THE OAK. 



27 



in, and the trees were partially restored to their 

 former flourishing condition. White, noticing 

 a similar occurrence, says, When Oaks are 

 quite stripped of their leaves by chaffers, they 

 are clothed again, soon after Midsummer, with a 

 beautiful foliage ; but Beeches, Horse-chestnuts, 

 and Maples, once defaced by those insects, never 

 recover their beauty again for the whole season." 



Amonc^st the manv remarkable trees in the 

 New Forest in Hampshire, is one called the Ca- 

 denliam Oak, which buds every year in the depth 

 of winter. Gilpin says, Having often heard of 

 this Oak, I took a ride to see it on the 29th of 

 December, 1781. It was pointed out to me 

 among several other Oaks, surrounded by a little 

 forest stream, winding round a knoll on which 

 they stood. It is a tall straight plant, of no 

 great age, and apparently vigorous, except that 

 its top has been injured, from which several 

 branches issue in the form of pollard-shoots. It 

 was entirely bare of leaves, as far as I could dis- 

 cern, when I saw it, and undistinguishable from 

 the other Oaks in its neighbourhood ; except that 

 its bark seemed rather smoother, occasioned, I 

 apprehended, only by frequent climbing. Having 

 had the account of its early budding confirmed on 

 the spot, I engaged one Michael Lawrence, w^ho 

 kept the White Hart, a small alehouse in the 

 neighbourhood, to send me some of the leaves to 

 Vicar's Hill, as soon as they should appear. The 

 man, who had not the least doubt about the mat- 

 ter, kept his word, and sent me several twigs, on 

 the morning of the 5th of January, 1782, a few 

 hours after they had been gathered. The leaves 

 were fairly expanded, and about an inch in length. 



