266 



Dr Christison on the 



[SESS. 



This brings it to 1878, but in the autumn of that year many- 

 large branches were blown down ; it then passed through 

 the three severe seasons, when its increase fell to 0"30, 0*35, 

 and 0-20 ; there was a rally to 040 in 1882, but in 1883, a 

 year of disaster to evergreen growth, there was a fresh fall 

 to O'lo, from which there was no substantial recovery. By 

 this time a further loss of branches had reduced it to a 

 perfect wreck ; only about a fourth of its proper amount 

 remained, distributed at the top and bottom, but still 

 beautifully fresh and healthy looking. When cut down the 

 tree was found to be 54 feet long, representing an annual 

 upward growth of fully a foot, if we deduct the last nine 

 years of its life, when the increase must have been little or 

 nothing. The wood was cjuite healthy, and a section close 

 to the ground showed 53 rings, a number corresponding 

 closely with its probable age, if we add for its start in 

 life two or three rings, which would not come into the 

 section. 



The younger -tree, Xo. 5, was growing vigorously, at the 

 rate of nearly an inch and a half annually, for three years 

 before 1878, but in that year the rate fell to little more than 

 half an inch. The tree suffered but little further diminu- 

 tion in girth-increase from the first two of the three bad 

 seasons, and rallied to the standard of 1878 in the third, but 

 fell off again in 1883, since which its increase has been 

 small, averaging only a quarter of an inch a year. At the 

 ground its increase has been 15 inches in thirteen years, 

 nearly twice as much as at 5 feet up. In appearance also 

 the tree has much fallen off; it has not more than half its 

 proper proportion of branches, but it still looks healthy 

 above. 



Finus sylvcstris. 



