuracy of the observation, 

 particularly as the actual increase must have exceeded 

 2^ inches, because there must have been a certain diminu- 

 tion in the girth from the scrubbing. Yet it is hardly 

 possible to doubt the accuracy of an investigator who was 

 evidently so careful in his methods. 



From the few hints i'urnished by his two letters we can 

 see that the Xorfolk squire anticipated modern methods by 

 more than a century, in advocating 5 feet as the proper 

 lieight for taking the girth of a tree, in taking girth- 

 measurements to the fineness of a tenth of an inch, and in 

 making experiments on manuring the soil and washing the 

 stems in stimulating the growth of trees. 



Experiments on the effects of manuring upon tree 

 growth, although advocated fifteen years ago by Sir Eobert 

 Christison, so far as I am aware, have not yet been carried 

 out in a scientific way, by comparing the girth-increase of 

 manured and unmanured trees, and by trying different 

 manures. A great field for experiment here lies open, 

 requiring no higher qualifications than patience and 

 accuracy, which might afford an agreeable change to the 

 shooting, fishing, and hunting which are still, as in the 

 time of our jSTorfolk squire, the too exclusive occupations of 

 our country gentry. As to the scrubbing and washing of 

 the stems of trees I do not know that any experiments 

 have been made since those of Mr. Marsham, but the very 

 remarkable results which he appears to have got certainly 



