CHAP. CV. 



CORYLACEiF.. FA GUS. 



1977 



1908 



of 60 trees with trunks between 10 ft. and 

 l(j It. in circumference, cairying the above 

 girts for more than 40 ft. At Tiny Park 

 there are 3 beech trees, with trunks 14 ft., 

 15 ft. 6 in., and 14 ft. 8 in. in circumference 

 at the ground. The last, at 7 ft. from the 

 ground, measures 16 It. 3 in. round, and 

 continues nearly of the same dimensions 

 for 36 ft. The dimensions of various 

 other fine trees might be added from the 

 same authority. In France, a beech is 

 recorded by.\rthurYoung {Travels, p. 7.) 

 as standing at Chanti'ly, and the finest, 

 he says, that he ever saw : its trunk was 

 as straight as an arrow, not less than 8('lt. 

 or 90 It. high, 40 ft. to the first branch, 

 and 12 ft. diani. at 5 ft from the ground. 

 Remarkable existing Trees. The largest 

 beeches now existing in England are, the 

 Studley Beech {ieefig. 1878.). the Kiiowie 

 Beech (see p. 19(j8.), 85 ft. high, diameter 

 of the trunk 8ft. 4 in., and of the head 

 352 ft., and the Ashridge Beeches ; of , 

 which the Queen Beech {fig. 190<J.) is ' "^ 

 110 ft. high, the trunk is 10 It. in circum- 

 ference at 2 ft. fron-. the ground, and at the heit;iit of 74 ft. Imiui ihe ground, to which height the trunk 

 is without a single branch, it is 6 ft. 3 in. in circumference. I'he King Beech, also in the park at 

 Ashridge, and which is represented by the central tree in the group [fig. 1920 \'is 114 ft. high, with 

 a clear trunk of 75 ft., which, at 2 ft. from the ground, is 9*ft. ;„ circumference, and at 75 ft., ok. 6 in. 

 A spreading beech at Ashridge (fig. 1911.) is 70 ft. high, 

 with a trunk 18 ft. 4 in. in circumference, and a head 

 114 ft. in diameter. The drawings from which our en- 

 gravings of these trees are taken were made for us in 

 October, 18 J6, by the permission and at the expense of the 

 Countess of Bridgewater. The celebrated beech at Wo- i 

 burn Abbey, commonly known as Pontey's Beech, which ■'■^fiifii 

 was measured for us by the direction of the Duke of 

 Bedford, in February, 1837, is 100 It. high, with a clear 

 trunk of 50 ft. : the circumference of the trunk, at 4 ft 

 from the ground, is 12 ft 6 in. ; and the cubic feet of tim- 

 ber which it contains are, by measurement, 317 ft.; and that 

 in the head, by computation, is estimated at 50 ft. ; giving 

 a total of 367 ft. of useful timber. This tree was measured 

 in 1S'.;9 ; since which period it has increased in circum- 

 ference, at 4 ft. from the ground, 6 in. ; and in cubic feet 

 of timber in the trunk, 5ft. A silver fir, in the park at 

 Woliurn, 114 ft higli, and containing .i50 cubic feetof tim- 

 ber, exclusive of the head, had increased in circumference, 

 in the same period, 12 ft 6 in. at 4 ft. from the ground ; 

 and, in the cubic feet of timber in the trunk, no less than 

 11 ft. ; thus showing the much greater rapidity of growth 

 in the silver fir than in the beech. The highest beech in 

 Kayuood, at Castle Howard, was, in 1834, 110 ft. high, 

 and it contained 940 cubic feet of timber ; the circum- 

 ference of the trunk, at 5 ft from the ground, was 14 ft. 

 2 in., the length of clear bole was 70 ft , and the diameter 

 of the head was 96 ft. A spreading beech at the same 

 place was SO ft. high, and contained 964 cubic feet of 

 timber; the diameter of the head wa.s iu5ft. ; the cir- 

 cumference of the trunk, at 5 ft. from the ground, was 



17 ft. 10 in., and the length of clear bole 40 ft. (See Gard. 

 M(i^., vol. xi. p. 18.) At Bicton, in Devonshire, is a beech tree 104 ii. high, with a trunk 18 It. 

 in curcumference ; diameter of the head 87 ft In Somersetshire, at N'ettleconibe, is a beech lOOft. 

 high, with a trunk 24 ft. in circumference. In Wiltshire, in the grounds of A. B. Lambert, Esq., 

 at Boyton, is a celebrated tree, called the Corton Beech, which measures 13 ft. fg in. in circum- 

 ference, at 4 ft from the ground ; the trunk contains nearly 8 tons of timber, and the whole tree 

 upwards of 11 tons. Mr. Lambert's father, about the beginning of the present century, betted this 

 tree, every circumstance considered, against any tree of the same species in England, and won a 

 pipe of wine by it. Mr. Lambert has three other beech trees of nearly equal dimensions, close 

 adjoining this remarkable one. The subsoil is chalk. In Worcestershire, on an estate belonging 

 to Lord Lyttelton, are the Frankly Beeches, which are of great antiquity. Standing on a hill, 

 they can be seen to a great distance; and they are mentioned in old leases as land-marks. The 

 largest was blown down some years ago ; but those still standing have been measured for us through 

 the kindness of Lord Lyttelton, and their dimensions are as follows: — The upper beeches are now 

 reduced to four in number. The one blown down in 1833 was a noble tree, and considerably larger 

 than any of the others ; being about 20 ft. in circumference, with a proportionate height and head. 

 The largest now standing is 14 ft. in circumference at 1 ft. from the ground, and is 70 It. high. 

 The lower beeches comprise five large, and six or eight smaller, trees ; the largest measuring about 

 14 ft. in circumference. One of these was blown down in 1836, and was found much decayed. They 

 are very handsome trees ; and, from their mode of growth and commanding situation, they have 

 a very striking eflfect In Derbyshire, at Keddleston, the seat of Lord Scarsdale, is a beech tree 

 which was removed about 70 years ago, when the present mansion was built, and which was then a 

 large tree. It has now a trunk 12ft. in circumference, and a heal 52ft. in diameter, touching the 

 ground on every side. In Scotland the mo»t remarkable beeches are, one at Newbattle Abbey, 

 88 ft. high, diameter of the trunk 9 ft and of the head 100 ft. ; one in Dumfriesshire, and two in 

 Morayshire. The Eccles Beech {fig. 1912.) stands near Baitford, in Dumfriesshire. The trunk is 



18 ft. in circumference, where it begins to throw out the branches, which extend over a space 95 ft. 

 ill diameter. An account and drawing of this tree has been sent to us by Mr. Grierson, secretary to 



1909 



