Tart IV.] 
PRUNING AND THINNING. 
255 
sand years old in the time of Adam. The 
growth in girthing of trees in decay — that is, 
with hollow trunks and pollard heads—is indeed 
very diminutive ; and to give them the girthing 
which they attain to, any number of years may 
be allowed. So the growth in girthing of forest- 
trees will vary in the same tree, according to ac¬ 
cidental circumstances. In Plate I. some of the 
early growths, when the plant had perfect room, 
exceeds one-third of an inch in width. Some of 
the later growths, when its head had been 
crowded to death by neighbours, scarcely exceed 
one-tenth of an inch. But if one-fourth of an 
inch is allowed for the annual ring of growing 
trees, — that is, of sound trunks with full heads, 
—in 5000 years they would attain a diameter of 
more than 200 feet, and a girthing of more than 
600 feet. If this growth is halved, and one- 
eighth of an inch width is allowed for the an¬ 
nual ring, a diameter of more than 100 feet, and 
a girthing of more than 300 feet, would result 
in 5000 years. We may ask, did the baobab 
grow in height for 5000 years ? If so, the 
Adansonia digitata is too modest a name. (I 
speak as regards the tree, not the man.) It 
should be christened the Adam-o-father-ia Sky- 
scrapo-moonrakiana; though De Candolle, or 
