RENFREWSHIRE EXCURSIONS. 29 



Here on the lawn are some fine beeches, one of which, north of 

 the house, measures 10 feet 5! inches in girth. This tree separates 

 at about 4 feet into a number of branches. Another beech in the 

 grounds, south-east from house and near the Cart, measured an 

 inch less. This tree has a great head and a tall straight bole. 



The extensive policy of Hawkhead was visited as one of the 

 " Trees of Renfrewshire " series of excursions. The estate boasts 

 the possession of no historic tree to our knowledge, but Hawk- 

 wood, as before mentioned in these notes, was one of the ancient 

 forests of the county, and in 181 2 John Wilson, in his General 

 Vieiv of the Agriculture of Renfreivshire, stated that "the greatest 

 quantity of aged trees [in the county] is on the estate of 

 Hawkhead," and this may still be true. Beech and elm are 

 the chief timber trees, and of the former particularly there are 

 many of great size. A wych-elm on the left of the avenue a short 

 distance from Crookston Lodge measured n feet iof inches, 

 another forty yards or so further on 10 feet 8| inches, another at 

 a similar distance from the last 10 feet 3 inches. Only one beech 

 was measured, its girth being 12 feet 2 \ inches. This tree stands 

 near a bend on the Cart on the approach from Crookston. 



Extending our ramble a neighbouring property called Raiss was 

 visited. Long the patrimony of a family of the name of Logan 

 (one of whom is named in the chartulary of Paisley in 1488), and 

 still locally called Logan's Raiss, it is chiefly interesting to us 

 because on it stands the largest and not unlikely the oldest great 

 maple near Glasgow. This colossal tree, which rises to a great 

 height and measures at 3 feet 8 inches on south-east side 18 feet 

 in circumference of trunk, has so far as can be learned no history 

 attached to it. It is at present exceedingly vigorous, but there is, 

 unfortunately, at the base of the trunk a hole, perhaps begun by an 

 injury to the outside from the stones gathered from the adjoining 

 fields having been piled round the base. In this hole in wet 

 weather water lodges, and the tree from this cause alone will 

 undoubtedly shortly decay if proper steps are not taken. 



Renfrew Parish. — The only excursion made by the Society 

 in this parish was one of the " Trees of Renfrewshire " series in 

 the spring of 1890. Elderslie and Blythswood were visited on 

 the occasion. The first-named estate was bestowed by the Stuarts 



