The Forest Trees of Wiltshire. 145 



near to Bishop's Waltham, in Hants. It is not for its great age 

 or enormous size that it is noticed, for although a large tree, it is 

 by no means an old one, but for its symmetry and beauty. To all 

 appearance it is now in the full vigour of growth, and not unlikely 

 to continue so for many generations. But even for size, it is some- 

 what of a giant, as the following dimensions will show. At six 

 feet from the ground its trunk, which is clean and clear to a 

 height of eighteen feet, measures fourteen feet round it. At that 

 height it branches out into a splendid head, the circumference of 

 which is two hundred and forty feet. Such a fine, healthy, growing 

 tree, so handsome and uniform in figure, is seldom seen. Bowood, 

 too, in its woods and lovely pleasure grounds affords many beautiful 

 specimens of this charming tree. So also does Round way Park, 

 where fine beeches form an important feature among the many 

 beauties of that delightful place. 



To give the first in rank, — " The Monarch Oak," — the third 

 place here, may seem to be disloyal ; but no disloyalty, nor even 

 any slight is intended, for no one holds the Oak in more esteem, 

 or has more veneration for it than the writer. With him it stands, 

 and always did, first and foremost for beauty, grandeur, and useful- 

 ness, no tree unless it be the Cedar of Lebanon being at all to be 

 compared to it. What some of the " Pines " and " Firs " which 

 have been introduced during the present century ; — what the great- 

 est and grandest of all as it is found in its native country — the 

 " Wellingtonia Gigantea " may become some generations hence, 

 no one can say ; but at present, here, the oak and the cedar are 

 without compeers. Everywhere in this country the oak is to be 

 met with, and grand specimens of it, in greater numbers than of 

 any other tree, are to be found. Here, in this county, there is no 

 lack of them. In the two princely domains which have been 

 i especially mentioned, the monarch is to be seen in all his glory. 

 \ In every state of existance you will find him, from the sapling with 

 ; smooth shining bark, up to the mature timber-tree in its noble 

 ! proportions, its sound, solid trunk with its rough covering, crowned 

 with a forest of boughs spreading on all sides and stretching its 

 arms towards Heaven, and down to the storm-riven, branchless, 



