REPORTS ON EXCURSIONS. 351 



Attention was drawn to a curiosity in the form of a carnation 

 which bears a double flower in the centre of the spike, whilst 

 all the side flowers are single. 



In crossing the glen towards the flower garden a large patch 

 of Podophyllum j^^^tcitu'n (Linn.) was pointed out, which had 

 naturalised itself in a damp, sun-shaded part of the grounds. 

 The natural beauty of the grounds. was much commented upon. 



The new conservatories, which had recently been opened to 

 the public, were next visited, and the collection of plants closely 

 inspected. Though of varied interest, none of the subjects call 

 for special notice, excepting a small collection of Tree Ivies 

 grown in pots, which, when more fully developed, should fonn 

 a feature of interest. 



Galston, 5th July, 1902. — Mr. Renwick acted as the con- 

 ductor of this excursion, in the unavoidable absence of Mr. 

 A. Gilchrist, and has contributed the following report: — 



" There were half-a-dozen present^ — tliree from Glasgow and 

 tliree from the locality. The first place of interest visited was 

 Barr Castle, an ancient fortalice standing in the town, about 

 whose date and history we could learn nothing very definite. 

 Near the castle is an old Elm tree, locally known as ' The 

 Boss-Tree' (Hollow Tree). Alton's View oj the County of 

 Ayr, 1811, quoted by Dr. D. Landsborough, Contributions to 

 Local History (Kilmarnock), states — ' The largest Elm, and 

 indeed the largest tree, in the County of Ayr, is near Barr 

 Castle, Galston. It is 27 feet round at the root, and 16 feet 

 round 6 feet above the surface. The trunk is not very long, 

 and rather rough and knotty; but the branches are nmnerous, 

 some of them very large, and cover a great extent of surface. 

 One of them, broken off by the wind ten years ago, sold then 

 at five pounds.' Mr. R. Hutchison, in the IligJdand and Agri- 

 cultural Society's Transactions for 1883, states that in 1879 it 

 was 27 feet in girth at 1 foot, 16 feet 4 inches at 5 feet, and 

 16 feet at 6 feet. The repetition of 27 feet and 16 feet in 

 these two sets of measurements makes one doubtful of the 

 accuracy of the later set. Tlie first time I saw the tree was 

 in May, 1899, when it measured 18 feet 4 inches at 6 feet 

 from the ground; but the trunk was hollow, with large gaps, 



