466 



ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM. PART IIT. 



propagated by the nut, sown in auturan or spring, and covered with from 

 2 in. to 4 in. of soil. The cotyledons do not rise to the surface, as in the oak, 

 the beech, and some other trees. Some nurserymen cause the nuts to ger- 

 minate, before sowing them, in order to have an opportunity of pinching off" 

 the extremity of the radicle ; by which means the plants are prevented from 

 forming a taproot ; or, at least, if a taproot is formed, it is of a much weaker 

 description than it otherwise would be, and the number of lateral fibres is 

 increased ; all which is favourable for transplanting. When the tree is in- 

 tended to attain the largest size, in the shortest time, the nut ought to be 

 so^yn where the tree is finally to remain ; because the use of the taproot is 

 mainly to descend deep into the soil, to procure a supply of water, which, in 

 dry soils and seasons, can never be obtained in sufiicient quantities by the 

 lateral roots, which extend themselves near the surface in search of nourish- 

 ment and air. 



statistics. IS.. Hippocdstanum in the Enviromo/ London. At Svon, 80 ft. high, the diameter of the 

 trunk 3 ft. 8 in., and of the head 48 ft. : at Enfield, 100ft. high (see our plate in Vol. II) : at Ham 

 House, 60 ft. high ; the diameter of the trunk, at I ft. from the ground, 6 ft. 4 in., and that of the head 



jE. Hippocdstanum South of London. In Cornwall, at Caulen Penrvn, 55 tl high, the trunk 5 ft. 

 in diameter, and thediameter of the head 8ri ft. In Devonshire, in Veitch's Nursery, Exeter, 34 year.s 

 planted, and 43 ft. high ; at Luscombe, .'54 years planted, and 44 ft. high. In Hanujshire, in Wilkins's 

 Nursery, Isle of Wight, 30 years planted, and 35 ft. higli. ; in Alresford, SI years planted, and 59 ft. 

 high ; at Southampton, 70 years planted, and 80 ft. high. In Somersetshire, at Nettlcconibe, 60 years 

 planted, and 60 ft. high. In Wiltshire, at Wardour Castle, 45 years planted, and 5U ft. high • and 10 

 years planted, and 22 ft. high. 



iE. Hippocdstaiumi North of London. In Herefordshire, atEastnor CasUe, 18 years planted, and 

 40 ft. high. In Gloucestershire, at Doddington, PO ft. high, and the diameter of the head 80 ft. In 

 Suftblk, at Fiiiborough Hall, SO years planted, and 100 ft. high ; the diameter of the trunk, at 1 ft. from 

 the ground, 5 ft., and of the head a) ft. In Lincolnshire, at Nocton, 59 ft. high ; said to be the largest 

 in Biitain. This is a most magnificent tree, with immense branches, extending over a space 305 ft 

 in circumference : the branches are so large as to require props ; so that at a little distance it looks like 



an Indian Ijanyan tree. In Oxfordshire, in a field adjoining the Botanic Garden at Oxford, 60 ft. 

 high, the head 50 ft. in diameter ; and a tree of the pendulous variety, also 60 ft. high. In Staffordshire, 

 It Trenthara, 60 ft. high. In Warwickshire, at Cooinbe Abbev, 100 years planted, 70 ft. hi"h the 

 liameter of the trunk 7 ft. 3 in., and of the head 103 ft. In Derbyshire, at Keddleston, a tree, the 

 bead of which was broken to pieces by lightning soon after the family had been drinking tea under it : 

 :his head is 62 ft. in diameter, and the branches touch the ground all round : the trunk is 16 ft in 

 Mrcumference. lu Worcestershire, at Croome, 50 years planted, and 60 ft. high; in Yorkshire, at 

 Grimston, 10 years planted, and 36 ft. high. 



M. Hippocdslaumn in Scotland. In the environs of Edinburgh, at Hopeton House, 45 ft, high the 

 liameter of the trunk 4 ft. Sin., and of the head 50ft. In Renfrewshire, in the Glasgow Botanic 



drt^.i^t-i 10.T.^^»-i- .^l.!!-.*-.^,! TO i% 1,, T>...,.1'.U: _i /-I 1 ,~t__., 1 . . S 



diameter of the head 40 ft. Sir Thomas Dick Lauder, speaking of horsechestuuts in Si^otland, .savs 

 " A horsechestnut, at Halton, in the county of Edinburgh, measured 11 ft. 4 in. in girt, at 4 ft. from 

 the ground. A horsechestnut, at Preston Hall, at 1 ft. from the ground, measures 14 ft. 3 in. • and at 

 3 ft. from the ground, 10 ft. 9 in. There are many trees near it of dimensions little inferior The 

 horsechestuuts on the lawn, which was formerly the garden of Dawick, the seat of Sir .John :\Iurray 

 Nasmyth, Bart , a few miles above Peebles, in Tweeddale, are certainly the oldest and finest in Scot- 

 land ; or, perhap.s, we should say there are none equal to them in Britain. Thoy stand 12 ft. apart 

 from each other; but they support a mass of foliage that appears to be but one head, which takes a 

 beautiful form, and covers an area of ground the diameter of which is 96 ft. The larger of the 

 two is, in girt, immediately above the root, 161 ft. The smaller tree is 12* ft. in circumference at the 

 base, and 10 ft. at 3 ft. high. These metisurements are kindly communicated to us by Sir John Na- 

 smyth himself; and, from what Dr. Walker has said of these two horsechestuuts, we have no doubt 

 ihat they are from 180 to 190 years of age." {Luttder's Gilpin, i. p. 270, 271.) 



M. Hippocdsla7iuni in Lieland. In the environs of Dublin, at Gvpress (irove, 60 ft high the di 

 ameter of the trunk 3 ft., and of the head 75 ft. In Connaught, at Makree Castle, 71 ft high the 

 diameter of the trunk 3 ft. 3 in., and of the head 46 ft. In Down, at Ballyleadv, 60 years planted 

 and 40 ft. high, the diameter of the trunk 14 in., and of the head 30 ft. In Fermanagh at Florence 

 Court, 70 years planted, and 48 ft. high, the diameter of the head 80 ft. 



35ft. high; at Kopenzel, 40 years planted, and 30ft. high. In Prussia, at Sans Souci, 60 ft hiuh 

 In Bavaria, at Munich, 24 years planted, and 40 ft. high. • a • 



Commercial Statistics. Plants, in the London nurseries, are, seedlings Is. 

 a thousand ; transplanted plants, from 2 ft. to o ft. high, 5s. a hundred ; and the 

 variegated variety 2s. Qd. a plant: at Bollwyller, seedlings, 2 years transplanted. 



