PLANE 97 



a girth of 6 feet 8 inches at 3 feet, and 6 feet 5 inches 

 at 5 feet from ground- level. The stems are clean 

 and branchless for 30 feet. Both trees have been 

 pollarded, and the branch-tips reach to the adjoining 

 buildings. 



St. Dunstan's Plane Tree. The largest Plane tree 

 in London, in the East End at least, is that growing 

 in the ancient and sadly confined churchyard of 

 St. Dunstan's-in-the-East. Here, hemmed in by tall 

 buildings, and in the thickest atmosphere of Billings- 

 gate Fish Market, this magnificent tree has attained to 

 a height of 80 feet, the huge trunk (50 feet in length of 

 which contains fully 200 cubic feet of wood) girthing, 

 at 3 feet and 5 feet, 9 feet i inch and 8 feet n inches 

 respectively. It is clear of branches for a great height, 

 and of beautiful cylindrical shape, with only a slight 

 taper throughout, the girth at 25 feet being nearly as 

 great as at a yard from the ground. 



But the great size is, perhaps, not the most inter- 

 esting fact concerning this tree, as we find that in 

 1772 Fairchild wrote in praise of the Planes in the 

 churchyard of St. Dunstan's-in-the-East, which were 

 then 40 feet high. The branch spread is 75 feet, 

 extending from the church on one side to St. Dunstan's 

 House on the other. The exact date of introduction 

 of the Eastern Plane to this country is not known, 

 though it is recorded as having taken place in the 

 sixteenth century. Assuming that the St. Dunstan's 

 tree was twenty years planted when 40 feet high 

 a fair average when situation and quality of soil are 

 taken into account as recorded by Fairchild, the 

 date of introduction would be about 1752. 



The Harrington House Plane Tree. Of this tree 

 it is recorded that the late Earl of Harrington, whose 



