British Oaks and Cedar of Lebanon. 579 



not tell to which of the kinds, be they species or varieties, the 

 tree belonged. This may be much more readily and certainly 

 known by the colour, form, and footstalks of the leaves, than 

 by the fruit, which is far from being always sessile, or of the 

 same form. It is singular that no one had ever noticed the 

 circumstance of there being two kinds of oak in the park at 

 Woburn Abbey, till last spring. A great number of the trees 

 of both sorts are now marked, in order to observe what difference 

 there may be in the timber when any tree is cut down. It is 

 generally considered that the wood of Q. R. sessiliflora, is of a 

 paler colour, and more straight, or even-grained, than that of the 

 other sort. (See Vol. VII. p. 83.) — Cond. 



Art. VII. Dimensions of Trees of the British Oaks {Quercus Kobur 

 pedunculdta and Q. R. sessilijlora), and of the Cedar of Lebanon 

 {Cedrus Libcini), now growing in different Parts qfJBritain and 

 Ireland ; selected from the Return Papers filed up for the Arbore- 

 tum et Fruticetum Britannicum. Published with a View to pro- 

 cure further Dimensions, particularly from the Counties from 

 which none have yet been received. 



These selections show the largest trees in every county of 

 which notices have been sent to us ; and they are here published 

 in the hope of eliciting farther notices and dimensions. There 

 are several of the counties which we know to contain much larger 

 oaks and cedars than those mentioned below; but, as no specific 

 dimensions or localities have been sent to us, we could not record 

 them. Our object in publishing this list is to direct the attention 

 of our readers to the dimensions given of what is supposed to be 

 the largest oaks and cedars in the county in which they reside, 

 or in that with which they are best acquainted ; and if they know 

 of any larger, we beg of them to send us an account of their 

 heights, the diameter of their trunks, and the diameter of their 

 heads, or of the space covered by their branches. In giving the 

 dimensions of oaks, it will be very desirable to have it stated 

 whether the species is Q. R. sessiliflora, or Q. R. pedunculata. 

 This can be as readily done from the leaves as from the flowers 

 or fruit ; the leaves of Q.. R. sessiliflora having invariably long 

 footstalks, and being flatter, and of a paler green, than those of 

 Q. R. pedunculata. (See the engravings of the leaves of both 

 species, in p. SS'^.) It is a singular fact, that it is not at this 

 moment known whether the largest oak trees of Europe belong 

 to Q. R. pedunculata, or to Q. R. sessiliflora. To make quite 

 certain as to the species, a leaf or two may be sent us in 

 the letters containing the dimensions, provided these letters are 

 franked. 



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