Instances of rapid Growth 5 1 



planting of a yew-tree in Basildon Churchyard by 

 Charles, Lord Fane, in 1726. In 1780, fifty-four 

 years afterwards, this tree measured 6 feet 3 inches 

 near the ground, which is an extraordinary rate of 

 growth, supposing the top to have been unbroken. 

 Allowing four years as the age of the tree when 

 planted, the rate of growth in this instance equals 



1 foot of diameter in twenty-four years. 



Two remarkable instances of rapid growth are 

 to be seen in the Churchyard of Boughton-under- 

 Blean, near Faversham. These trees are stated in 

 the parish register to have been planted, the one 

 in 1695, the other in 1840. The former measures 

 9 feet 9 inches in girth at 3 feet from the ground, 

 being at the rate of a foot of growth in 61*5 years ; 

 the latter having increased to very nearly the same 

 amount in 54* i years. 



The trees at Winterbourne, of the known age 

 of 172 years, have a diameter of 3 feet and 2 feet 

 respectively, giving a rate of growth i foot in 5 7 '3 

 and 86 years. 



At Old Meldrum Manse, Aberdeenshire,^ two 

 trees, believed to have been moved to their present 

 site in 1680, now measure 10 feet and 10 feet 



2 inches respectively. 



At Camperdown, Forfarshire, a tree planted in 

 181 6, which has grown very vigorously, is now 



3 feet 10 inches in girth at 3 feet from the ground, 



^ Trans. Roy, Arboricult, Soc. , vol. xii. part 3. 



