Scottish Ar-horicultural Notices. 401 



ployed there professionally about the same period, mentioned in 

 conversation, that "if Mr. Andrew Knight's theory were true, 

 those five fine plants of platanus would die off in a few years ; and, 

 if that took place, he begged Lord Balgray would have the wood 

 cut up, and made into furniture, as no species of timber excelled 

 it in beauty." A short time elapsed, when these five trees, like 

 their contemporaries in Scotland, showed symptoms of ap- 

 proaching death ; when they were cut down, and made into 

 bed-room furniture ; the wood being of a cream-coloured 

 ground, thickly marked with linear, dark brown-coloured, lon- 

 gitudinal spots, apparently more artificial than natural. The 

 wood takes a fine polish, which heightens the effect. His 

 Lordship reflecting on the prophetic announcement of their ter- 

 mination, concluded that some other trees in the country might, 

 at the same period, have finished their vegetable existence ; and, 

 on enquiry, found that two had been sold at a roup of wood on a 

 neighbouring estate. His Lordship's carpenter was sent to pro- 

 cure them, and bought them of the original purchaser at one 

 shilling per solid foot ; and of these two, a beautiful wardrobe 

 was made, the wood, in its markings and capability of receiving 

 polish, being every way similar to that grown at Lawers. I have 

 since seen a library fitted up of the same sort of beautifully 

 marked wood, from a platanus tree that died at Migginear Castle, 

 in 1817; Admiral Drummond having accidentally discovered its 

 adaptation for ornamental cabinet-work. After this digression, I 

 must return to the forest. 



Besides the many fine specimens of old trees at Lawers, there 

 are a number of plants, from 6 ft. to 10 ft. high, of the Pinus 

 Laricio, or the Corsican pine, growing vigorously; some plants of 

 the sugar maple ; and, on the north side of a hill, are some thou- 

 sand plants of the Zarix pendula, or Fumara, at wide distances, 

 overtopping their nurses, and showing rapid growth. Near this 

 place is planted a considerable breadth of Scotch pine, from the 

 seeds of the fine old trees near the house, which will serve to 

 perpetuate that valuable variety. 



Having spent two days at Lawers, I left it, deeply impressed 

 with a sense of the grandeur of its wooded scenery, and the kind 

 and unaffected hospitality of its worthy landlord and his amiable 

 lady. Having applied to Mr. Shillinglaw, gardener to the Earl 

 of Kinnoul, for a list of some trees at Dupplin, four miles west 

 from Perth, the following measurements were sent me by him, and 

 Mr. Bell, land-steward at that place : — A Scotch pine, in front of 

 the castle, 59 ft. 6 in. high, 10 ft. 2 in. round ; a silver fir, north 

 from the above, 92 ft. 5 in. high, girt 15 ft. ; a beech tree, in the 

 lawn, girt 13ft. 10 in.: a Norway spruce ti'ee, in the den, 107ft. 

 high, girt 8 ft. 10 in.; a silver fir tree, in the den, 117ft. high, 

 girt 7 ft. 9 in. ; a sweet chestnut, girting 15 ft. 9 in. ; a larch 



