THE GIRTH-INCREASE OF TREES. = oe 
The aggregate annual increments for fourteen years were 3°60, 
5°15, 5°25, 5°40, 5°05, 4°85, 4°65, 5°30, 3°65, 4°50, 5°05, 4°05, 5°15, 
6:20, They were generally therefore pretty steady, but two 
marked depressions occurred. The first, in the year of the first 
record, 1880, when the fall, to 360, was probably due to the 
severe previous winter ; the second, 3°65, was in 1888, from some 
unknown cause. The highest record, 6°20, was in 1893, the year 
before the changes produced by pruning. 
The range in the trees individually was from 1’o5 to 1°85 in 
No. 40, "10 to 2°30 in No. 54, and 1°10 to 2:10 in No. 55, but 
excluding the two years of marked depression the figures are 
1°20 to 1°85, 1°60 to 2°30, and 1°20 to 2°10. 
QUERCUS CERRIS. 
ra AN INCREMENTS. 
Asoo ae 5 nn, [Girth 
gs ae Total.|“22"- | at 
a ao | | Av last 
S Decade.} jg98, reaa Hote 1892. § 1833. | 1894. pots 1897. 
se a 
43 57 50 | ‘301 -70| -60 | ‘707 °65 | ‘60 | 50 | -70| -65 | 5°80 | ‘58 | 53°50 
63 10 | -45 4° 65 |} -6044- 70-4= 85109 55 | -80 | 60 46°50 | “65 | 6715 
15 70} 65 | ‘70; 65} 651335] ‘67 | 10°00 
| | 
1:20 | “15 | 138 | 110 | 1°40 | 2°20 | 1°95 | 1°75 | 2°15 | 1°80 
The Turkish Oak, although it grows at a much less rate than 
the last, is another species that thrives much better in the Garden 
than the native tree, and that to a considerable size ; indeed, 
there are few handsomer trees than No. 63 growing free in the 
centre of the Garden; and now upwards of five feet and a half in 
girth. The other tree, No. 43, is also tall and handsome, but, 
although only four and a half feet in girth, is growing at a 
somewhat slower rate than No. 63, perhaps because it is in the 
East border and has not the freedom of its brother. The rate of 
No. 43 in the first decade was ‘57, and in the second it was even 
a trifle higher. No. 63 in the first quinquennium of the second 
decade had a rate of 0°60, and in the second 0°70, so that it seems 
to be increasing rather than diminishing in vigour. The very 
young No. 15, in the North border of the Arboretum, measuring 
only six and a half inches in girth, when put under observation 
. 
