BKOCKEN'HURST TO BUBLEY AND RINGWOOD. 89 



The Cherry is wild in many parts of the New- 

 Forest and is a striking and beautiful object 

 whether in blossom or fruit. The name of 

 6 Merry tree ' applied to the Wild Cherry is 

 doubtless a corruption of the French merisier, 

 and c merry orchards } a corruption of merise 

 orchards. In one locality of the New Forest 

 Wbodgreen there is an annual market held for 

 the sale of this half-wild fruit a merise fair, and 

 locally in fact called ' merry fair.' The Oaks 

 and Beeches at Burley furnish, too, a large pro- 

 portionate contingent of the great forest fruit 

 crop of mast,' upon which still the characteristic 

 Hampshire hogs whose ancestors could doubt- 

 less have claimed close relationship with the now 

 extinct wild boar are largely fed as of yore. 

 Both acorns and Beech mast are termed * mast.' 

 But, when both are referred to, a convenient word 

 ( akermast ' gives the mixture a collective 

 expression. 



Of the famous Oaks of Burley mention must 

 not be omitted of the e Twelve Apostles,' once 

 remarkable both for size and beauty. But age 

 has diminished their grandeur and spoilt their 



