CHAP. II. BRITISH ISLANDS. 95 
fol. 1753, p. 152.) Arnot, in his History of Edinburgh, pub- 
lished in 1779, speaking of this park, says: — “ In the memory 
of people not long since dead [Arnot wrote about 1779], the 
level strip at the foot of the hill [Arthur’s seat], which, from the 
Duke of York having delighted to walk in it, bears the name of 
‘ The Duke’s Walk,’ was covered with tall oaks; but now there 
is hardly a single tree in its whole boundaries. Indeed, it is 
extremely doubtful if, except at the bottom, there ever were any 
trees on these hills, the height of the ground and barrenness of 
the soil being very unfavourable to their growth.” (Arnot’s Hist. 
of Edin., 4to, Edin., 1779, p. 309.) It is clear, therefore, that the 
platanus, mentioned by Dr. Walker, was not planted in the park 
at Holyrood House: but we learn from the same authorities 
(Maitland and Arnot) that there were two walled gardens 
attached to the palace; and that “the royal garden at the 
northern end of the outer court ” was “ converted into a physic 
garden,” and that it was under the same superintendence, and 
applied to the same purposes, as the physic garden at the North 
Loch. There can be no doubt, but it was in the physic garden 
adjoining the palace, that the platanus mentioned by Dr. Walker 
_was planted ; and the planter was probably Sutherland. 
Bargally is to us by far the most interesting seat in Scotland, 
with respect to the introduction of foreign trees and shrubs, 
and though we have taken the greatest pains to ascertain from 
what circumstances its proprietor became so much attached to 
botanical pursuits, as to introduce in a remote part of Scotland, 
in the 17th century, trees then scarcely known even in its 
metropolis, and have been in a great measure successful; yet 
there is still some deficiency in the information we have ob- 
tained. Bargally is a small property situated in a glen, the sides 
of which are covered with natural wood, between Gatehouse 
in Kirkcudbrightshire, and Newton-Stewart. The proprietor’s 
name was Andrew Heron ; and he appears, by a family tomb in 
the grounds, to have died there in 1729. We have applied 
to about a dozen different persons in Kirkcudbrightshire, whom 
we deemed most likely to give us information respecting Bar- 
gally and its planter, and the following are extracts from the 
communications we have received, joined to what we have been 
able to glean from books. One of our correspondents informs 
us, “that Andrew Heron was a son of Heron of Heron of 
Kirauchtree (Caeruchtred), chief of that name. This Andrew 
built a cottage, in which he resided, at the upper extremity 
of the beautiful valley in which the present house of Bargally 
stands, and planted all the lower part of the valley. The 
splendid Quércus Ilex and the noble beeches, which you saw 
in 1831, are but miserable relics of the magnificent forest 
which once rose between Bargally House and the river Palnure. 
H 
