140 The Trees of Great Britain and Ireland 



63 feet by 5 feet 3 inches, and proves that the tree will thrive on good soil even in the 

 east of England. 



At Williamstrip Park, Gloucestershire, the seat of Lord St. Aldwyn, there is 

 a tree 45 feet by 5 feet, probably one of the first introduced. 



At Penrhyn, North Wales, there is a fine tree, 64 feet by 5 feet 5 inches. 

 The best example I know of the growth of Cryptomeria as a forest tree is at 

 Tan-y-bwlch, in Merionethshire, the property of W. E. Oakeley, Esq., where a large 

 number of seedlings were raised about 40 years ago from a tree which is now 62 by 

 6 feet, and has apparently not grown much lately. 



The best of its progeny, growing on a slate formation where rhododendrons 

 flourish exceedingly, near sea level, is already 53 by 4^ feet, and many others average 

 about 40 by 3^ feet. Some are growing among beech and oak, others in a plantation 

 of larch and Corsican pine facing north. In the latter the average girth of 8 trees was 

 3^ feet, whilst larch of the same age was little over 2 feet, and Corsican pine about 

 the same. Mr. Richards, forester to Lord Penrhyn, who saw this plantation shortly 

 after it was made, agreed with me that its success would amply justify planting 

 Cryptomeria on a large scale in North and West Wales in sheltered places on good 

 land up to about 300 feet above the sea. But, judging from a large board sent 

 me by Sir John Llewellyn, grown in South Wales, the timber is much lighter and 

 softer than it is in Japan, and perhaps will not be equal for outside work to that of 

 Douglas fir grown on similar land. 



At Dynevor Park, in Caermarthenshire, the seat of Lord Dynevor, there are 

 some well-grown trees, the tallest of which is 56 feet by 6 feet 10 inches. 



At Belshill, Northumberland, the property of Sir W. Church, there is a tree 

 50 feet by 4 feet 8 inches, which is about 50 years old and quite healthy. 



In Scotland the tree seems quite hardy, and at Keir, the seat of A. Stirling, Esq., 

 a tree planted in 1851 has increased from 42 J feet in 1892 to 52 feet by 8 feet girth 

 in 1905. It has the trunk covered with burrs. At Castle Kennedy, the seat of the 

 Earl of Stair, there is a tree 56 feet by 6 feet i inch. 



In Ireland there are several fine trees. At Coollattin, Wicklow, the property of 

 Earl Fitzwilliam, a tree measured 63 feet high by 6 feet in girth in 1906. At 

 Woodstock, Kilkenny, a tree of the variety Lobbii, which was planted by Miss Tighe 

 in 1857, is now (1904) 67 feet high by 6 feet 7 inches in girth. Close by this tree 

 is a wonderful group of Cryptomerias, which have been produced by natural layering. 

 The parent tree in the centre is about 50 feet high, and around it are over 20 trees, 

 with straight stems, which are themselves layering, so that in course of time a grove 

 may be produced. 



At Fota there are many examples of Cryptomeria and its varieties. The form 

 spiralis is about 15 feet high. The variety araucarioides is 31 feet by 3 feet 8 inches 

 in girth, very compact in habit. Elegans is 42 feet by 4 feet 9 inches. The variety 

 Fortunei measures 72 feet high, with a girth of 8 feet, a beautiful pyramidal tree, 

 displaying the stem below with its characteristic stringy bark. This tree was 

 planted in 1847. (H. J. E.) 



