iSyi.] ON THE ROAD. 5G9 



ON THE ROAD. 



{Continued from p. 459.) 



Back again from Glasgow to Dumfriesshire. ^Ve were anxious to visit Eccles, 



the seat of Maitland, Esq., where we had heard something extraordinary in 



the way of Grape-growing was to be seen ; nor were we disappointed. The gar- 

 dens are not very extensive, but in nice order. The only hothouses are two 

 vineries, a Muscat-house and a mixed house ; and we must say the Grapes were 

 the finest we have seen for some time. The crop, we understand, was even finer 

 last year, and very good some years previous to that. They were hardly ripe at 

 the time of our visit, but promised to finish well. The Muscat of Alexandria 

 bunches we estimated at from 5 lb. to 6 lb. each ; Black Hambros about the 

 same ; Grizzly Fi'ontignac 3 lb.,- — very fine samples. Muscat Hambro at 6 to 

 7 lb. ; berries very large and uniform, and not an abortive one to be seen. The 

 gardens here are on the same formation as Drumlanrig : the soil is very red, and 

 the sandstone crops out a few paces from the vinery door. What we saw here 

 and at Drumlanrig* strengthened a conviction that has been gaining upon us for 

 some time — that the red sandstone formation is, to say the least, exceedingly 

 favourable to the production of good Grapes, and Mr Cramb did good service 

 when he drew attention to this subject at the Manchester congress. The question 

 now is. Shall we add less in the way of lime-rubbish, brickbats, &c. , to our Vine- 

 borders, and something in the way of broken sandstone or sand ] the experiment 

 is worth trying. 



A visit to Eccles will repay any one while they are in the neighbourhood of 

 Drumlanrig, and they will be sure to receive every attention from Mr Ross, the 

 excellent gardener, who, in addition to good Grapes, can also show visitors one 

 if not the finest Beech-tree in Scotland — a grand specimen, which stands by itself 

 in front of the house. We had the curiosity to take a few notes of its dimensions. 

 The head is round and symmetrical, the branches stretch out horizontally, and 

 cover a circular area 110 feet in diameter. The trunk is 23 feet in circumference ; 

 twelve of the lower limbs extend 50 feet or more from the trunk, and average 

 about 5 feet in circumference a considerable distance from the centre. The tree 

 is in vigorous health, and seems likely to extend its dimensions for a long period 

 yet. 



" Maxwell ton braes are bonny, 

 Where early fa's the dew." 



Poets are supposed to have a considerable licence, but as we drove along the 

 valley of the Shinnel, after contemplating the "braes" from the trim lawn 

 in front of Maxwellton House, we were glad to pull an additional rug around us 

 to keep off the " dews ; " and it occurred to us that the poet had hit off the descrip- 

 tion accurately as well as poetically. Maxwellton, the seat of Mrs Laurie, lies 

 ensconced among the hills, about 7 or 8 miles from Thornhill Station, and a short 

 distance from the village of Moniaive, from which a wild moorland track, 



"The home of the heath-cock and wailing curlew," 



leads to New Galloway and the Glen-Kells. The gardens, which are of moderate 



* Although Drumlanrig is partly on the red sandstone formation, the whole of 

 the loam in the Vine-borders had to be taken olF the whinstone formation. We 

 nevertheless believe that the Vine thrives exceedingly in the red sandstone soil. 

 —Ed. 



2s 



