8 
5 feet up. A black Italian poplar was 100 feet high, and hada 
clean bole of 50 feet to the first branches. Its girth at 3 feet up 
was 14 feet 7 inches. An oak alongside of it was 15 feet 5 inches 
in circumference, and on the slope near the house was one 
of the finest oaks met with—a splendidly-grown tree, about 
100 feet in height and 11 feet 3 inches in girth. An interesting 
clump of trees was shown, which had been planted by the 
celebrated Benjamin Franklin when he came to Keir to visit 
Lord Kaimes in the end of last century. The clump consists of 
an oak, an elm, two sycamores, and a laburnum. 
The planting of many of the older trees was said to have taken 
place about the year 1717; and Lord Kames, one of the ancestors 
of the present proprietor, Colonel Home Drummond Murray, had 
also a hand in improving the estate. On a mound, commanding 
a wide extent of country, is an obelisk, now greatly hidden by 
trees, erected by this celebrated Lord, with a curious inscription 
worth quoting—‘ For his neighbours as well as for himself was 
this obelisk erected by Henry Home. Graft benevolence on 
self-esteem, and the fruit will be delicious.” In the shrubberies, 
pushing their way vigorously, were seen several specimens of the 
Japanese larch, Larix leptolepis, a recent introduction to this 
country, which gives promise of becoming an excellent forest tree, 
and superseding European larch, L. europea, which in so many 
places suffers so much from disease. 
From the neighbourhood of the obelisk just referred to, there 
was pointed out a splendid wood of Scots fir, which was planted 
seventy or eighty years ago by the great-grandfather of the 
present proprietor. They looked a straight-stemmed and healthy 
race, with the sun shining on their red bark. 
Before leaving, Mr M. Dunn, Dalkeith, proposed a vote 
of thanks to Colonel Home Drummond Murray, and to 
Mr Ballingall, and Mr King, forester, for their courtesy to 
the Society. 
LANRICK CASTLE. 
A smart drive of half an hour along the banks of the Teith 
brought the party to Lanrick Castle, where the proprietor, Sir 
Robert Jardine, Bart., entertained them to a very acceptable tea. 
The great arboricultural feature of the well-kept policies was the 
beautiful specimens of the Albert firs, Abies Albertiana, which 
