256 TRANSACTIONS, NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OP GLASGOW. 



inches at 3 feet, and 13 feet 7f inches at 1 foot, thus exceeding 

 in height the one seen on the Spring Holiday at Dalquharran, 

 Ayrshire, and nearly rivalling it in girth. A Cedar of Mount 

 Atlas (Cedrus atlantica, Manetti), girths 4 feet 1 1 inches at 5 feet. 

 To the west of the castle is a very fine Yew (Taxus baccata, L.), a 

 female tree. It has a girth of 11 feet 9 J inches at 2 feet 9 

 inches on south side, a bole of 7 J feet, and a spread in one 

 direction of 58 J feet and in another of 55 J feet. But the most 

 abundant conifer is the Douglas Spruce Fir (Abies douglasii, 

 Lindl.), which forms quite a feature in the grounds. A planta- 

 tion of 6 acres, planted about 1858, was pointed out. Two fine 

 specimens near the old house were measured. One had a girth of 

 1 1 feet 8 J inches at 5 feet. The other was even a more splendid 

 tree, girthing 13 feet 2 inches at 5 feet, and attaining a height 

 of 84 h feet. From inquiries which Mr. Crosbie has made, this 

 grand tree appears to be about 72 years old. 



" In former times the Oak (Quercus robur, L.), would seem to 

 have been a feature of the woodlands of Buchanan Parish, which 

 extends from the Endrick up Loch Lomond to opposite Ben 

 Voirlich, thence to near the head of Glengyle, and includes part 

 of Loch Katrine, Loch Arklet, and Ben Lomond. The writer of 

 the (Old) Statistical Account, 1792, says 'Near the house of 

 Buchanan there is an old Oak Wood, great additions have been 

 made to which within these forty years past. The present Duke 

 of Montrose is planting a great deal of different kinds of trees in 

 the bottom of Buchanan. In the Island of Inchcailloch there is 

 a large Oak Wood. From the Grampian Hills to the north end 

 of the parish, along the side of the loch, is one continued wood, 

 consisting of some Ashes, Alders, Hazels, but mostly Oaks.' In 

 the New Statistical Account, drawn up February, 1838, and 

 revised March, 1841, it is stated that 'in the parish there are 

 many Oaks from 10 to 13 feet in circumference. One near 

 Buchanan House, at the height of 5 feet from the ground, is 14 

 feet in circumference, and contains 200 feet of timber. Another 

 Oak is 18 feet in girth near the surface, but immediately 

 branches out into five stems called ' the Five Sisters of Buchanan. ' 

 These trees are supposed to be 500 years old.' The former tree 

 had grown from 14 feet, about 1840, to 16 feet 8 J inches, in May, 

 1889, and to 17 feet 4f inches, in September, 1900. The rate of 



