40 Ormiston Hall. [Sess. 



Naturalists' Club visited this fine estate in July 1884, the 

 yew-tree was found to have an inside diameter of 40 feet 6 

 inches, which is not very far behind that of the Ormiston yew 

 — viz., 47 feet. But the girth of the Whittinghame yew at 5 

 feet from the ground is only 11 feet, while that of the Ormiston 

 yew at the same distance is nearly double, which would go to 

 prove that it is much the older of the two. At 5 feet up, the 

 Whittinghame yew separates into a great number of inter- 

 lacing shoots, thus shortening the stem, though making it more 

 dense in appearance — so much so, that from the inside the 

 branches seem like an impenetrable wall. It is to be hoped 

 that our Society, having visited Ormiston Hall, with its 

 ancient yew and other interesting sights, may yet include 

 Whittinghame, with its historic tree, its old tower, and other 

 notable features, in some future list of excursions. 



It may be mentioned here that to the north of the mansion- 

 house of Ormiston Hall there is a narrow glen through which 

 the Belsis burn flows, containing a mass of vegetation, and 

 where are several large and fine trees — oaks, beeches, and syca- 

 mores. It may also be of interest to some of the members of 

 the Society to know that there is growing near the flower- 

 garden the parent of a very distinct form of the Portugal 

 laurel {Laurus or Cerastes hisitanica). This form is popularly 

 known as the " Ormiston laurel," and has dark leaves of a 

 thick, leathery texture — therefore the varietal name which has 

 been given to it of coriacea. There are several specimens of 

 this laurel in the Eoyal Botanic Garden, some of them as- 

 suming the dimensions of trees. I am informed that it was a 

 particular favourite of a respected "past president" of this 

 Society, the late Mr Wm. Gorrie, and that he did much to 

 spread it, sending cuttings to several places throughout the 

 country which were thought suitable for its growth. I can 

 find no mention of this variety of the Portugal laurel in any 

 of tlie numerous works on the subject which I have consulted. 

 The forester at Ormiston Hall is of opinion that it was in all 

 likelihood brought by Sir John Cockburn from Portugal in the 

 early part of last century. 



In concluding these remarks, the fig-trees growing on the 

 south wall of the orchard at Ormiston Hall deserve notice. 

 These, too, were planted by Sir John Cockburn, and are said 



