58 Thomas Brown^ Esq., on the Ancient 



high an elevation above the sea, in a soil, we may conceive, ra- 

 ther too moist for vigorous growth, and should have had the 

 great luck to fall into a situation so favourable for its preserva- 

 tion, we may, without impropriety, conjecture that many larger 

 trees grew in soils and at elevations more favourable for great 

 increase of size. 



I was at some pains to examine the dimensions of the annual 

 layers, in order to form an idea of the comparative rapidity of 

 growth of trees in former times with those of the present. It is 

 difficult, from the interlacement of the woody fibres in the oak, 

 to be certain of the limits in each annual layer ; but in seve- 

 ral parts of the transverse section of this tree I could distinctly 

 observe a few zones. These did not exceed a line in breadth. 

 In other parts the layers were so indistinct, that I could not dis- 

 tinguish them from each other. Certainly, however, there was 

 no reason from this single specimen to suppose that the growth 

 of the oak had been more rapid in those times than in our own. 



We must suppose that these forests, which existed 500 years 

 ago in many other parts of Scotland as well as in Ayrshire and 

 Lanarkshire, afforded shelter and warmth to districts where these 

 are now very much needed. The wind, sweeping from the sea 

 over a bare country and a moist soil, though its temperature is 

 perhaps not actually lower, yet it is not nearly so kindly to ani- 

 mal, and even to vegetable life, as when its force is broken by 

 wood. We are informed, too, that in those times Scotland, from 

 its forests of oak, afforded shelter and food to the wild boar, to 

 the beaver, to the wolf, and to other animals which are now ex- 

 tinct in Britain. 



Although we have no very certain means of ascertaining at 

 what period of Scottish history the woods in Avondale and Ayr- 

 shire were chiefly destroyed, yet there are many reasons for be- 

 lieving that this was in a great measure effected during the times 

 which followed the death of Alexander III. in the year 1285. 



After this event, wars and various other causes continued to 

 ruin the woods, and even the agriculture and resources of Scot- 

 land, for nearly two centuries. In fact this country appears to have 

 been declining in prosperity even till the middle of the last cen- 

 tury. We believe; however, with some confidence, that the des- 

 truction of this part of the Caledonian forest commenced nearly 



