EARLY TREE-PLANTING IN SCOTLAND. I 7 



1549, notes woods and trees frequently, but makes no mention 

 of any planting (20). 



Towards the end of the sixteenth and the beginning of the 

 seventeenth centuries the progress of planting is evident from 

 historical records, such as will now be given. 



Inveraray, however, should be looked upon as preceding the 

 period just named, for the late Duke of Argyll, in 1896, in 

 giving evidence before a Committee of the House of Commons 

 on a projected railway to Inveraray, stated that the narrow 

 border of level land there, between the mountains and the sea, 

 had been continually planted by his family for 400 years, 

 with the view of making a park and pleasure grounds. At 

 a later time than is thus indicated, a writer, who probably 

 dates from about 1630, found at the Earl of Argyll's " Pallace" 

 " zairds planted with sundrie fruit trees verie prettilie" (17). 

 The same is said of Ardkinglas ; and the writer quoted also 

 states that Ardmore (Cardross) and the Ross, Rosneath, were 

 well planted — that is previous to 1630 (17). 



In 1583, John Anstruther of that Ilk sues certain people of 

 Crail for plucking up the " haill asches that he had laitlie 

 plantit and uther young growth thairabout " (23). Cosmo 

 Innes (13) describes the general style of planting at this 

 period as avenues of double rows of Ash and Sycamore, and 

 lines of these trees round the fields, with a small admixture of 

 Walnut and Chestnut (Spanish Chestnut), and names the first 

 Earl of Gowrie (executed 1584) as having done planting of this 

 kind. In 1586, James, Lord Ogilvie, is found writing to 

 Sir David Lindsay of Edzell " concerning my planting . . . 

 your thowsand young birkis sail be richt welcom " — which 

 shows a native tree being utilised. Fynes Moryson (1598; 

 one of the earliest travellers in Scotland, whose narrative is 

 known) found Seton Castle " beautified with faire orchards 

 and gardens " ; and in Fife the " noblemen's and gentlemen's 

 dwellings commonly compassed with little groves, though trees 

 are so rare in those parts as I remember not to have scene 

 one wood." On the west side of Scotland, he says, are "many 

 woodes" (3). A later traveller. Sir William Brereton (1636), 

 amplifies the information about Seton by naming " Apple trees, 

 Walnut trees. Sycamore, and other fruit trees, and other kinds 

 of wood wliich prosper well"; and John Ray (1662) confirms 

 the western observation by saying that the country about 



VOL. :.XVI. PART L B 



