434 An Account of a Fig Tree planted in 1648. 



fructuosa. Junii 12mo. A. D. 1806, Altitudo arboris 21 pedes; 

 ambitus trunci in parte superiori, 3 pedes 6 unciae." 



The tree received considerable damage from the fire, which 

 happened at Christ Church on the third of March 1809 ; till 

 that time the large trunk mentioned by Dr. John Sib- 

 thorpe, in Mabtyn's Edition of Miller's Gardener's 

 Dictionary, and which is represented in the engraving above 

 mentioned, remained. Dr. White, in order to preserve it 

 from the injuries of the weather, had the top of it covered 

 with lead, but at the time of the fire, the lead was stolen, 

 and soon after, the trunk itself decayed and was removed. 



The tree, at this time, is in a very flourishing state ; it does 

 not shew those marks of old age, which it did at the time the 

 engraving was made of it ; but there are some small remains 

 of the old trunk to be seen a few inches above the surface of 

 the ground. The branches now growing, I suppose to be not 

 more than eight or ten years old, those in the centre of the 

 tree are twenty-one feet high. There are some Figs upon it, 

 which will be ripe enough to send to the Horticultural Society, 

 for their next meeting. 



I have the honour to be, 

 Sir, 



your most obedient, 

 and very humble Servant, 



William Baxter. 



Botanic Garden, Oxford, 

 August 11, 1819. 



