Tulloch Castle. 557 



have their cones red. There are also 3'oung plants of ^^bies 

 Douglas/, Pinus Cembra, and others : jFVaxinus excelsior, 90 ft. 

 high ; diameter of trunk, 5 ft. 7 in. ; diameter of branches, 72 ft. 

 We were informed that this tree contained 196 cubic feet of 

 wood : it is a beautiful timber tree, as straight as an arrow, and 

 free from branches for a great height, ^raxinus simplicifolia, 

 40 ft. high ; diameter of trunk, 2 ft. 4 in. ; diameter of branches, 

 48ft. Quercus Leucombeawa, 15ft. high; diameter of trunk, 

 1 ft. 5 in. ; diameter of branches, 30 ft. A strange specimen of 

 Betula. nigra (I think) : the trunk seems, at a little distance, to be 

 composed of cable ropes of different sizes, crossing in all di- 

 rections; it is 30 ft. high ; diameter of trunk, 3 ft. ; diameter of 

 branches, 42 ft. Besides what I have enumerated, there are many 

 American acers, birches, oaks, &c. ; a great variety of variegated 

 hollies, some of them fine specimens; amongst others, a young 

 7^1ex opaca : also, in the woods, some plants of Chimonanthus 

 fragrans, growing and flowering freely. We had not time to pay 

 attention to fruit and vegetables at this place. An old ruin was 

 pointed out, as the place from which the name (Relic) of this 

 place is derived. 



I subjoin a list that I received from Mr. Weir, gardener to 

 Duncan Davidson, Esq., of Tulloch Castle, near Dingwall ; being 

 the only list I have received from a considerable number of gar- 

 deners who promised me; and I should not have got this, although 

 it was prepared, had I not gone myself, as Mr. Weir thought 

 it would be of no use: — Ash, 60 ft. high; circumference, 13 ft. 

 Walnut, 60 ft. high ; circumference, 10 ft. Silver fir, 70 ft. high; 

 circumference, 7 ft.; diameter of branches, 20 ft. Evergreen oak, 

 30 ft. high ; diameter of branches, 10 ft. Portugal laurel, 20 ft. 

 high ; diameter of branches, 1 5 ft. Arbor vitse, 30 ft. high ; diame- 

 ter of branches, 10 ft. Sweet bay, 20 ft. high, diameter of branches 

 22 ft. Common holly, 26 ft. high ; diameter of branches, 15 ft. 

 Golden-striped holly, 18 ft. high ; diameter of branches, 13 ft. 



Tulloch Castle is beautifully situated on rising ground, over- 

 looking the Frith of Cromarty and the Burgh of Dingwall, and 

 commanding very extensive views of the country around. The 

 gardens and pleasure-ground are of great extent; and probably, 

 at some other time, I may give you some account of them. [We 

 shall be very glad to receive it.] 



A few days ago, when at Brahan Castle, I noticed a small tree, of 

 what I think is t/'lmus crispa, beautifully variegated. In the return 

 paper sent you from Brahan it was called variegated elm. I may 

 just observe that Ferbena chamaedrifolia and F^. pulchella stood 

 the winter without protection, and are now in flower. ?^erbena 

 pulchella albida [Vol. X. p. 586-3 is very showy, and contrasts 

 finely with the others. 



Coul, September 4. 1835. 



