106 



CHAPTER XII. 



CITY AND EOADSIDE PLANTING. 



EXTRACT from the ' Journal of Forestry/ November 

 1884: 



" Tree-planting in Edinburgh. This topic has recently 

 occupied the correspondence columns of the ' Scots- 

 man/ and we recur to it the more readily, as the sub- 

 ject was originally started in these pages some years 

 ago. Some progress has been made. In one or two 

 thoroughfares young seedlings, carefully guarded, are 

 struggling into life, despite the smoke and mists of the 

 grey metropolis of the north. But in other streets, 

 such as Melville Street, as has been pointed out, noth- 

 ing as yet has been attempted to give diversity to 

 the weary platitudes of plate-glass and freestone ashlar 

 work. The ornamental shrubbery strips in the Mea- 

 dows (thanks to the taste of Mr M'Leod, city garden 

 superintendent) now show some of the arboreal amen- 

 ities we have already bequeathed to our grandchildren. 

 But what is to be said of the new demand that her 

 Majesty's Commissioners of Woods and Forests cover 

 with thick tree growth the unique lion's haunch of 

 Arthur Seat, and in whole or in part the escarpments 

 of Salisbury Crags ? A moderate amount of planting 



