484 



NOTES AND ILLUSTEATIONS. 



of which is thirty-seven feet round, and though shivered and decayed 

 by age, still plentifully bearing fruit. — See Gilpin's Forest Scenery, vol. 

 i. p. 62. Grose's Antiq. Supl. vol. i. But the largest and most re- 

 markable tree of the kind known in England, stands at Tort worth, in 

 Gloucestershire, the seat of Lord Ducie. It was known in the reign of 

 King John, and also of King Stephen, as a large tree. In the year 

 1150, Bradley says, it was styled the great or old Chestnut of Tortworth. 

 Marsham calculates its age at eleven hundred years, and its circum- 

 ference at forty-six feet and a half. For pretty strong reasons, how- 

 ever, some consider this as two trees growing closely together. — See 

 Marshall's Rur. Ornament, vol. ii. p. 127. The great Chestnut, which 

 stood some years since at Finhaven in Forfarshire, was estimated by 

 Dr Walker at more than five hundred years old, and was accounted the 

 largest tree in Scotland. The greatest circumference of the trunk was 

 forty-five feet ; and Mr Skene of Skene is said to have a table made of 

 the wood of this great tree, having upon it an engraved plate, whereon 

 its dimensions are accurately recorded. — Nicol's Plant. Kalend. p. 65. 



Note VIII. Page 342. 



This tree is described by Linnaeus as JEsculus (Jiippocastanum) 

 floribus Jieptandris. — Spec. Plant. 488. But I cannot help agreeing 

 with Miller in his remark, that this great botanist would have acted 

 with more judgment had he given the name of ^sculus to the Chestnut, 

 which, as we have already seen, is classed under the genus of the Beech, 

 to which it bears little affinity, either in its appearance or its character. 

 There are no planters, and few writers on trees, who ever think of 

 following the Linnsean classification in that particular. 



Note IX. Page 345. 



This is a curious fact, and well deserving the attention of the planter, 

 in removing this fine tree. The severest winds, the Sihifragi venti, 

 in most parts of this island, are found to blow from the north-west and 

 south-west ; therefore, if a Horse-Chestnut be to be exposed to them, 

 it should stand quite open^ and not be partially sheltered by other trees. 



There is a remarkable example of this in the park here. There are 

 two Horse- Chestnuts upwards of twenty feet high, transplanted at the 

 same time, and standing within two hundred yards of each other. 

 Both of them were well prepared, in respect to their bark, branches, 

 and roots. But the one stands single, with no other tree near it ; while 

 the other has the benefit of considerable shelter, by being on the lee-side 

 of a large group of other trees. The consequence is, that when the 



