19 
James Cook, landsteward on the estate, who officiated as leader 
for the afternoon, and performed his duties in such an admirable 
manner as to leave nothing further to be desired on the part of 
the visitors. The introductions over, Mr Cook at once marshalled 
the party and led them off on what proved to be a long and 
highly interesting walk through the extensive and beautiful 
policies. From start to finish the interest never for a moment 
flagged, in spite of several heavy showers which would have 
damped, if not extinguished, the ardour of the most enthusiastic 
arborist amidst scenes of less attractiveness. 
Among those present were—Messrs Charles Buchanan and 
Robert Henderson, Penicuik ; George Mackinnon, J. K. Milne, 
and John Tod, Lasswade ; John Williamson, Loanhead ; Robert 
Baxter, Malcolm Dunn, George Jack, and John Murdoch, Dal- 
keith; John Watson, Peter Loney, William Mackinnon, D. 
Young, North British Agriculturist, David T. Fish, G. H. 
Burrells, Frank Machray, and the Secretary, Robert Galloway, 
from Edinburgh; Thomas Simpson, Duddingston; Mungo 
Temple, Carron House, Stirlingshire; and George Williamson, 
Leven, Fife. 
The family of Dundas is one of the oldest and most distin- 
guished of the county families in Scotland. A branch of the 
family acquired the lands cf Arniston by purchase, and founded 
the family of Dundas of Arniston in the year 1571, and the 
estate has been held in unbroken succession by the family to 
the present time. At first the estate consisted only of the Mains 
of Arniston, but now extends to upwards of 10,000 broad acres 
in Midlothian, about 1000 acres being covered with plantations 
and woodlands. Lying at a considerable altitude on the northern 
slope of the Moorfoot Hills, it was naturally cold and exposed, 
but the vast improvements which have been carried out, with 
great skill and intelligence, have converted it into one of the 
most fertile and best cultivated estates to be found in the upper 
districts of the Lothians. 
Entering the policies by the lodge near to the station at Gore- 
bridge, the party walked for some distance down the valley of the 
Gore Water, a tributary of the South Esk, noting on either hand 
many well-grown trees, prominent among which were some fine 
examples of the black Italian poplar. The valley traversed was, 
till about a generation ago, the site of one of the Jargest manu- 
factories of gunpowder in Scotland; and the extensive ruins of 
