REMARKABLE FOREST TREES. 175 



thus was enabled to estimate the rate of the increase of the 

 stem in three centuries. "With this measure he succeeded 

 in estimating the numher of years' growth of the entire 

 stem, and in ascertaining the age of the tree, which he 

 found to he 5150 years. 



But, although some trees live for thousands of years, yet 

 the life of all must sooner or later terminate ; for, to each 

 tree, equally with the lowly plants which grow beneath its 

 shade, a limited period of life has been allotted. This 

 period may vary with the favorable or unfavorable circum- 

 stances in which the tree is placed, and depends also on 

 the greater or less amount of life-force with which the 

 embryo was endowed in the beginning ; but, nevertheless, 

 the life of all trees has its appointed period, like their form, 

 altitude, and other specific peculiarities. 



"We close this chapter with the following catalogue of 

 trees, which is designed to show how the age of the same 

 tree may vary : The 



Palm lives from . . . .... . 200 to 300 years. 



Larch (Larix Europcea], lives from . . . 263 to 576 " 



Chestnut ( Castanea vesca), " " ... 360 to 626 " 



Walnut (Juglans regia), " " . . . 900 to 1000 " 



Olive (Oka Europcea), " " /-"'. 700, 1000 to 2000 " 



Orange (Citrus or antium), " " '- . . 400, 509 to 646 " 



Yew (Taxus baccata), " " . 1214, 1466, 2588 to 2880 " 



Oak (Quercus Europcea], " " 600,800, 860, 1000 to 1400 " 



