1744

ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM.

PART III.

1585

fiv_ *ia_'

Q. sessilr/ldra at Studley Park.

Height 118 ft.; girt of trunk 331 ft.; diameter of the head 96 ft.

different, though it is generally alleged that plants of Q. sessiliflora growfaster, and they certainly have a more robust appearance, than those of Q.pedunculata, when of six or eight years’ growth; for which reason Mr. Breeconsiders it the best species for copse wood. (See Gard. Mag., vol. xii.p. 572.) Willdenow observes, also, that Q. pedunculata is the tendererof the two when young, which may result from its coming earlier into leaf.The growth of both species, in about 10 years from the acorn, in good soil, inthe climate of London, may be stated as from 15 ft. to 18 ft., or even more, ifextra preparation were given to the soil. Both will attain the height of 50 ft.in 30 years, which may be considered the average height of the species inordinary soils in England; but, in deep loamy soils, both attain the height of100 ft. and upwards. The stem of the oak, Marshall observes, is naturallyshort; and, if left to itself, the tree, in an open situation, will generally featherto the ground. It has not the upright growth of the ash, the elm, and thepine tribe : nevertheless, by judicious training, or by planting in close masses,the oak will acquire a great length of stem; in this case, however, it rarelyswells to any considerable girt. There are many hundreds of oak trees, weare informed, in the government plantations in the Forest of Dean, which