RARB AND NOTABLE PLANTS 



near the toll-gate at McKean's hill to 

 the railroad, south. Here was a num- 

 ber of immense chestnut trees, but 

 the finest have been destroyed. Our 

 best, however, did not class with trees 

 elsewhere. At Hereford, Bucks coun- 

 ty, Pa„ there is, or was, standing on the 

 farm of James Schlegel a chestnut 

 tree 8% feet in diameter, 90 feet high, 

 and said to be 200 years old. At 

 James A. Wright's place on Township 

 Line road, near Clapier street, is an 

 imposing grove of great chestnut, sil- 

 ver maple and oak trees; at "Carlton," 

 Indian Queen lane, is a number of 

 chestnut trees of immense girth, but 

 of no great height, storm riven and 

 impressive; but perhaps our largest 

 chestnut trees are located on the 

 grounds of Thomas P. C. Stokes and 

 Dr. George Strawbridge, Wissahickon 

 avenue, near Frank street. 



"Fernhill," which from "Old Oaks" 

 appears on an elevation before us, is 

 slowly but surely losing its choicest 

 plants, and during a recent visit there 

 with George Redles, John F. Sibson, 

 its efficient manager, attributed its 

 losses to noxious gases proceeding 

 from the steel works near by. Here, 

 in addition to plants previously noted, 



48 



