1790 TEEES AT SELBOENE 223 



for me to say little. I suppose that nature, ever provident, 

 intends the vast encrease as a balance to some great devasta- 

 tions to which they may be liable either in their emigra- 

 tions or winter retreats. Our swifts have been gone about 

 a week ! ; but the other hirundines have sent forth their first 

 broods in vast abundance; and are now busied in the 

 rearing of a second family. Myself and visitors have often 

 paid due attention to the oak in the Holt, which ought 

 indeed to have been noticed in my book, and especially 

 as it contains some account of that forest. You have been 

 an early planter indeed ! and may safely say, I should think, 

 that no man living can boast of so large an oak of his own 

 planting ! As I had reason to suppose that actual measure- 

 ment would give me the best Idea of your tree, I first took 

 the girth of my biggest oak, a single tree, age not known, in 

 the midst of my meadow : when though it carries a head 

 that measures 24 yards three ways in diameter ; yet is the 

 circumference of the stem only 10 ft. 6 in. I then measured 

 an oak, standing singly in a gentleman's outlet at about two 

 miles distance, and found it exactly the dimensions of yours. 

 After such success you may well say with Virgil, 



" Et dubitant homines serere, atque impendere curas ? " 



In an humble way I have been an early planter myself. 

 The time of planting, and growth of my trees are as follows : 

 Oak in 1731—4 ft. 5 in. Ash in 1731—4 ft. 6J in. Spruce 

 fir in 1751—5 ft. in. Beech in 1751—4 ft. in. Elm in 

 1750—5 ft. 3 in. Lime in 1756—5 ft. 5 in.* 



Beeches with us, the most lovely of all forest trees, thrive 

 wonderfully on steep, sloping grounds, whether they be 

 chalk or free stone. I am in possession myself of a beechen 

 steep grove on the free stone,f that I am persuaded would 



* The Naturalist's Journal of August 3rd records these measurements, 

 giving also the site of the trees. *' Oak by alcove, ash by ditto, great fir 

 Baker's Hill, lime over at Mr. Hale's. " 



t Sparrow's hanger, at the south end of the village. 



