MEASUREMENTS OF TREES IN 1893 anp 1894, 251 
bargains and drawing up agreements, and also, it may be supposed, 
for the assembling of the Strathblane branch of the Clan 
Buchanan, ‘all bodin in feir of weir,’ to attack their enemies or 
defend their friends.” In the Statistical Account, 1795, the 
minister of the parish thus describes this tree, and a neighbouring 
one, which is known as “The Smiddy Oak”: “Two trees adjoining 
to the public road at Blairquhosh, in the western extremity of 
the parish, attract the notice of passengers, as being unusually 
large in this part of the country. The trunk of the largest 
measures 15 feet in circumference, and its branches form the radii 
of a circle 30 yards in diameter. As the public road passes 
underneath it, it falls within the notice of every traveller. The 
other grows near it, and, though not quite so large, is a more 
beautiful tree, having a taller trunk, and more closely covered 
with foliage.” These trees are also mentioned in the New 
Statistical Account, “revised 1841” :—“« A beautifully shaped oak 
at Blairquhoss at 4 feet from the ground is 11 feet in circum- 
ference. Another, near the same spot, forms an uncommonly 
noble specimen of the gnarled and knotty oak. Although it may 
be supposed to have seen seven centuries, it is still healthy and 
thriving. Four feet from the ground it is 15 feet 8 inches round. 
The branches diverge at the height of nine feet, and cover a 
circle of 281 feet.” It has now begun to decay, but the lower 
dead branches have been cut off, and the truncated parts protected 
from the weather. The diameter of the spread of the branches 
has decreased ten feet since a century ago, being now 80 feet, but 
the girth of the trunk is still increasing, having grown in six 
Seasons from 16 feet 8 inches to 16 feet 9 inches at 3 feet 5 inches 
above the ground, 
Nowhere have we seen larger WuiTe Poptars than two grand 
trees at Mauldslie, both of which showed an increase in girth 
between August, 1891, and March, 1893. The larger was, at the 
later date, 18 feet 2} inches at narrowest; the smaller, 15 feet 
43 inches. 
But the Border again comes to the front with the Back 
Popuar, a splendid specimen of which we measured last year near 
Kelso Station, 19 feet 9 inches at 6 feet 3 inches. The largest in 
the west was seen at Dalziel; but it is, unfortunately, a mere 
stump, with the bark off, and girthing 16 feet at 3 feet 3 inches, 
