Notes of a Visit to Oakley Park. 395 



The country in England is now looking beautifully. I 

 was over at Oakley Park a few days since, the property of 

 the Hon. Robert Clive. Both Mr. Olive and Lady Harriet, 

 take a great interest in trees, and they have at Oakley an 

 American department for trees and shrubs, that would in- 

 terest you extremely. Here is to be seen the finest specimen 

 of the Pinus Douglass that I have met with in England. It 

 is about twenty-five feet high, with a spread of branches at 

 the base greater than its height. It is not hardy so far north 

 as Boston, but south of New York it would do well. The 

 Araucaria stands this climate, and makes a peculiar and 

 beautiful tree. At Oakley there are some very remarkable 

 oaks, said to have existed in the time of the Druids. The 

 largest measures about thirty-seven feet in circumference. 



I notice draining going on everywhere. Tiles are now 

 used in the form of pipes almost entirely ; being very porous 

 they let in and carry off a great deal of water. On clay 

 soils they would do excellent service in America, though I 

 doubt the advantage of much draining on light loams and 

 gravelly soils. I think I have seen mischief done in such 

 cases both by draining and subsoiling. I should like to have 

 you here ju^t now to see the thorn-trees in full bloom, scat- 

 tered here and there in the woods and parks. The red 

 double flowering thorn is getting to be quite common, and 

 makes a beautiful variety, planted singly or scattered among 

 the shrubbery. 



The season is quite backward, very unusually so. Peas 

 are only just coming in, and strawberries will not ripen for a 

 week to come. We have the comfort, however, of know- 

 ing, Avhen they once begin, that we shall have them in 

 abundance for three months instead of one, as with us. 



I am going to attend the great agricultural meeting at 

 Lewes next month, and if I see anything there that I think 

 will interest you I will communicate it. 



Moor Park, June 12, 1852. 



