140 MINUTE STEUCTtriiE OF THE STEM. 



The largest number of rings yet reported in any case appears 

 to be tliat given for the gi'eat trees of California ; namely, 

 "2,100, with a probability that others considerably exceed tliis." ' 

 Other higher numbers of rings or estimates of age are, however, 

 given in some works. ^ 



399. That it is unsafe to base anj' calculation of the age of a 

 tree upon its diameter follows from the fact that its growth dur- 

 ing one year differs from tiiat during another (see 400). Even the 

 use of De Candolle's modification of Otto's rule,^ which is per- 

 haps the best yet given, leads to erroneous results. The method 

 assumes that the number of rings averages nearly the same to 

 anj- given unit of thicliness in the outer as in the inner part of 

 the stem. Having determined the number of rings in an inch 

 just under the bark, this number is multiplied b}' the radius in 

 order to obtain the whole. For example : Extract from opposite 

 sides of a tree two pieces having a depth of two inches each. 

 Suppose the number of rings in the two-inch piece on one side 

 to be 20, while in the other there are 32, the average per inch 

 will be 13. Deduct twice the thickness of the bark from the 

 whole diameter of the tree, to obtain the diameter of the wood 

 in inches, and multiply one half of the diameter bj- 13. 



400. The woody rings annual^ formed in a stem differ con- 

 siderably in size ; a narrow ring being the growth of a cold 



1 S. Watson, in Addendum to Botany of California. 



2 The following estimates cited by De Candolle (Physiologie Vegetale, 

 p. 1007) are believed to range altogether too high: — 



The Linden of Neustadt, in Wiirtemberg, 1147 years. 



The Oak of Bordza (on the Baltic), 710 distinct rings counted and 300 in- 

 distinct rings estimated = 1010 years. (By Otto's rule this would be 1080 

 years. ) 



The Yew of Crow-Hurst (Surrey), measured by Evelyn in 1660, 1458 years. 



The Yew of Braburn (Kent), measured by Evelyn in 1660, and said by him 

 to be superannuated, 2880 years. 



The estimate given by De Candolle, of the age of trees of Adansonia ( Bao 

 bab) ; namely, 6,000 years, has been shown by Dr. Gray (North Amei'ican 

 Review, 1844) to be wholly erroneous. 



3 Otto's rule is thus given by De Candolle : Ascertain the diameter at the 

 height of about five feet, and make a notch at the same point on the circular 

 surface, to count a certain number of annual layers which we measure. We 

 then lind the annual growth of those trees which have left off growing in height 

 by the formula tl(^-_^J_ ^nd of those which continue to grow in height by 

 the formula ^""^^"f '^'^ ^ ; I) being thi' diameter of tree ; V, volume of same ; 



d, thickness of annual layers which have been counted ; n, the number of th?se 

 layers (Physiologie Vugutale, p. 981 . 



