LONGEVITY OF TREES. 319 



fornia, the elms and limes of France and Germany, 

 and the oaks of England. The circumferential mea- 

 surement of many of these stupendous plants is 

 immense ; but the greater number are hollow, except 

 perhaps the pines and others having a resinous sap. 

 Many trees of large size which appear sound, are, 

 perhaps, only hollow tubes. The knowledge how 

 long a tree remains sound is yet to be acquired by 

 future generations, as it is but lately that attention 

 has been called to the subject. 



The general opinion respecting the age of trees 

 seems to be, that when known great age and bulk are 

 united, it is ascribed to the suitableness of the soil 

 and situation. It has been proved, that the best oak 

 timber is produced on loamy clays ; and when a 

 tree is suffered to remain for many years on such a 

 favourable spot, its bulk will be in proportion to its 

 age. But whether, after all, internal decay be re- 

 tarded by the favouring situation, we have yet to 

 learn. A period of three centuries is traditionally 

 given as the age of the oak, viz. the first increasing 

 the second stationary and the last falling to 

 decay : but this is but conjecture ; though it may be 

 safely affirmed, that oak of a century old, having 

 both bulk and quality, is the best for every purpose 

 to which it is convertible. The largest trees in Eng- 

 land are such as have been planted or chanced to 

 stand in church-yards, or near baronial halls ; and 

 which have been spared from age to age as objects 

 of ornament or landmarks, or memorials of eminent 



