6o TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



nurses: — (i) Japanese larch and Norway spruce; (2) European 

 larch and Norway spruce; (3) Japanese larch and Austrian 

 pine, and (4) European larch and Austrian pine; (5) Japanese 

 larch and Scots pine, and (6) European larch and Scots pine; 

 (7) Japanese larch and Sitka spruce, and (8) European larch 

 and Sitka spruce; (9) Japanese larch and Douglas, and 

 (10) European larch and Douglas. The plants were spaced 

 3 ft. 6 ins. apart with oak 14 ft. apart and in the following 

 rows — one row larch, one row mixed conifers, one row mixed 

 conifers and hardwoods, and one row mixed conifers. The 

 larch were well ahead of all the others, even Douglas, and the 

 experiment so far as it had gone suggested (i) that the plants 

 were much too close, (2) that allowing for failures there were 

 not enough oaks to form a final crop, as had been intended, and 

 (3) that all the conifers were growing too quickly to make 

 satisfactory even-aged nurses for the oaks, which were being 

 gradually but surely suppressed. Flocks of starlings were said 

 to be causing much damage here to the larch by sitting on the 

 leaders, and bending them over or breaking them. Coming down 

 the slope into the Park the attention of the party was drawn to 

 a splendid group of old Scots pines known as the Bermuda 

 Pines, and Capt. Wingate explained that the name was derived 

 from a legend which, unfortunately, cannot now be verified, that 

 they had been raised about 180 years ago by Sir Robert Lowther, 

 then Governor of Bermuda, from seeds of Scots pine, grown on 

 the Island from seeds taken out by him from this country 

 twenty years before. The largest, though not the best specimen, 

 measured 12 ft. in girth at breast-height. 



The walk was then continued to the principal nursery of the 

 estate — 5 acres in extent with a good loam overlying red 

 sandstone — where everything was found in excellent condition. 

 In fact the situation seemed almost too warm and sheltered, 

 and transplants, especially of Scots pine, were showing extra- 

 ordinary growth. 



Then followed a most delightful tour of the ornamental 

 pleasure grounds of the estate, which include among other 

 things of great beauty and interest, a yew avenue, a beech 

 avenue, several wonderful formal gardens (rose, Japanese, 

 rock, etc.), an imposing view of the Castle, and an extensive 

 bird's-eye view of the western half of the estate from the 

 elevated terrace. 



