Ulmus I ^77 



As a remarkable instance of the rapid growth of this tree I may mention one on 

 the lawn in front of the late Sir Charles Strickland's house at Hildenley, Yorkshire, 

 which cannot be more than about eighty years old, as he distinctly remembered that 

 when a boy he could step over it. In 1905, when I saw it, it was 100 to 105 ft. high 

 with a bole clean to about 25 ft. and 13 ft. 3 in. in girth. This may become one 

 of the tallest trees of its sort in England. Another instance is a log which 

 I saw in Mr. G. Miles's yard at Stamford in March 1908, which had recently 

 been cut at Clipsham, near Stamford. On a diameter of 6 ft. 3 in. I counted only 

 1 10 rings. 



In Piercefield Park, near Chepstow, there stands one of the most symmetrical 

 trees of this kind that I know, which measures about 100 ft. by 18 ft. It was covered 

 with half-ripe samarse on 15th April 1906, and I noticed everywhere in this year 

 that the wych elms were carrying an unusual crop of seeds, which in some places in 

 Wales were so abundant as to give a distinct pink tinge to the trees, seen from a 

 distance in May before they were in leaf. This was particularly noticed at Llandilo 

 on 25th May 1906, when Lord Dynevor showed me what he considers the finest 

 wych elm in that district, which is growing in a meadow by the river in Dynevor 

 Park. This tree measures about 103 ft. by 17 ft., and was covered with nearly ripe 

 seed, though the leaves in this early district were not yet unfolded. 



All of these existing trees, however, were far eclipsed by a tree mentioned in 

 Plot's Natural History of Staffordshire, p. 210 (1636), which seems so well attested 

 that I quote it as follows. After speaking of some gigantic oaks he says : " But I 

 scarce think either of them held so many, as the prodigious Witch- Elm that grew 

 at Field in this county, and was felled within memory by Sir Harvey Bagot ; which, 

 according to an original paper put into my hands by the Right Worshipful Sir 

 Walter Bagot, Bt., the present proprietor, and, as I had it from the mouth of 

 Walter Dixon, yet living, who was a surveyor of the work, was so very great and 

 tall, That 2 able workmen were 5 days in stocking and felling it down ; That it fell 

 1 20 foot or 40 yards in length ; That the stoole was 5 yards 2 foot diameter ; That 

 the tree at the butt end was 17 yards in circumference ; That it was 8 yards and 18 

 inches, i.e. 25^ foot about by girth measure in the middle ; That 14 loads of firewood, 

 each as much as 6 oxen could draw to the house at Field, being not above 300 

 yards distant, broke off in the fall ; That there was 47 loads more of firewood (as 

 large as the former) cut from the top ; That they were forced to piece 2 saws 

 together, and put 3 men to each end, to cut the body of it in sunder ; That there 

 was cut out of it 80 pair of nathes l for wheels, and 8000 feet of sawn timber in boards 

 and planks, after 6 score per cent, which at 5s. per cent came to 1 2 pounds, All which 

 is attested (as a thing, I suppose, they foresaw in a little while would otherwise 

 become incredible) under the hands of 



Sir Harvey Bagot. Lawrence Grews I p tt . 



William Cowper, Steward. Humphrey Chetton j ers ' 



Roger Shaw, Baylif. Francis Marshall ) c f v, 



Walter Dixon, Surveyor. Thomas Marsh j btoclcers - 



1 Nathes is an old word meaning naves. 

 VII 2 G 



