158 THE HUMAN SIDE OF TREES 



Its credible history goes back one thousand years 

 to Charlemagne and the ninth century. 



Everybody has read the story of Hollo's Oak. 

 That doughty Scandinavian wrested a large slice 

 of coast country away from the French King and 

 became the first Duke of Normandy about the be- 

 ginning of the eleventh century. One day he hung 

 a priceless gold chain on one of the trees in the 

 royal park, asserting that so well had order been 

 established in his new domains that no one would 

 dare molest it. The boast held good for one night 

 at least and the tree in consequence has lived an 

 honoured life down to this day. It has become 

 very weak in recent years and almost collapsed 

 several times. Under the direction of some skilful 

 gardener it was still later furnished with a new 

 inside of masonry and promptly took on new life. 



On this side of the water and excluding the 

 United States, there is the Surrender Tree at Santi- 

 ago de Cuba, where Spanish arms yielded to Amer- 

 ican prowess in 1898. This landmark is a giant 

 ceiba or silk cotton, as is the tree in Havana which 

 is venerated as a direct descendant of the ceiba 

 planted by Velasquez to commemorate the found- 

 ing of the city. 



In Chapultepec Park, summer residence of the 

 Mexican presidents, is a giant cypress of Herculean 



