168 Dimensions of some Trees 



The oak at Poloc, in 1812, was 7 ft. 9 in. in girt; and in 1836, 

 9 ft. 3 in. in girt. Close to the ground the girt was 14 ft. 10 in. 



The common sycamore, or, as it is called in Scotland, the 

 plane (v^Ver Pseudo-Platanus), at Poloc, in 1812, was 10 ft. 11 in. 

 in girt; and in 1836, 12ft. Sin. in girt. Close to the ground, 

 in 1836, the girt was 17 ft. 3 in. 



The common walnut (Juglans r^gia), at Poloc, was, in 1835, 

 12 ft. in girt ; in 1836, 12 ft. 3 in. in girt. Close to the ground, 

 the girt was 16 ft. 8 in. 



The hornbeam (Carpinus ^etulus), at Poloc, was, in 1812, 

 5 ft. in girt; in 1836, 6 ft. 6 in. in girt. Close to the ground, 

 the girt was 8 ft. 6 in. 



Poloc is an estate about three miles and a half south-west of 

 Glasgow, which is recorded in the History of Re7ifreii\ published 

 in 1710, as being "well planted with barren timber." The trees, 

 the dimensions of which are given above, grow upon alluvial 

 soil, and are very healthy and rapidly growing trees. Their age 

 is not known ; but the beech and sycamore appear to be much 

 younger than the others. 



The wych or Scotch elm, figured by Mr. Strutt, is probably 

 180 years old ; for there is a tree of the same kind near the cas- 

 cade, which is reported to have been planted by Sir Thomas 

 Maxwell, Lord Advocate of William III., and one of the Com- 

 missioners for settling the Union, when he was a child. 



The climate of Poloc is mild and moist, as this part of Scotland 

 is narrow ; and the Firths of the Clyde and Forth rivers make 

 it subject to sudden changes of temperature, and frequent storms. 

 The elms have long been considered fine trees. The Earl of 

 Bute, when minister, as I am informed, requested and obtained 

 seed from them. Almost all of these trees grow in a deep soil, 

 and are exposed to very severe gales of wind, and frosts late in the 

 spring. I believe there is sandstone rock beneath the soil upon 

 which most of them grow ; there are, however, five feet of soil 

 above that bed of rock. 



The sycamore is the only tree which is scarcely, if ever, broken 

 by the wind, and which yet does not yield to it, as most, if not all, 

 the other trees do. The beech very seldom is broken by the 

 wind, but it yields to it. The ash does break, as also do the 

 elm and the oak : the elm less than the two others, as its top 

 shoots incline from the wind until of two or three years' growth. 

 The elm is seldom broken at its summit. The lime grows tall 

 and healthily, and its young shoots incline a little from the 

 wind, as do those of the elm. The horsechestnut breaks when 

 young, but is a straight-growing tree, and very healthy ; and, 

 when old, it resists the wind remarkably well. The sweet chest- 

 nut yields to the wind when young ; but, when old, it grows erect, 

 though slowly, and reaches the height of the ash, the elm, and 



