17 
But its remains have of late been carefully preserved, and 
present many features of interest to the antiquary. The 
modern house, which is nearly a mile distant, was erected about 
fifty years ago, from designs by the architect Burn of Edinburgh. 
It is a handsome building in the Tudor style, and the grounds 
and gardens around it are laid out with much taste and skill. 
The old palace, which is at present being put into order by 
the Marquis of Bute, was examined with much interest, both 
externally and internally. It is classic ground, and many of 
the events in Scottish history associated with it were anew 
recounted as the party paced the ancient halls which royal feet 
had trodden in days of yore, and peeped into the horrid dungeons 
where, among others, David Duke of Rothesay, eldest son of 
King Robert III., was starved to death by his uncle, the then 
Duke of Albany. Numerous sycamores, a tree so closely 
associated with the name of Mary Queen of Scots, were found 
growing upon and near the historic pile. Two of these in the 
garden, which were measured, were respectively 10 feet 6 inches 
and 10 feet 4 inches in girth. Major Wood, the Marquis of 
Bute’s factor, kindly provided tea and other refreshments for 
the company, who afterwards drove through the quaint, old- 
world “burgh toun,” the “ Falkland on the Grene” of the muse 
of James V. :— 
‘¢ Was nevir in Scotland hard nor sene 
Sic dansin nor deray, 
Nouthir at Falkland on the Grene, 
Nor Pebillis at the Play ’— 
to the modern house of Falkland. Amid a wealth of arboreal 
treasures seen there, perhaps the most remarkable trees were a 
group of three Deodars and a splendid specimen of the redwood 
tree, Sequoia sempervirens, which was 9 feet in circumference at 
5 feet up, and from 65 to 70 feet high. It was generally acknow- 
ledged to be one of the best, if not the best, grown tree of this 
species in the east of Scotland. Some very fine specimens of 
the cut-leaved alder—a by no means common tree—were growing 
in the policies ; as also fine examples of Cryptomeria japonica 
and C. elegans, Abies Morinda, and the tulip tree, Liriodendron 
tulipfera. The beauty of the house, the skilful manner in which 
the policies are laid out, the disposition, variety, and healthy 
aspect of the trees, and the scrupulously neat aspect of the 
whole place, were very much admired, and it was with some 
regret that the party had to hasten their departure from so 
favoured a spot. Mr M. Dunn, on behalf of the Society, pro- 
posed a vote of thanks to the Marquis of Bute for his courtesy 
in opening the ancient palace and grounds to them, and for his 
hospitality, all of which the members had greatly appreciated. 
