208 Notes and Recollections of a Tour. 



recommend both this and the weeping beech, for all conspicu- 

 ous places on the lawn or near the house, where their grace- 

 fully drooping branches are at all times highly ornamental. 



After a hurried and rather tiresome walk of three or four 

 hours, an invitation to partake of the hospitalities of Mr. 

 Mcintosh's house could not be refused. He informed us that 

 he had formerly been a constant reader of our magazine, 

 until his removal to Belgium, where he had not the opportu- 

 nity to obtain it, and he was now desirous to see it again. 

 We passed a pleasant hour in conversing on various subjects, 

 connected with the gardening of England and America ; and 

 the interest which Mr. Mcintosh felt in every thing relating 

 to this country was highly gratifying to us. Our visit to 

 Dalkeith will be among the most pleasant reminiscences of 

 our tour. 



We returned to Edinburgh by rail-road, and arrived just in 

 season to take the mail coach for Galashiels, where we in- 

 tended to stop for the night, in order to pay a visit to Melrose 

 Abbey and Abbotsford. 



Melrose Abbey, October 16th. — At day-light we left Galas- 

 hiels, a manufacturing village of some extent, for Melrose 

 Abbey, and had a delightful morning ride, the road passing 

 through an undulating and well wooded country. The ruins 

 are said to be the best peserved in Scotland ; but the grounds 

 adjoining are in a rough state, without a single tree or shrub. 

 If they were planted with a few trees, and laid out with 

 one or two walks, to prevent walking on the long damp 

 grass, over the grave mounds, they would not possess less 

 interest nor be less inviting to the many strangers who visit 

 the ruins. 



Abbotsford. — Beyond the interest which attaches to this 

 place as the residence of Sir Walter Scott, we felt some 

 desire to see the grounds which he occupied much of his time 

 in planting. The situation is highly picturesque, being im- 

 mediately upon the banks of the Tweed, the plantations of 

 trees extending on one side to the top of the hill, and on the 

 other to the edge of the river. 



A garden is attached to the house, but, at the time of our 

 visit, it contained nothing of any interest. Some fine trees 

 border the avenue which leads to the entrance gate, but there 



