88 ESS A YS. 



" The ' Boston Traveller ' states that this noble tree was set 

 out about the year 1670, by Captain Daniel Henchman, and is 

 therefore one hundred and seventy-five years old. Captain 

 Henchman was a schoolmaster in Boston from 1666 to 1671. 

 He joined the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company in 

 1675. He was a distinguished captain, in King Philip's 

 war, of a company of infantry. Forty -five years ago, the 

 Great Elm had a large hollow in it, and was rapidly decay- 

 ing, but was treated in a mode recommended by Forsyth, by 

 clearing the cavity of rotten wood, and filling it with a compo- 

 sition composed principally of lime, rubbish from old build- 

 ings, and clay, and thus restored. It is now apparently as 

 flourishing as ever, and without any appearance of the hol- 

 low, which was once large enough for a boy to hide himself 

 in. The tree is a native Elm, which is the most hardy kind. 

 Many of the old Elm-trees are what are called English Elms, 

 with less extended roots and branches than the American." 



But more commonly, perhaps, our estimates rest, either 

 wholly or in part, upon historical evidence or tradition ; and 

 the most numerous and best authenticated cases of this kind 

 may be expected to occur in Europe, where many trees, es- 

 pecially Chestnuts, Lindens, Oaks, and Yews, may be satis- 

 factorily traced by records through several centuries. 



Having thus briefly indicated the kinds or sources of evi- 

 dence which are brought to bear with more or less directness 

 and force upon this interesting question, we proceed to offer 

 a condensed account of some of the more remarkable or cu- 

 rious cases of longevity in trees ; which may show to what 

 extent, and with what results, this various testimony has been 

 actually applied. The evidence is cumulative. Individual 

 cases would be little worth, if unsupported by others. But 

 mutually strengthening each other, the obvious conclusion be- 

 comes almost irresistible, even when the testimony in particu- 

 lar cases is very imperfect. 



We leave entirely out of view the numerous allusions to old 

 trees that may be gathered from classical writers. Nor are 

 the more circumstantial accounts by Pausanias, Josephus, or 

 the Elder Pliny, available for our present purpose. The two 



