HISTORIC OAKS.
The neighbourhood of Whiligh, by Wad hurst, in Sussex (where these little immigrants killed birds and ate beetles), is one of the most interesting in Britain, at any rate to a forester. Kipling has told us nothing of the historic continuity of his beloved Sussex that excels the annals of this estate. As reported last year, it supplied the oak for the original building of Westminster Hall and for its recon- struction the other day. The same family supplied the wood on both occasions. A year or two ago Sir George Courthope felled an oak on which six hundred rings were counted: There were probably a few more, for old rings are very difficult to trace and count. Hence this oak was of considerable age when its neighbours were felled for the building of Westminster Hall in 1390. Not only forestry in the ordinary
sense, but active manufacture of the wood is carried on to-day on the estate. What is newest is found cheek by jowl with what is oldest in British forestry.
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