1780 



ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM. 



PART 111. 



traced back to the time of the Romans, who observed a similar custom at 

 the annual festivals called Terminalia, held in honour of the god Terminus 

 who was considered as the guardian of fields and landmarks, and the promoter 

 of friendship and peace among men. It was introduced among Christians 

 about the year 800, by the pious Avitus, bishop of Vienna, in a season of 

 dearth and calamity, and has been continued since his time by the different 

 clergy ; the minister of each parish, accompanied by his churchwardens 

 and parishioners, going round the bounds and limits of his parish in Rogation 

 Week, or on one of the three days before Holy Thursday (the feast of our 

 Lord's Ascension), and stopping at remarkable spots and trees to recite 

 passages from the Gospels, and implore the blessing of the Almighty on the 

 fruits of the earth, and for the preservation of the rights and properties of the 

 parish.*' {Mag. Nat. Hist., iii. 558.) The Plestor Oak, described in White's 

 SelbortiCf was also a boundary tree, used to mark the extent of the Plei/stow, 

 or play-place for the children of the village. This oak is described by White 

 as having " a short squat body, and huge horizontal arms extending almost to 

 the extremity of the area; surrounded with stone steps, and seats above them, 

 the delight of old and young, and a place of much 



resort in summer evenings ; where 



the former sate in grave debate, 



while the latter frolicked and 



danced before them." 



(Jo/,- Tree* with conjoinedTrunkii. 



The following instances of this 



lingular conformation are from 



trees growing in Ryton Wood, 

 Warwickshire, the property of W. 



-— Dilke, Esq.; and we are indebted 



for them tO the Rev. W. T. Dree. 

 1026. and 1627. are illustrative of only four trees; a and aa being two 



1626 



