1888-89.] Annual Increase in Girth of Trees. 



403 



some new e\'il influence lowered their increase in the follow- 

 ing year to the decennial minimum of 5 "03. Of the nine 

 species three reached their absolute minimum, and two their 

 minimum subsequent to the three severe winters. The un- 

 reliable species Pinus excelsa alone showed no decrease com- 

 pared with the previous year, and the fall in Taxus haccata 

 was so slight as to be hardly worth regarding ; but in all the 

 others the fall was severe, particularly in the two well-tested 

 species, Sequoia gigantca and Cedrus Dcodara, of which every 

 tree suffered. The following table showed the degree to 

 which the species and trees were affected : — 



It is somewhat doubtful whether any of the wxll-tested 

 deciduous species shared in this depression, but it is just 

 possible that Fagus sylvatica and Tilia europcea did, for 

 although they scarcely fell lower than their average, they 

 experienced a sharp fall below the previous year. The only 

 other defaulter w^as the single Liriodendron. 



1885, 1886. — I shall not dwell on the depressions of these 

 years, as they were comparatively unimportant. They de- 

 pended upon moderate decreases in a number of the deci- 



