PRINCIPAL GARDENERS—WILLIAM MCNAB. 305 
dorgueil. . . . Notre guide a pour ses bruyéres une rédilection 
marquée. Il en pos sohde une Bees ea nombreuse. bus oiqu’elles 
vieillesse de irsiltaste ces s plantes, et s'attache a les préserver de 
Vinfluence d’un climat rigoureux 
The energy thus shown by McNab must have been an influential 
factor in bringing about the change which befell the fortunes of 
the Garden in a few years’ time. The five acres to which the 
Garden was restricted was a small area in which to maintain 
such a representative collection of plants as the aspiration of the 
Principal Gardener now aimed at, and there was no prospect of 
an extension on the site because the surrounding land, hitherto 
occupied as nursery gardens, was being feued for building by the 
Heriot’s Hospital Trust to which it belonged. So far back as the 
period of John Mackay’s tenure of office as Principal Gardener 
expression had been given to a desire for a better site for the 
Garden, which, however, had not been satisfied.1_ When, therefore, 
‘Thus Dr. Patrick Neill, writing rom Edinburgh on 30th January = under the 
pseudonym ‘‘ Citizen,” in a controversial pamphlet entitled ‘* oe ought the 
New Cemetery to be placed ?—In the Meadows? or in the King’ Park » says :— 
“T would suggest that some portion of the pasture-fields of the opal domain of Holy- 
rood oe of the —- = a at the South-western base of Arthur’s 
Seat,—sh d purpose. The whole domain is already in 
one sense a sanctuary ; but the cemetery would truly deserve the name. Fifty or sixty 
acres, commencing about the Echoing Rock and the Powder Magazine, and extending 
in a westerly direction in the line of the foot path to Duddingstone (which would be 
turned a little to the south) to near the stile at Gibraltar House or the cottage which 
places the soil would be dry. In some parts it would perhaps prove shallow ; but 
the subsoil would certainly not be more difficult to penetrate than that of the Calton 
ill. Against the ledges of rock which rise in various places, sepulchral arches and 
€ space here pointed out would embrace to some extent the site selected, more 
than thirty years ago, by the late distinguished Mr. John Mackay, for a new Botanic 
Garden, which was then projected : for he included the Echoing Rock and the Wells 
of Weary (the latter now existing only in hallowed recollection, for they have un- 
fortunately been annihilated by the Railway tunnel). I trust I may be permitted to 
assume, that a place chosen by so competent a judge for the site of a Royal Botanic 
