48 



-■ESCULUS. — GERANIUM. 



Dr. "Walker, among the remarkable trees in Scotland, particularizes 

 a Plane at Nisbet in Berwickshire, " on the south side of the walk in 

 the shrubbery, leading to the garden," which, on the 15th of Sep- 

 tember, 1795, was about 60 feet high, and measured 8 feet 6 inches 

 in circumference. Another at the same place, " which stands on the 

 lawn, behind the house," was between 60 and 70 feet high, and mea- 

 sured 12 feet 3 inches. The former tree is now between 65 and 70 

 feet high and 10 feet 6 inches in circumference ; and the latter is 

 about 80 feet in height, and its circumference, ten feet from the 

 ground, is 13 feet 4 inches. — An old Plane-tree at Ninewells "mea- 

 sures, by the girth, 1 7 feet of solid wood, below the boughs ; which, 

 although generally strong and spreading, have at their top a fading, 

 which marks their suffering by the endurance of the blasts of many 

 winters, which cannot be reckoned fewer than 1 50 in revolution : 

 for the oldest people of the last generation, when asked about its 

 appearance, in their memory, said, that they never remembered it but 

 in full growth, and with some marks of its being at the age of de- 

 clining." Dr. Anderson in Stat. Account of Scotland, xiv. p. 46, 

 an. 1795. 

 '- In spring children rob the tree of its leaf-buds, calling those which 

 are partially expanded " cocfesi," and those which are less so "i)cn^." 

 When the "cocfeg" are dissected, the skilful manner in which the 

 large leaves are folded up within such small compass, is veiy much 

 admired by the infant philosophers. Schoolboys make whistles with 

 the branches, for which they are excellently suited, as the bark, in 

 spring, separates readily from the wood. When in flower the tree 

 is alive with the hum and buzz of bees and flies. 



" The Plane's thick head mid burning day suspends 

 Impenetrable shade ; bees humming pour 

 O'er the broad balmy leaves, and suck the flower." — J. Wilson. 



9. .ffisculus hippocastaneum. Cijc ^.av&t:€\)t$tmit. — Don Gard. 

 Diet. i. 652. — Introduced into Europe, from the north of Asia, in 

 1550; and into North Britain about 200 years ago. Walker's Essays, 

 p. 43. June. 



112. Geranium SANGuiNEUM. Confined to the sea-shore. — D. 

 Sea-banks at Hudshead ; and on the links from Scremerston south- 

 wards, abundant, and very ornamental. — B. Banks at Burnmouth. 

 — June-Sept. — Its beauty gains it an introduction to the garden ; 

 and it is well fitted to decorate rock-work. 



113. G. sYLVATicuM. Cj^t l^utg'^??^ooK : HBountniruJ^lobjtv. 

 — Occurs principally in the greywacke and syenitic districts ; and 

 hence is found abundantly in the deans amidst the Lammermuir and 

 Cheviot hills. It is not confined, however, by geological formations 



a country that has long enjoyed peace and wealth ; and they are the records, 

 as they are the proofs, of an antiquity that had looked forward to be per- 

 petuated in a long posterity, and that was solicitous about the preservation 

 of all its usages and fashions, of all its dignity and opulence." Dr. Mac- 

 cuUoch. 



