466 ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM. PART III. 



propagated by the nut, sown in autumn or spring, and covered with from 

 2 in. to 4 in. of soil. The cotyledons do not rise to the surface, as in the oak, 

 the beech, and some other trees. Some nurserymen cause the nuts to ger- 

 minate, before sowing them, in order to have an opportunity of pinching off 

 the extremity of the radicle ; by which means the plants are prevented from 

 forming a taproot ; or, at least, if a taproot is formed, it is of a much weaker 

 description than it otherwise would be, and the number of lateral fibres is 

 increased ; all which is favourable for transplanting. When the tree is in- 

 tended to attain the largest size, in the shortest time, the nut ought to be 

 sown where the tree is finally to remain ; because the use of the taproot is 

 mainly to descend deep into the soil, to procure a supply of water, which, in 

 dry soils and seasons, can never be obtained in sufficient quantities by the 

 lateral roots, which extend themselves near the surface in search of nourish- 

 ment and air. 



Statistics. JE Hippocdxtanum in the Environs of London. At Syon, 80 ft. high, the diameter of the 

 trunk 3 ft. 8 in., and of the head 48 ft. : at Enfield, 100ft. high (see our plate in Vol. II ): at Ham 

 House, 60 ft. high ; the diameter of the trunk, at 1 ft. from the ground, 6 ft. 4 in., and that of the head 

 48 ft. ; a magnificent tree, the trunk dividing, at 8 ft. from the ground, in three immense branches, 

 which are respectively 2 ft. 2 in., 2 ft. 3 in., and 1 ft. 11 in. in diameter, at 4 ft. from the point where 

 they separate from the trunk : at York House, Twickenham, 100 years planted, and 70 ft. high. 



J. Hippocdstanum South of London. In Cornwall, at Caulen Penryn, 55 ft. high, the trunk 5 ft. 

 in diameter, and the diameter of the head 86 ft. In Devonshire, in Veitch's Nursery, Exeter, 34 years 

 planted, and 43 ft. high ; at Luscombe, 34 years planted, and 44 ft. high. In Hampshire, in Wilkins's 

 Nursery, Isle of Wight, 30 years planted, and 35 ft. high. ; in Alrestbrd, 81 years planted, and 59 ft. 

 high ; at Southampton, 70 years planted, and 80 ft. high. In Somersetshire, at Nettlecombe, 60 years 

 planted, and 60 ft. high. In Wiltshire, at Wardour Castle, 45 years planted, and 50 ft. high ; and 10 

 years planted, and 22 ft. high. 



JE. Hippocdstanum North of London. In Herefordshire, at Eastnor Castle, 18 years planted, and 

 40 ft. high. In Gloucestershire, at Doddington, 60 ft. high, and the diameter of the head 80 ft. In 

 Suffolk, at Finborough Hall, 80 years planted, and 100 ft. high ; the diameter of the trunk, at 1 ft. from 

 the ground, 5 ft., and of the head 30 ft. In Lincolnshire, at Nocton, 5!) ft. high ; said to be the largest 

 in Britain. This is a most magnificent tree, with immense branches, extending over a space 305 ft. 

 in circumference : the branches are so large as to require props ; so that at a little distance it looks like 

 an Indian banyan tree. In Oxfordshire, in a field adjoining the Botanic Garden at Oxford, 60 ft. 

 high, the head 50 ft. in diameter ; and a tree of the pendulous variety, also 60 ft. high. In Staffordshire, 

 at Trentham, 60ft. high. In Warwickshire, at Coombe Abbey, 100 years planted, 70 ft. high, the 

 diameter of the trunk 7 ft. 3 in., and of the head 103 ft. In Derbyshire, at Keddleston, a tree, the 

 head of which was broken to pieces by lightning soon after the family had been drinking tea under it : 

 this head is 62 ft. in diameter, and the branches touch the ground all round : the trunk is 16 ft. in 

 circumference. In Worcestershire, at Croome, 50 years planted, and 60 ft. high; in Yorkshire, at 

 Grimston, 10 years planted, and 36 ft. high. 



JE. Hippocdstanum in Scotland. In the environs of Edinburgh, at Hopeton House, 45 ft. high, the 

 diameter of the trunk 4 ft. 3 in., and of the head 5()ft. In Renfrewshire, in the Glasgow Botanic 

 Garden, 12 years planted, and 18 ft. high In Banff'shire, at Gordon Castle, 66 ft. high, the diameter 

 of the trunk 4 ft. 7 in., and of the head 80 ft. In Forfarshire, at Cortachy Castle, 102 years planted, 

 and 40 ft. high, the diameter of the head 43 ft. In Haddingtonsbire, at Tynningham, 44ft. high, the 

 diameter of the head 45 ft. ; at Fountain Hall, the trunk 8 ft. 2 in. in girt, at 3 ft. from the ground, 

 and the diameter of the head 50ft. In Kirkcudbrightshire, at St. Mary's Isle, 55 ft. high. In Fife- 

 shire, 35 years planted, and 36 ft. high, the head 52 ft. in diameter. In Perthshire, in the Perth 

 Nursery, 40 years planted, and 54ft. high ; at Tayn.outh, 50ft. high. In Rosshire, at Brahan C^tle, 

 60ft. high, the diameter of the head 50 ft. In Clackmannanshire, at Tullibodie, 70ft. high, the 

 diameter of the head 40 ft. Sir Thomas Dick Lauder, speaking of horsechestnuts in Scotland, .says, 

 " A horsechestnut, at Halton, in the county of Edinburgh, measured 11 ft. 4 in. in girt, at 4 ft. from 

 the ground. A horsechestnut, at Preston Hall, at 1 ft. from the ground, measures 14 ft. 3 in. ; and at 

 3ft. from the ground, 10ft. 9 in. There are many trees near it of dimensions little inferior The 

 horsechestnuts on the lawn, which was formerly the garden of Dawick, the seat of Sir John Murray 

 Nasmyth, Bart , a few miles above Peebles, in Tweeddale, are certainly the oldest and finest in Scot- 

 land; or, perhaps, we should say there are none equal to them in Britain. They stand 12 ft, apart 

 from each other; but they support a mass of foliage that appears to be but one head, which takes a 

 beautiful form, and covers an area of ground the diameter of which is 96 ft. The larger of the 

 two is, in girt, immediately above the root, 16| ft. The smaller tree is 12J ft. in circumference at the 

 base, and 10ft. at 3ft. high. These measurements are kindly communicated to us by Sir John Na- 

 smyth himself; and, from what Dr. Walker has said of these two horsechestnuts, we have no doubt 

 that they are from 180 to 190 years of age." (Lavder's Gilpin, i. p. 270, 271.) 



JE. Hippocdstanum in Ireland. In the environs of Dublin, at Cypress Grove, 60 ft. high, the di- 

 ameter of the trunk 3ft., and of the head 75ft In Connaught, at Makree Castle, 71 ft. high, the 

 diameter of the trunk 3 ft. 3 in., and of the head 46 ft In Down, at Ballyleady, 60 years planted, 

 and 40 ft high, the diameter of the trunk 14 in., and of the head 30 ft. In Fermanagh, at Florence 

 Court, 70 years planted, and 48 ft. high, the diameter of the head 80ft. 



JE. Hippocdstanum in Foreign Countries. In France, in Paris, there are some very fine specimens 

 in the gardens of the Luxembourg; though the original trees, mentioned in p. 147., are dead. At 

 Nerrieres, near Nantes, there is a tree 100 years planted, which is 70 ft. high. In Saxony, at Wdrlitz, 

 65 years planted, and 40ft. high. In Austria, at Vienna, at Laxenburg, 50 years planted, and 

 35ft. high; at Kopenzel, 40 years planted, and 30 ft. high. In Prussia, at Sans Souci, 60 ft. high. 

 In Bavaria, at Munich, 24 years planted, and 40 ft. high. 



Commercial Statistics. Plants, in the London nurseries, are, seedlings 7.?. 

 a thousand ; transplanted plants, from 2 ft. to 5 ft. high, 5s. a hundred ; and the 

 variegated variety 2.9. Gd. a plant: at Bollwyller, seedlings, 2 years transplanted, 



