IRature IRotes : 
■Jibe Sdboriie Society’s fll>aoa3inc. 
No. 176. AUGUST, 1904. VoL. XV. 
SELBORNIANA. 
Elms on Hampstead Heath. — In reply to a letter from our 
Hampstead Branch, the Clerk of the London County Council 
writes ; — 
“ With reference to your letter of the 4th inst., asking for 
an explanation of the lopping of certain trees at Hampstead 
Heath, adjoining Priory Mansions, and of the removal of one 
of such trees, I am directed by the Parks and Open Spaces 
Committee of the Council to supply you with the following 
information. The branches of the trees in question consider- 
ably overhung the wall forming the Council’s boundary at this 
point, and, in April last, a complaint to this effect was received 
from the builder of the mansions. The committee, considering 
the matter to be one of the greatest importance, took an oppor- 
tunity of visiting the Heath, when it was evident to them that, 
if the owner of the buildings in question were to exercise his 
legal right to cut back the branches of the trees to the extent to 
which they overhung his land, the appearance of the trees 
would be entirely ruined and their safety endangered. The 
committee accordingly determined to have the trees judiciously 
lopped, under the supervision of the Council’s experts, with the 
exception of the most northerly tree in the row, which, inasmuch 
as not only some of its branches but also part of its trunk over- 
hung the builder’s land, and it could therefore not be lopped 
without being entirely disfigured, the committee reluctantly 
decided to have removed. 
“ From these particulars you will see that the committee 
have acted with the sole object of protecting the trees from the 
mutilation and disfigurement which in default of such action 
would have resulted, and I am instructed to add that the 
committee have no objection to your publishing this letter, 
should you deem such a course desirable.” 
