THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION.— November 4,1856. 83 
nising with the trees. For instance, Juniperus sabina, or other 
creeping Junipers, would do for the Tulip-trees. In No. 1, 
Heath, Broom, and Furze, in front ot'the Scotch Firs, No. 2. 
St. John’s-wort, Daphnes, Ac., in front of the Larch, No. 5. 
Cotoneasters, or Savin, Ac., in front of the Cednts deodara, 
No. 11. Cistus, with their varieties of light foliage, in front 
of the Evergreen Oaks, No. 12. Alexandrian Laurels, or 
Butcher’s Broom, outside the English Oak, No. 8. Peri¬ 
winkle, with its variegated varieties, in front of the Cedars 
of Lebanon, No. 0. Within the margin I would plant as 
underwood, Berberis aquifolia, Box, Green Holly, common 
Laurel, Spurge Laurel, Ac. In the margins of the Peri¬ 
winkle, Ac., I should have a profusion of common Primroses, 
Crocuses, winter Aconites, Snowdrops, Dog-tooth Violets, 
and single Russian Violets, Ac. American plants, where 
heath -mould is to be got easily for them, form a good 
feature in this style of planting. 
So much for the trees of large growth. Let us now see 
what can be done with the intermediates between the above 
and low-growing shrubs. Suppose No. 1 is planted with 
deciduous Cypresses, which vie in summer with the 
gigantic Ferns of New Zealand. No. 2. Cupressus Lam- 
bertiana, C. torulosa, or Red Cedars, Ac. 3. Pinus Pinscipq. 
4. Ailanthus glanclulosa. 5. Liquidambar. 6. Araucaria 
imbricata. 7. Virgelia lutea. 8. Hemlock Spruce. 9. Com¬ 
mon Yew or Green Holly. 10. Catalpa syringeefolia. 11. 
Pinus insignis. 12. Satisburia a diantifolia. Keeping to 
similar underwood, only a few Lilacs, Laburnums, Thorns, 
Ac., might be introduced with good effect in the foreground. 
Take, again, for No. 1, the Laurestinus, intermixed with 
the deciduous varieties of Euonymus. 
No. 2. Aucuba Japonica, intermingled with the single 
Guelder Rose, whose berries are beautifully transparent, 
and hang till June, as the birds do not touch them. 
No. 3. Swedish and Irish Junipers. 
No. 4. Common Laurel, with Mountain Ash above them. 
No. 5. Phillyreas. 
No. 6. Variegated Hollies. 
No. 7. Magnolia Thompsdniana, Sanlangcana, Ac. 
No. 8. Portugal Laurels, intermixed, with the Snowy 
Mespilus. 
No. 9. Common Yew, intermixed with Laburnums. 
No. 10. Arbutus, or Gold-striped Yew. 
No. 11. Berberis aquifolia, intermixed with Ribes san- 
guinea, Laburnum, Thorns, Ac. 
No. 12. Magnolia glauca, Ac. 
Roses would make a good addition if intermixed in the 
margins amongst the Periwinkles, Ac. 
The above is enough to start the subject; but allow me to 
conclude with the description of a few clumps of trees, Ac., 
that stand out in bold relief in the grounds here. 
Deservedly first is a magnificent group of six Silver Firs, a 
long way above 100 feet in height, varying from 8 to 12 feet 
in circumference at 3 feet from the ground, and growing 
within a circumference of 00 feet. It appears astonishing 
to me where they have found food. What will the advocates 
for thin planting say to this ? There are other two groups 
of Silver Firs that deserve mentioning, since one tree in one 
of these groups is 13 feet 0 inches at 3 feet from the ground, 
and judging by those that I have measured when cut down, 
it reaches at least 120 feet in height. Both of these clumps 
i have evergreen Oaks planted round them, which give a 
stamp of Rembrandt style—something more than water¬ 
colours. They appear, also, so happily blended together, that 
everybody seeing them admires them. 
I find the Silver Fir the best tree for filling up neglected 
ornamental plantations that I am acquainted with, as no 
other tree that I have observed accommodates itself so well 
under others. 
Also, there are here many noble Cedars of Lebanon, two 
of which measure 17 feet at 3 feet from the ground, and 
one at least 100 feet in height, and splendidly furnished. 
A Yew, 3 feet from the ground, is 13 feet, and 0 feet from 
the ground 22 feet in circumference. Tulip-trees 10 feet, 
with the habit of noble Oaks, from 90 to 100 feet in height. 
Spruce Firs 10 feet in circumference, and forming most 
magnificent weeping pillars 90 to 100 feet in height. Many 
Larches 10 and 12 feet in circumference, one of which 
measures 20 feet at 1 foot from the ground. An avenue of 
these leading to a pillar erected by Lady Cobham to the 
memory of her Lord, in 1749, are evidently some of the 
original Larches, and apparently have been grown in pots, 
as the roots are quite coiled round, and make not bad sub¬ 
stitutes for seats; also showing that it is possible for potted 
trees to become noble timber ones. 
Oak, 20 feet; but our monarch of the wood fell in May, 
1834. I had been to look at it for more than the one 
hundred and first time on the Thursday, when, apparently, 
its life might have been insured for centuries, as the 
leaves were coming out beautifully; but the old adage, 
“ whilst we are in the midst of life we are in death,” was 
fully verified in this case; for, on entering the park about 
a mile from whererit was standing on the following Saturday 
evening, the air at the time scarcely stirring the leaves, I was 
roused out of my reverie by a noise as if a thousand ordinary 
trees had fallen. That monarch Oak had fallen. It contained 
about 900 hundred feet of timber, and realised a large sum, 
having been very well known as the “ Sweep Oak.” Had it 
occurred in the ancient times of the Druids (or, perhaps, I 
need not go so far back), a good handle could have been made 
by it, as its immediate neighbours for many centuries had 
fallen by the axe the same week. 
I have thus far entered into the details of this fine old 
tree, with the view of showing what might have been done 
with Whittlewood Forest in the hands of practical men, as 
the greatest part of it is equally favourable for the growth 
of Oak. 
Though digressing from my subject, permit me to correct 
an error I fell into in the description of royal forests, which 
appeared in the pages of a contemporary in March, 1853. 
For “ Auctioneer’s mark" read “ Commissioner’s ,” for the 
trees are still standing, without being offered for sale, and 
the greater part of the numbers are defaced. The young 
maiden Oak they offered, of course, being public properly 
could not be done in the usual wag ; but it must be offered by 
tender in eleven large lots, the bad mixed with the good, 
and, therefore, unsuitable for the dealers in good timber. 
The consequence was, four dealers in a small village adjoin¬ 
ing Whittlewood became the purchasers, at-their own price, 
of nine lots out of ten that were sold. One of the buyers I saw 
a few days afterwards, and he was highly delighted with his 
bargains, and expressed himself as sorry that he had pur¬ 
chased so largely at a sale that came off a few days before, 
where he had to contend with dealers brought together in 
consequence of quality being separated from rubbish, which 
rubbish only dealers on the spot could turn to account. 
Beech here are 17 feet in circumference. Noble Scotch 
Firs 12 feet, varying from 70 to 90 feet in height. Planes 
12 and 13 feet, and about 80 feet in height. These trees 
appear to have been planted about the same time as the 
Larches, and could not have been seriously injured in 1809, 
1813, and 1814, as stated by Mr. Loudon and others. Here 
they assume the habit of majestic Elms, while, at the Duke 
of Grafton’s seat, not far distant, is a magnificent specimen, 
sweeping the lawn with its long, pendent branches, forming 
the most attractive ornament in the grounds. 
I am afraid that I have already made this too lengthy 
for your pages ; but permit me to add a few measurements 
of young trees recently planted, and small at the time. 
Silver Fir, planted in 1839, 33 feet in height, 3 feet in 
circumference 1 foot from the ground. 
Abies Douglasii, planted in 1840, 25 feet in height, two 
feet 9 inches in circumference 1 foot from the ground. 
Cedrus Lebanon, 24 feet in height, 2 feet 4 inches in cir¬ 
cumference 1 foot from the ground. 
Pinus excelsa, 25 feet in height, 2 feet 10 inches in cir¬ 
cumference 1 foot from the ground. 
P. Pinsapo, 20 feet in height. 
P. Morinda, 20 feet in height. 
P. Smithii, 20 feet in height. 
Cedrus deodara, planted in 1843, 22 feet in height, 2 feet 
2 inches in circumference 1 foot from the ground. 
Larch, planted in 184], 40 feet in height, 3 feet G inches 
in circumference 1 foot from the ground. 
Spruce Firs, 30 feet in height. 
Proving there is nothing like Larch for quick growth after 
all.—D. Fekguson, Stoice, Buckingham. 
