1892
Nov. 13
Concord, Massachusetts.
Mass.
Concord.  Clear with light N. W. to N. E. wind the middle
of the day warm and very pleasant for the season.
  Off with Mr. Buttrick for the entire forenoon, driving
to Everett Mason's. thence through a lane to the
old Carlisle road where we dismissed the boy & horse.
After searching for nearly an hour we found what is
said to be the largest thicket of Mountain Laurel
that exists in Concord. It grows among birches on
dry ground near a swamp & is spread thinly over
a quarter of an acre or more. The largest bushes are
about 6 feet in height and although evidently old
are still very vigorous.
[margin]Mountain Laurel[/margin]
  In an open pasture to the N. W. of the Laurels stands
the finest White Oak that I have yet seen in this
County. It is very tall with a full symmetrical top
but without the usual wide spread of lateral branches.
The girth one foot above the ground is 16 feet, two
feet higher 12 feet. Another White Oak which grows
among pines on the E. side of the road nearer Concord
measured 13 feet in girth three feet above the ground
but the height is less than that of the other tree
& the top & trunk show signs of decay.
According to David Buttrick (who died this autumn at
the age of 92) a Bear was once treed and shot in
this oak.
[margin]Large Oaks[/margin]
  We returned by way of the old road and over
the top of Pinkatasset when we started five Partridge
the only ones we saw during the day. A Flicker, a
Shrike, seven Robins, two flocks of Chickadees, and
a few Juncos were also seen. Early this
morning a large flock of Tree Sparrows visited the
wood patch near the house & about 1 p.m. I heard
one of them in full song near the same place.
[margin]Tree Sparrow in full song[/margin]