Head Gardener at PinJcie. 391 



importance of which last, Mr. Stuart was fully aware), and in sedulously 

 guarding against their being bruised or injured, or exposed to withering 

 droughts, in the course of the operations. The roots and rootlets, as 

 thus successively traced out, were laid together, in small bundles, surrounded 

 with hypnum or sphagnum moss, or with short grass, and wrapped over 

 all with bast matting. When the whole roots were thus secured, the tree 

 was carried by several men to its new destination, the roots being borne 

 by younger assistants. When it was here fixed upright, the soil of the 

 border having been previously duly prepared, the roots were successively 

 uncoiled, and carefully expanded ; fresh loam from a pasture-field being 

 gently kneaded in among the fibres, with a degree of patience and perse- 

 verance never surpassed. The late Dr. Duncan, senior, and the writer of 

 this notice, having witnessed the success of this remarkable gardening 

 exploit, prevailed on Mr. Stuart to communicate to the Caledonian Hor- 

 ticultural Society (instituted in 1809, chiefly by the exertions of Dr. Dun- 

 can) an account of his mode of operating. This is printed in the first 

 volume of the Memoirs of that Society, p. 202. et seq. A committee (con- 

 sisting of Ml-. James Smith, then at Ormiston Hall, now head gardener 

 at Hopetoun House, and the secretary, Mr. Neill,) was appointed to examine 

 the transplanted trees at Pinkie ; and, on their report, an honorary medal was 

 awarded to Mr. Stuart. The report concludes in these terms : — " Mr, Stuart's 

 undertaking was, perhaps, the greatest of the kind ever attempted in this 

 country : it has been most successful ; and it is to be hoped that horticul- 

 turists will know how to appreciate so excellent an example." 



Mr. Edward Sang, nurseryman at Kirkcaldy, and author of the Planter's 

 Kalendar, published some years ago an able pamphlet on the transplanting of 

 large trees, in the course of which he reviewed the claims of Sir Henry 

 Steuart to priority in that practice, and showed that some distinguished 

 practical gardeners had preceded the baronet of AUanton in extensive and 

 successful operations of that kind. " It seems right," says Mr. Sang, in intro- 

 ducing Mr. Stuart of Pinkie to the notice of his readers, " to place age, 

 intelligence, and experience at the head of the list." The removal of the full- 

 grown fruit trees already mentioned is then described ; and it is added : " Ten 

 years afterwards, in 1822, when Sir John Hope obtained a piece of ground 

 between his mansion house and the town of Musselburgh, it became a 

 desideratum to have it planted immediately with large trees, so as to exclude 

 all view of the town. Mr. Stuart entered on his task with his wonted skill, 

 and it would be difficult to select any instance of large forest trees having 

 been transplanted with greater success. The trees were considerably above 100 

 in number, and of many sorts; oaks, Scotch and English elm, ash, horse- 

 chestnut, beech, several of the fir tribe, and black and woollj- leaved poplars. 

 The finest trees are now (1829) from 36 ft. to 42 ft. in height; and in girt, at 

 breast high, from 1 ft. 10 in. to 2ft. 9 in." 



It seems fair to add, that one of Mr. Stuart's gardeners, who actively 

 assisted at the removal of these full-grown trees at Pinkie, between 1807 and 

 1809, was subsequently engaged as gardener at Allanton, and was the active 

 operator in the moving of the many large forest trees, which forms the main 

 subject of the interesting and classical work of the late Sir Henry Steuart, 

 entitled The Planter'' s Guide, 



In July, 1826, Mr. Stuart met with a severe accident, by coming in contact 

 with a loaded coal-waggon, which was passing rapidly along a railway, leading 

 towards Fisherrow. His right arm was so much shattered, that amputation 

 was necessary. Although then in his 68th year, his constitution was so sound, 

 that he speedily recovered. With characteristic modesty, he then signified to 

 Sir John Hope his desire to retire from the responsible situation which 

 he had so long filled, as being no longer able personally to perform many gar- 

 den operations, which hitherto he had not trusted to any but his own hands. 

 But Sir John would not listen to him ; kindly saying (as Mr. Stuart once 

 reported to the writer, with the tear glistening in his eye), " James, it is your 



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