352 Field Meetings. 



6th July, 1912. 



« 

 Eliock and Sanquhar. 



Nearly fifty members paid a visit to Sanquhar and to 

 Eliock House, where they were the guests of Mr and Mrs 

 M'Connel. At Sanquhar they were joined by Mr T. G. 

 Salmon and Provost Forbes R. Tweddel, who acted as guides 

 to Sanquhar Castle and Ryehill Moat. At Eliock House they 

 were received with g-reat kindness by Mr and Mrs M'Connel, 

 and after lunch, and votes of thanks moved and seconded by 

 Mr S. Arnott and Provost Tweddel and replied to by Mr 

 M'Connel, who gave a short history of the house, the company 

 were shown over the house, visiting the Admirable Crichton's 

 room ; the second library of Lord Eliock, which is covered with 

 a carpet said to have been woven in Sanquhar two hundred 

 years ago, and in which the colours are still fresh and the 

 pile good ; a drawing-room, in which is a beautiful example of 

 an Adam's mantelpiece, which Mr M'Connel has rescued from 

 neglect ; and seeing in the various apartments many fine pieces 

 of antique furniture. 



Dividing into groups, the visitors dispersed to view 

 various spots of interest. Most enjoyed a ramble through 

 the beautiful and picturesque Garpel Glen, others walked 

 through the wood to the north of the house, in which is the 

 burial ground of the Veitches. The gardens were an attrac- 

 tion to most ; and a visit to the tree nursery was a source of 

 general interest. Mr M'Connel has already planted exten- 

 sively, and here some forty thousand tiny trees are being 

 nurtured for the purpose of further afforestation. The prin- 

 cipal trees included are Douglasii, Menziesii, Thuja Gigantea, 

 and Japanese Larch. The latter is in favour as being less 

 liable to the disease which is the bane of the forester, although 

 observations at Murraythwaite have shown that it is not en- 

 tirely immune. It is also of more rapid growth. The effect 

 of late frosts on companion plots of Aberdeenshire and Dum- 

 friesshire plants showed in a marked manner the superior 

 hardiness of those reared in a more rigorous climate. Besides 

 the spruce silver fir — one of the latter species with peculiarly 



