The Agriculture of StoffvrdsMre. 
wikl state in Chartley Park, which was enclosed from the Forest 
by an ancestor of Lord Ferrers in the thirteenth century. 
The romance of forest dell and wooded glade still clings 
around this spot, an incitement perhaps to the thought and 
feeling which should accompany the humblest toil. The green- 
wood shade has disappeared however ; short-horns have suc- 
ceeded the wild herds that roamed in Ncedwood Forest, and 
cheese-making has taken the place of less lawful pursuits. If 
we enlarge the boundaries of what is still called " the Forest," 
though no forest remains, and include Bagot's Park and the sur- 
rounding neighbourhood, we include about 25,000 acres of land 
which requires a brief notice, as the largest tract of cold heavy 
land in Staffordshire. Strong quick-hedges divide the square 
fields, and fence the straight roads laid out at the enclosure. 
Ancient thorns and hollies stand here and there, and great dotard 
oaks occasionally occupy the arable grounds. There are more 
cowslips, because more cold pastures, and more coltsfoot, because 
more poor damp arable, than I have ever seen. The oak thrives 
naturallv, and at Bagot's Park, on pale lias-clay land, there is a 
large extent thickly and regularly planted with oaks of great 
size, which in their decay are a novel spectacle ; the more so as 
in driving through the park there is nothing else to attract the 
eye over the level green sward, and no mansion remains.* 
* Mr. T. Pickering, Lord Bagot's agent, has kindly supplied me with the 
following i.otes on remarkable oak-trees in Bagot's Park: — 
" T!)c • Squitch Oak ' is the largest tree in Bagot's Park. As measured in 1823, 
this tree contained 1012 cubic feet ; one limb alone measuring 79 cubic feet. The 
value at this date was estimated at 240Z. 12s. Circumference at 5 feet from the 
ground, 21 feet 9 inches. 
The ' King Tree,' when sound, was the most valuable tree in Bagot's Park, 
£. 
In ISI 2 a Mr. Bullock offered for the first length (12s. per foot) 200 
The market price of the residue, including bark at Ml. per ton,l gg 
was estimated at / 
Value of the King Tree in 1812 ., .. 293 
T. Pickering sold the centre portion of a windfall oak from ' The Cliffs,' 
Bagot's Park, in 1863, for 4S2. 
The ' Beggars' Oak ' is the most 2ricturesque tree in Bagot's Park, and certainly 
one of the most picturesque trees in England. 
Height to the crown 33 feet. 
Height above crowu 27 „ 
Height GO „ 
The but and limbs, of which there are 14, contain upwards of SSO cubic feet of 
timber. The circumference of the bat, immediately above the swell of the spurns, 
is 27 feet 3 inches ; and at 5 feet high the circumference is 20 feet. The branches 
extend upwards of 50 feet from the but in every direction. The spurns, or roots, 
of the tree, which project above the surface of the ground for a considerable 
height, measure CS feet in circumference. 
The ' Venison Tree ' is supposed to be the aided tree in Bagot's Park, and in 
