§ MR. EASTWICKsaid, he wished to ask the First Commissioner of Works, If he has observed that a number of elms, oaks, beeches, and plane trees in Kensington Gardens and St. James's Park have been maimed and decapitated so as to have become a deformity instead of an ornament in the public parks; and whether he will give orders to prevent this process in future, and replace the mutilated trees with young plants?
§ MR. AYRTONsaid, in reply to the Question of the hon. Member, he was afraid that the trees in the parks were not exempted from the law of nature under which trees in general flourished and decayed, and he entertained the opinion that when a tree exhibited signs of decay it was better to lop off the decayed branch rather than cut the whole tree down; and that treatment had the advantage of preserving the rest of the tree for a considerable period. He was afraid that no better course than that he had indicated could be pursued, unless the hon. Member could point out some way to make the trees everlasting.