BEECHES IN SCOTLAND. 179 



Similar instances of the suitability of the beech to thrive in a 

 thin and cool soil, near the sea, are afforded by the trees at 

 Broxmouth Park, near Dunbar, and at Dunglass, on the borders o£ 

 Berwickshire, and quite close to the sea, where in a dene running 

 up from the sea, there are on either of its steep banks many 

 large and handsome specimen trees. Some of the best examples 

 of these in this locality are given in the appended returns. 

 Likewise, the beech is found in large numbers, and of great 

 size, all along the coast of Forfarshire about Carnoustie, and 

 thrives there admirably within 4J miles of the open sea, 

 producing timber of first-rate quality. At Kinnaird, in that 

 vicinity, the largest and probably the oldest beech was blown over 

 by the Tay Bridge Gale of 28th December 1879. It measured 

 86 feet in height, and forked into two large upright limbs at 

 about 3 feet from the ground, where it was found to girth 18 feet 

 4 inches. It contained 316 cubic feet of timber, and the rings of 

 annual growth numbered 240, the section having been carefully 

 dressed with a plane before these were counted. The other 

 two beeches from Kinnaird, mentioned in the apj)ended returns, 

 appear to be of the same age. On the estate of Gray, also in 

 Forfarshire, there are hundreds of very fine beeches, very healthy 

 and thriving and of great size, averaging from 160 to 220 cubic 

 feet of timber each. The one given in the returns, containing 206 

 cubic feet of timber, stands to the south of Liff burying ground, 

 and west of the old manse of Lift'. 



" The Dark Avenue," at Hopetoun, is another very fine and 

 notable instance of the peculiar suitability of the beech for 

 planting in lines to form an effective and grateful sylvan retreat. 



Before passing from noticing so many interesting groups and 

 lines, or avenue arrangements, of the beech in Scotland, to the 

 consideration of individual immense trees in various localities, we 

 must not omit to notice one singularly fine example of this 

 artistic disposition of the tree, which has come to our notice at Sorn 

 Castle, Ayrshire. Here, at a high elevation, on a naturally thin 

 soil (to which the beech is best adapted, and on which it produces 

 the finest timber), upon a stiff clay subsoil, beeches form a very 

 attractive feature, and thrive well amongst other varieties of hard 

 wooded timber trees such as oaks and English elms. " The Beech 

 Walk" there, containing sixty- six trees, and extending 370 yards 

 in length, forms another of those very beautifully shaded avenues 

 to which reference has been so copiously made in this 

 rei)ort. This stiff and formal style of planting of the early part 

 of last century seems to have developed itself in the district very 

 generally. It is to the Dowager Countess of Loudon of that 

 l)eriod that Sorn Castle owes so much of its landsca])e beauty. 

 This noble lady's love for trees and taste for planting were most 

 enthusiastic, and hence the wealth of old English elms (which 

 n])pears to have been her favourite tree) and beeches with which 



