Transactions. 77 



feet. Girth, 13 feet Kve feet from ground ; girth, 10 feet 1 1 inches 

 three feet from ground ; length of bole, 6 feet. The Doctor also 

 gives the measurements of an ash and a plane tree at Locliwood 

 measured April 29th, 1773. The ash was 70 feet high and girthed 

 10 feet 6 inches ; and the plane was about 50 feet and girthed 

 8 feet 'J inches. An ash growing nearly in front of Lochhouse 

 Tower measured Sept. 26th, 1891 : — -Girth, 10 feet 5 inches three 

 feet from the ground ; length of bole, 9 feet ; spread of branches, 

 84 feet 6 inches, and is about 47 feet high. 



Within the Bowling Green Grounds in Beechgrove there are 

 the remnants of what used to be a magnificent row of beech trees, 

 tall and stately, with fine clean boles. The third tree from 

 Academy Road girthed 11 feet 3 inches at ground, and 9 feet 

 5 inches tiiree feet from ground. The fifth tree girthed 11 feet 

 three feet from ground, with a clean bole of 20 feet 6 inches, and 

 will be about 110 feet high. A thorn growing at side of Selkirk 

 road, between Millburn Bridge and Holmend, measured September, 

 1891 : —Girth, 5 feet 1 inch at one foot, and 4 feet 6 inches at five 

 feet from ground ; length of bole, 8 feet ; spread of branches, 30 

 feet ; height, 37 feet. This will be about the finest thorn tree 

 about the place, and formed one of a regular row of thorns planted 

 along the roadside, which have all disappeared from sheer old age 

 except three, which are still standing. One of them is, however, 

 dead ; another is in nearly the same condition. The other, of which 

 I have given the measurements above, is beginning to shew signs 

 of decay likewise ; some of the outermost branches are dead. I 

 have the measurements likewise of a few more trees, but as it would 

 lengthen this paper considerably to describe them they may form 

 the subject of a future paper. Besides, the main object of the 

 present paper was to place on record tlie measurements, &c., of 

 our historical .\uld Gowk and Pouch Trees and the Thorn, while 

 they are still standing. 



IV. — " Ojister Culture.'" By Mr Jose2:)h J. Armistead. 



In the Sohvay Firth, Mr Armistead mentioned, there are 

 several good oystyr beds which have been sev^eral times worked 

 out, allowed to lie idle, when the oysters have reproduced them- 

 selves, and in a few years the beds have again been found produc- 

 tive. He especially mentioned one o.'f Maryport, where he had 

 counted as many as eighty boats engaged in dredging soon after a 



