WALNUT TEEES IN SCOTLAND. 199 



feet above its level. The site is the most westerly point on the 

 mainland of Scotland where trees grow. Xothing is certainly 

 known of its age, but from circumstances connected with the 

 history of the Mackenzie family, it was in all probability 

 planted between 1755 and 1760. Another fine old walnut in 

 the north of Scotland is at Altyre (Morayshire). Viewed in 

 1881, this venerable patriarch, which stands close to the 

 mansion house, has evidently seen its brightest and best days ; 

 but hooped as it is with strong iron clasps, it may stand 

 the blasts of many a winter yet. It is quite hollo u^, has three 

 large limbs still remaining, a fourth having been removed as it 

 threatened an outhouse of the mansion, and is now, though 

 crowned with a leafy head, evidently "living on its bark." 

 It girthed 15 feet 2 inches at 1 foot and 13 feet at 4 feet from 

 the ground. The soil is a deep sandy loam, recumbent on gravel. 

 It yields large crops of fruit, which ripen almost ever year. 

 There are other trees in Morayshire of nearly similar dimen- 

 sions, but on account of the soil and situation which they occupy, 

 being somewhat later, it is only in very favourable seasons that 

 their fruit becomes fit for dessert. Since the notes for this 

 paper were prepared, it is unfortunate to have to record regard- 

 ing this interesting old walnut, and also regarding the one at 

 Moy (Morayshire), also mentioned in the appended list of old 

 trees, that both veterans succumbed to the wrestling hurricane 

 of 26th February 1882. The largest walnuts, and probably with 

 few exceptions the finest trees as specimens found in Scotland, 

 are in Perthshire. Eeferring to those noticed in the appended 

 list, specially may be noted the fine example growing at Mon- 

 crieffe, in a light loam soil, upon a gravel subsoil. This tree, 

 which is extremely picturesque, is the last survivor of a fine 

 group which occupied a space of ground, supposed to have been 

 adjoining the original garden. The largest erect tree of the 

 group measured in 1880, 13 feet 7 inches at 1 foot from the base, 

 and 10 feet 9 inches at 5 feet from the ground. The trees com- 

 posing this group had to be taken down in April 1881, for the 

 extension of an avenue, and the only survivor left, and already 

 referred to, is now, at 5 feet from the ground, 11 feet 4 inches in 

 circumference. It is, however, considerably decayed and lying 

 in a procumbent position on the ground, but it is still evincing 

 its vitality by a good crop of walnuts this season, well filled, 

 and (|uite fit for table use. 



The system of planting walnut trees in groups does not 

 ai»pear to have been so common in Scotland during last century 

 as in England. It appears rather to have been the practice to 

 plant in lines or in straight rows at considerable distances apart, 

 and this i)hin was probably adopted from a belief that the lieavy 

 foliage and dense shadows cast was inimical to the crops under- 



