210 ON THE OLD AND REMAEKABLE 



identified witli his name and fame in sontr. Another mao^nificent 

 specimen of the Qu&rciis peclunculata at Dunkeld is given in our 

 returns, and is very characteristic of the growth and habit of this 

 variety under favourable auspices. Another picturesque oak at 

 Dunkeld stands on the terraced bank on the opposite side of the 

 Tay to "Neil Gow's Oak," and in full view of that tree. It is called 

 the "Duke and Duchess Oak." It is a huge massive stump, 16 

 feet in girth, dividing into two large limbs quite near the 

 ground, the cleft being fitted up as a seat. It is evidently a 

 fresh growth from one of the aboriginal oaks of the district. 

 The grounds of Moncrieffe and Moredun Hill, Perthshire, are 

 rich in old and stately hard-wood trees, and amongst these are 

 many fine oaks. One comparatively young tree of great promise 

 and vigorous habit may be noted. It was planted in January 

 1822, on the occasion of the rejoicings in connection with the 

 natal day of the late Sir Thomas Moncrieffe. It stands in the 

 centre of the fine old avenue of beech trees already referred to 

 in the chapter on that tree, and is surrounded by the small 

 Druidical circle which had existed there long prior to the 

 planting and laying out of the grounds. It is now 72 feet in 

 height, with a remarkably tall, straight, and clean bole, and is 

 10 feet 6 inches in girth at 1 foot, and 8 feet 4 inches at 5 feet 

 from the ground. In cursorily noticing the many fine speci- 

 men trees in Perthshire, we must not omit to notice those at 

 Methveu, where there are some splendid examples of the oak 

 as well as of other descriptions. Especially to be noted is 

 the " Pepperwell Oak." It stands in the park in front of 

 the castle, and is said to derive its name from its proximity 

 to a refresliing spring so called. This tree is noticed in the 

 New Statistical Account of the parish published in 1837. It 

 LS therein described as " a tree of great picturesque beauty, 

 and contains 700 cubic feet of wood. The trunk measures 17^ 

 feet in circumference at 3 feet above the ground, and its branches 

 cover a space of 98 feet in diameter. It has attained an increase 

 of girth of 3 feet since the year 1796. In the year 1722, 100 

 merks Scots were offered for the tree, and tradition reports that 

 there is a stone in the heart of it, but, like the Golenas oak, it 

 must be cut up to ascertain this." In 1867 the tree girthed 21 

 feet 7 inches at 1 foot from the ground, and 19 feet at 6 feet 

 from the ground. It has, however, considerably increased in 

 bulk since these measurements were taken, and is now at 1 foot 

 from the ground no less in girth than 23 feet, and at its narrow^est 

 part, about 5 feet from the ground, it girths 19 feet 5 inches, 

 being thus 2 feet more at this point than it was at 3 feet when it was 

 measured for the record in the New Statistical Account in 1837. 

 It stands by the side of a steep bank, so that the length of the 

 bole is somewhat irregular. On the higher or upper side, it 



