1861.] RARE PLANTS NEAR SPINDLESTONE. 79 



and pressed, produce a hogshead of perry ; and according to that 

 calculation, the tree must have borne the almost fabulous quan- 

 tity of 340 bushels of pears in the year alluded to. 



"John Lloyd.^^ 



Note hy tJie Editor. 



Mr. Bluck says he can clasp the original stem within about a 

 foot. He evidently means the largest stem ; for it appears that 

 the original has long ceased to exist. 



It is hoped that the above account will satisfy the most censo- 

 rious of our readers, that this is not one of the mare's-nests which 

 we have been accused of publishing. We have the authority of 

 about half-a-dozen eye-witnesses, several newspapers, and county 

 histories to corroborate this account of one of the most remark- 

 able of the curiosities of vegetation. 



RAHE PLANTS NEAU SPINDLESTONE, NORTHUMBERLAND. 



(From a Correspondent.) 



The Spindlestone hills extend from the ancient castle of Bam- 

 borough to Belford, a town of Northumberland, fourteen miles 

 from Alnwick, and three hundred and twenty from London. 

 They are about five miles in length, and are composed, like the 

 coast rocksj^of basalt. These hills are only half an hour's walk 

 from the Belford^station of the North-eastern Railway, i.e. the 

 coast railway from Newcastle to Edinburgh, 



Several years ago I visited this rich locality, and some of my 

 discoveries are honourably recorded in Dr. Jolmston's ' Natural 

 History of the Eastern Borders.' 



The plants are entered here in the order in which they were 

 observed by me for the first time in this locality, for I have 

 visited it more than once. 



In a plantation on the west side of the hill, Saxifraga granu- 

 lata was seen associated with Vicia lathyro'ides, both in flower 

 (this was in May) ; also Primula veris and Asplenium Tricho- - 

 manes. 



Another capture in this plantation was Spiraa Filipendula, here- 



