Grigor's Eastern Arboretum. 31 



Felbrigg Park ; W. H. Windham, Esq. — "A magnificent place, surrounded 

 by some of the fairest fields in England, and made dark and solemn in some 

 instances by umbrageous timber trees." An etching is given of a very mag- 

 nificent walnut. " Such parks are England's badge." In the kitchen-garden 

 are a Breda apricot, and a Genoa fig, both of a hundred years' standing. The 

 apricot covers a space of 612 square feet, and bears from 60 to 90 dozens of 

 fruit yearly. Mr. Kobins, the gardener, is a celebrated grower of pine-apples. 

 It was at Felbrigg that Mr. Kent, author of Hints to Gentlemen of Landed 

 Property, and the founder of an office for the valuation and management of 

 landed property, in Craig's Court, Charing Cross, London, began his career 

 as land-steward. 



Cromer Hall ; H. Baring, Esq. — " An elegant mansion, situated upon an 

 eminence, almost on the verge of the British ocean, environed by a vegetable 

 throng of such beauty and vigour, that we are almost apt to forget that the 

 sea 'breezes have any prejudicial effect upon trees and shrubs." (p. 130.) An 

 ash, 75 ft. high, girts 10 ft. at the ground ; a Scotch pine has a trunk 7 ft. in 

 circumference; a sweet chestnut 9 ft. ; and an oak 13 ft. 6 in. 



Gunton Park ; Lord Sicffield. — " One of the older retreats in the county, 

 surrounded by wide-spreading plantations and extensive parks." An etching 

 is given of a remarkably fine yew: at 1 ft. from the ground it girts 6 ft. 1 in., 

 and at 5 ft. it girts 6 ft. 8 in. ; it is 35 ft. high, and covers a circle of 45 yards 

 round. 



There is a lofty avenue of beech trees, and the varieties of the English oak 

 are exceedingly numerous ; some of them being of a dark green colour, with 

 leaves deeply lobed and in bunches [doubtless Querciis pedunculata], whilst 

 others are of a lighter colour and very slightly notched [doubtless Q. sessili- 

 flora]. Many of the beeches have stems 40 ft. in length and 13 ft. in circum- 

 ference at the ground ; but the most celebrated tree is the " Great Oak," 

 the " King of Thorpe," to be hereafter mentioned. 



Horsford Hall; Mrs. Day. — " In ancient times a place of great note." 

 A Scotch pine here is 65 ft. high, with a trunk 9 ft. in circumference; an oak 

 covers a circle 85 yards round, and an English elm is 70 ft. high, with a trunk 

 12 ft. in circumference. 



Felthorpe Park'; J. Geldart, Esq. — A place rich in trees, and formed within 

 the last 17 years out of some of the poorest land in Norfolk, and affording 

 an admirable example to possessors of " poor and miserable spots," 



" In visiting such a place, the following reflections naturally suggest 

 themselves to us, namely, — That the nature of trees is beginning to be un- 

 derstood ; and, consequently, that a great proportion of the waste land in 

 our country may be converted either into fruitful fields, or made to assume 

 the appearance of fertility. So lately as forty years ago the oak tree was 

 assigned to rich sheltered valleys, and there only ; and if any one had been 

 bold enough in those times to have planted it elsewhere, he would have been 

 subjected to the ridicule of his neighbours. We trust the time is at hand 

 when, so far as regards the hardy trees of Britain, there will be less distinc- 

 tion made as to soil or situation ; not that we do not believe that certain soils 

 are favourable to the growth of particular species of trees, but because the 

 fancied partiality of all trees to certain soils has deterred many from planting 

 altogether. It is now a well-known fact, that if sheltered when young, an oak 

 will grow almost anywhere, and that a sycamore will grow on any land with™ 

 out shelter. 



" Generally speaking, however, a seat such as this is, and on such soil, so 

 completely wooded and so elegant in many of its traits, is only to be realised 

 by considerable care and expense." 



Booton Hall ; S. BircJiam, Esq. — "A wide-spread park graced by some 

 noble trees, which are chiefly of the oak kind." These oak trees " display an 

 endless variety of form and hue ; some of them presenting a pendulous character , 

 others of a fastigiate outline ; whilst as to leaves, some are lanceolate, some 

 entire, and others again deeply lobed and of an evergreen colour. In fact. 



