94 HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY OF TREES. PART I. 
of the world by travel, and accomplishments, rendered both 
himself and his seat the models for imitation to the country 
where he lived. To have every thing about themselves and their 
houses as like to James Nasmyth and New Posso as possible 
was then the height of their ambition, about 1775, among the 
gentry of Tweeddale. A very well written letter, by this Sir 
J. Nasmyth, on the subject of botany, in answer to one from His 
Lordship at Blair Drummond, is preserved in Lord Wood- 
houselee’s Life of Lord Kaims, and in compliment to him the 
birch called the Bétula Nasmythzz was so named. Many of the 
fine trees about New Posso have been lately cut down and sold, 
besides all those at Posso.” ‘The above is extracted from Dr. 
Pennycuick’s Works in Prose and Verse, which were originally 
published in 1715, but of which an edition was published in 
1814, with notes up to that year. New Posso is at present 
distinguished for its pine and larch plantations ; and, according 
to Sir Thomas Dick Lauder, the first larches introduced into 
Scotland were planted at Dawick in the year 1725 (Lauder’s 
Gilpin’s Forest Scenery, vol. i. p. 148.) ; though this is doubtful, 
as will hereafter appear. Sir Thomas also mentions a locust 
tree at Dawick, which, at 3 ft. from the ground, measures 6 ft. 
10 in. in girt. The present proprietor of Dawick, or New Posso, 
is Sir John Nasmyth, grandson of the Sir James celebrated by 
Dr. Pennicuick. 
Holyrood House, where the Oriental plane was first planted 
in Scotland, is, as every one knows, the royal palace of Edin- 
burgh. The Abbey of Holyrood, according to Maitland (Hist. 
of Edin.), was founded by King David I., in 1128, and consisted 
of a church and cloister. Maitland speaking of this church 
and cloister, says: — ‘* After having stood 400 years in the 
fields, by themselves, King James V., about the year 1528, 
erected a house to reside in at his coming to Edinburgh, 
near the south-western corner of the church, with a circular 
turret at each angle, which is the present tower at the north- 
western corner of the palace; to which was added, by King 
Charles II., in the year 1674, all the other parts of the present 
magnificent royal mansion. “The said King James, to accom- 
modate himself with a park, inclosed a large quantity of ground 
in this neighbourhood with a stonern wall, about three miles in’ 
circumference, which probably is no where to be paralleled ; for, 
instead of trees and thickets for cover, which other parks abound 
with, I could not, after the strictest search, discover one tree 
therein: in lieu whereof, it is supplied with huge rocks and vast 
declivities, which furnish the Edinburghers with the best of 
stones to pave their streets withal; as do the other parts of the 
said park yield good pasturage, and meadow grounds, with con-— 
siderable spots of arable land.” (Maitland’s Hist. of Edin. 
