oecmmtalis. Some interest is being taken just now in this Larch, 
a native of Western North America, as a possible substitute bli- 
the common Larch. The species is uncommon, and the best trees 
in the country are probably those in the pinetum at IC w ; thev 
are 25 to 30 feet high and bear cones most seasons. 
Murthly has some notable Yews. Some of them are between 
MX) and 500 years old, and have now huge spreading heads. One 
has a trunk 10 feet 10 inches in circumference at three feet from 
the ground. There is also a huge specimen of the Sweet ( 'h.stnut 
rivalling in bulk the enormous trees at Studley Royal, in York- 
shire. At five feet from the ground the trunk measures 24 feet 
in circumference, and near the ground it is 32 feet ; it has, more- 
over, the remarkable spiral arrangement of the trunk fissures that 
is occasionally seen in this tree. A specimen at Kew has this 
character very well marked. 
Scone Palace. 
The long and intimate connection of Scone with the history of 
Scotland and of the Scottish kings imparts ;i charm to the place 
which ancient associations always give. This charm, however, is 
not always felt so keenly as it is at Scone where thick woods, fine 
old trees, and spacious lawns are aduairablv in consort with its 
indeed, is the rich and varied character ol the woods surrounding 
the Palace. Mixed with the ordinary deciduous rivs of the 
country, of which there are magnificent old sjveimens. are 
conifers which give a warm and luxuriant effect, I'.esides this 
there is, to horticulturists, the additional although minor interest of 
its being associated with the early years of David Douglas— one of 
the first and most famous of plant-collectors. He was born at the 
village of Scone in 1799 and received his first training as a 
gardener in the Palace gardens. A notable tree in the grounds is 
a specimen of Douglas Kir which was one of the original (re- 
introduced bv him in 1S27 and planted on its present site in l.S.'li. 
It is now 10 feet 2 inches in girth and only one or two feet short 
of 100 feet high. 
The collection of conifers is grown on a piece of ground 
specially set apart for them. They are planted on well-kept lawns 
in straight In pace for the development of each. 
The health of the trees is excellent and the general effect imposing 
and not ill-suited to the formal character of the trees. Perhaps 
the most notable tree in regard to size in the pinetum at Scone is 
Pin us montimla. This tree in 1S91 was 71 feet high : I made it 
to be now 93 feet high, so that in 15 years it has grown 22 feet : its 
girth at 4 feet was 7 feet 11 inches. I imagine this to I- 
specimen in Britain. Other fine Pines are P. ponder osa, <0 feet 
high and 7 feet 11 inches girth, and P. Cm,br<t. .»]. feet high. Ot 
the Silver Firs Abies nordmnnnhnvt was b'o feet higl and •» feet 
11 inches girth ; .4. Pinsapo, 51 feet high ; A. bnviana, -A tcei 
high. There was also a beautifully c hum 1 .4. <■ > r var. 
rinlucut, 27 feer high. Of more than ordinary interest to me was 
a small but healthy young tree of Abies Mariesii ; this species is 
exceedingly rare and the specimen at Scone was the only one 1 
