506 General Notices. 



the majority prove hardy. We again would invite all amateurs to try all 

 the kinds which can easily be procured, and we hope the time is not distant 

 when we shall be enabled to announce their complete success in our climate. 

 —Ed. 



"The lands and estate of the Cairnies were acquired from Lord Lyndoch, 

 by James Patton, Esq., of Glenalmond, father of the present proprietor, 

 between 40 and 50 years ago. They were then partly cultivated, partly 

 pasture, and partly heath and moorland. Without planting, unless on the 

 north, where, on the slope skirting the river Almond — which, for about a 

 mile, bounds them on the north — there was a plantation, row grown to 

 beautiful timber ; they were much exposed on all sides, even on the north, 

 where the planted slope was far too steep to yield much shelter. From the 

 river, the bed of which is about 500 feet above the sea, the lands rise at 

 first abruptly, and then gradually, till they reach their highest altitude of 

 600 feet above the sea, whence again they gently slope to the south to near 

 their southern boundary, where they march with Mr. Smith's estate of 

 Keilour, celebrated for its pinetum. 



Altogether, the lands occupy a ridge of large extent, running from east 

 to west, exposed for the most part to every wind that blows, especially to 

 westerly winds, which are here the most prevalent and severe. And these 

 sweeping ofFthe lofty Grampians — just sufficiently remote to afford them no 

 protection — must have been severely felt, especially in the spring months. 

 On the north they were less exposed, for Lord Mansfield's cultivated lands 

 of Logielmond, which lie beneath the Almond, rise in an unbroken ascent 

 till they run into the hills which bound the horizon on the north. On the 

 south-west and east all was open, and the adjacent lands lay lower. There 

 were few fences, and no drains. The lands were let into small occupancies, 

 and the cultivation wretched. 



Thus situated, and with a soil for the most part naturally cold and damp, 

 consisting in the higher parts of a peaty texture, resting on a bottom of fri- 

 able, sandy clay, while in the lower parts it consisted of a detritus of the 

 old red sandstone run into a loam, the lands of Cairnies afforded an ample 

 field for improvement, both by draining, fencing, and planting; and, in es- 

 pecial, from their altitude, diversity of soil and exposure, they were well 

 fitted for testing the aptitude of foreign Coniferae to many localities. 



As yet, however, spruce and larch, then but recent, if not novelties, were 

 the rage and order of the day. And of these Mr. Patton, senior, planted 

 largely, wisely throwing them into belts around the various sub-divisions of 

 the lands. These have now attained a great height, and, with spruces 

 planted outside, all feathered to the ground, form excellent shelter. These 

 belts cannot be too strongly insisted on as the best means of improving cli- 

 mate in high localities. 



Besides these plantations, Mr. Patton, at the same time, tried the exper- 

 iment of a whin ox furze fence, to the efiiciency of which, after the tear and 

 wear of 40 years, T can bear unpleasant testimony, as it was not without 

 going a great way about, and some sharp pricking into the bargain, that the 

 present proprietor and I could get an opening to pass through it. 



But what I would more especially refer to, in the late proprietor's plan- 



