SPANISH CHESTNUTS IN SCOTLAND. 51 



considerable falling off in the actual girth, through fissures and 

 gaps in the side of the stem caused by weather or other agencies. 



This celebrated tree still exists, although its size diminishes by 

 the decay of its trunk, but fresh shoots still continue to be 

 thrown out, notwithstanding that the centre is all hollow and 

 open. Its measurements were carefully taken for this paper on 

 31st August 1877, and on that day at 1 foot from the ground it 

 girthed 45 feet 9 inches, and at 5 feet its circumference was 47 

 feet 9 inches, and its estimated height was then 40 feet. This is 

 unquestionably one of the most remarkable and interesting trees 

 in Britain, and may safely be pronounced to be the oldest planted 

 tree extant, or that we have any account of in England. It is 

 worthy to be ranked with the Darlydale yew or the well-known 

 Fortingal yew, both of which still survive, although the latter, 

 from the numerous fresh shoots which have sprouted from the 

 shell, has lost much of its original colossal proportions, and 

 presents rather the appearance of what might have been the 

 remains of several yews grouped together, — an idea, however, 

 which a careful scrutiny of its interesting remains quite dispels. 



In the " Edinburgh Antiquarian Magazine," vol. i. p. 23, in a 

 list of measurements of old trees, we find that a famous chestnut 

 growing in the Cherry Park at Inveraray Castle, Argyllshire, 

 girthed — in 1794 — 12 feet 6 inches, and had a stem of 18 feet 

 in length. In 1862 the same tree, from the Society's returns, 

 measured 80 feet in height, and girthed, at 3 feet from ground, 

 19 feet; and measured on 24th August 1878, we find it is, 

 at 1 foot from ground, 24 feet 2 inches; and at 5 feet, 19 feet 4 

 inches. These last two occasions of measuring the tree were 

 taken by the same hand. The soil is black earth, on a sandy 

 subsoil with an easterly and south-easterly exposure. The tree 

 is quite healthy, and appears perfectly vigorous. 



Dr Walker in 1812 cites the Spanish chestnut at " Newbottle " 

 (sic) in Mid-Lothian, being "the tree of this kind that stands 

 nearest the house;" — "it has still," he says, "the appearance of 

 a young vigorous tree," and on the 6th July 1789 measured at 

 three feet from the ground 11 feet 9 inches. This tree is also 

 noticed in the Highland and Agricultural Society's record of old 

 and remarkable trees, from information collected in or about the 

 year 1861, and it is there stated to be 70 feet in height, girth 17 

 feet, — the first 15 feet of trunk containing 270 cubic feet, and 

 gTOwing in a light sandy soil, with gravelly subsoil, and a south- 

 western exposure. From measurements taken of this tree, 

 through the kindness of the Marquis of Lothian, on 24th August 

 1877, we find that it then girthed at 1 foot from the ground 26 

 feet 3 inches; at 3 feet, 19 feet; at 4 feet, 17 feet 10 inches; 

 and at 5 feet its circumference was 17 feet 4 inches. 



Another chestnut at Newbattle, measured on the same day. 



