LANARKSHIRE RAMBLES. 1 3 



Robinia being in honour of Robin, a French botanist. It was at 

 first supposed to be a kind of Egyptian acacia, and was thus 

 named in error the locust tree. A walnut tree in the gardens, 

 tall and with a fine spread, measures 8^ at 4^ feet ; but 

 it is beginning to show signs of decay. The row of great 

 maples at the back entrance attracts attention. The largest of 

 these has a girth of 15 \ at 3^ feet. There are some oaks on the 

 bank below the gardens, and on them the dripping polypore 

 {Polyporus dryadcus) has been found. 



To the east on the other side of the Clyde at Dalziel there is a 

 lovely glen and some bits of pleasant woodland, with an old oak, 

 probably a remnant of the same forest as the Cadzow ones. The 

 girth of this oak is given by Mr. R. Hutchison as i3 t °tt- at 5 feet. 



Hamilton Palace grounds, which are known as the Low Parks 

 {Excursion 15/// September, 1888), consist of fertile haughs by the 

 Clyde, with richly wooded glades, and in them are some very 

 large beeches, limes, horse-chestnuts, and birches. Along the 

 opposite bank of the Clyde woods extend to the South Calder 

 Water. 



Near Bothwell Bridge helleborine (Epipactis latifolia) grows 

 profusely, and a sandy bank by the river is quite over-run by 

 the tall broad-leaved groundsel (Senecio saracenicus), which flowers 

 very late in autumn. To the east on the way to the Roman 

 bridge over the South Calder there were woods a few years ago 

 and many wild flowers, with great abundance of sweet woodruff 

 {Asperula odorata), and here-and-there the wild basil (Cctlamintha 

 Clinopodiuni) ; but now a large colliery and rows of houses are 

 there. In the glen at the Roman bridge the curious bird's-nest 

 orchid may be seen. Beyond are Motherwell and malleable iron 

 works. 



The sweep made by the Clyde at Bothwell Castle is known as 

 Bothwell Bank {Excursion ijt/i August, 1889), and long has its 

 praise been sung, as in the very old ballad, " Bothwell Bank, thou 

 bloomest fair," which we are told in a book published in 1605 

 had been heard by a traveller in Palestine sung by a woman 

 — Scottish, of course — as she dandled her baby. The refrain was 

 afterwards adopted for a wailing ballad over the defeat of the 

 Covenanters at the " Brig." The ordinary flora of the district is 

 well represented here, and about the grounds generally there are 



