188 THE OLD AND REMARKABLE 



intermingling of the yew trees' gloomy foliage in such a situa- 

 tion has been most unfortunate, for the horse chestnut avenue, 

 previously very thriving, has drooped away in growth every 

 year, and is now rapidly dying out. The cause, wiiatever it may 

 be, seems fairly attributable to the close proximity of the yews^ 

 and probably arises from the roots of the two species having 

 incongruously got into contact. 



As a park specimen tree, the horse chestnut is largely 

 employed in Scotland, and in such a position its tine symmetry 

 is well displayed. Perhaps when so planted it requires a more 

 sheltered situation than the sycamore or oak, as it is more easily 

 injured by wind in an open site, and is consequently not so well 

 adapted to resist a stormy gale without suffering more or less 

 damage, which shows more upon the horse chestnat from its 

 beautiful and striking peculiarity in an open situation, of always 

 presenting a regular parabola in its contour of dense umbra- 

 geous head. A striking example of this peculiar character- 

 istic is found in a tree, given in the appendix, growing at 

 Kirkconnel House, Dumfriesshire. It stands on the lawn in 

 front of the mansion, near another very fine specimen, although 

 less conspicuous in this special feature, and which is also given 

 in the appendix. The latter girths 11 feet h inch at 5 feet above 

 ground, and has a diameter of spread of branches of 72 feet, 

 with a finely balanced head 55 feet in height. The former, 

 which presents from a distance the appearance and outline of a 

 husje mushroom, is 40 feet high, and 9 feet 11 inches at 5 feet 

 from the ground, and has a diameter of spread of branches of 89^ 

 feet, A third fine specimen here, growing in a plantation, and 

 consequently taller, being probably " draivn up'' is 65 feet high, 

 and girths 10 feet 97^ inches at 5 feet from the ground. In the 

 same district, at Ardwall near Gatehouse, and growing at an 

 altitude of not more than 30 feet, and within 200 vards of the 

 sea, stands a beautiful horse chestnut 75 feet high, girthing 

 12 feet 2 J inches at 3 feet, and 12 feet 3^ inches at 5 feet above 

 ground. Many other fine specimens of similar dimensions are to 

 be found at St Mary's Isle, Kirkcudbright, and in other localities 

 of Dumfriesshire and the Stewartry, as well as in Wigtownshire 

 and South Ayrshire. In the last mentioned county, several 

 notable specimens occur, and are given in the appendix. Of 

 these we may refer to the FuUarton horse chestnut, 11 feet 5 

 inches in girth at 5 feet above ground; Loudoun Castle specimens, 

 of which the largest is 13 feet 9 inches at 1 foot, and 14 feet 

 10 J inches at 5 feet, where it branches into two huge limbs, 

 each a goodly tree in itself ; while the Eglinton Castle specimen 

 outstrips all others in the district, and is a very noble tree. 

 It grows in soft light loam upon clay, and is nearly 60 feet in 

 height, and girths 18 feet 11 inches at 1 foot, and 17 feet 9 

 inches at 5 feet, w^here its bole divides into a beautifully 

 umbrageous head. This is indeed a very old tree, and shows 



