26 Report of Meetings for 1879, by James Hardy. 



comprised the offsets of the roots. Mr Thomson gives the result 

 of the joint survey : — 



' ' Behind the house, the most prominent trees were a spruce fir and a silver 

 fir. The former, after having attained an altitude of a considerahle height, 

 had apparently been curbed, as a branch broke off and grew horizontally to 

 the east. Within a few feet of the base was a young shoot fair and healthy, 

 which had reached a height nearly equal to that of its ' mother.' The 

 silver fir was measured, and it was found to be 9 feet 2 inches in circum- 

 ference at 4 feet from the base. Other three trees afterwards measured in 

 this part of the grounds were : — A lime, 14 ft. at 4 ft. from the ground, 18 ft. 

 7 in. at 1 foot, while one limb was 8 ft. 9 in. ; an oak, 10 ft. 6 in. at 4 ft., 

 and 14 ft. 6 in. at 1 foot ; and a beech, 12 ft. 8 in. at 4 ft., and 16 ft. at IJ 

 ft. This tree had many curious fungi growing about its trunk which in- 

 dicated that internal decay was at work. Larger trees were in store, 

 however, as, on entering into the lovely park behind the house, the 

 measurers settled on a remarkably fine beech, which measured 22 ft. at 1 

 foot, 14 ft. 8 in, at 3 ft., and 13 ft. at 5 ft. A plane proved 16 ft. 6 in. at IJ 

 ft., and 12 ft. 6 in. at 4 feet. One lime was 21 ft. 6 in. at 1| ft., and 

 another 18 ft. 6 in. at 4 ft., while his younger brother was 14 ft. 9 in. and 

 11 ft. 9 in. at the same heights. But the most prominent tree of all was the 

 remarkably beautiful and rugged elm in the middle of the pasture, which 

 measured 24 ft. in circumference at 1 foot from the ground, while at 4 ft. the 

 dimensions were 19 ft. 6 in. One limb measured 10 ft. round, and the total 

 spread of this patriarch was over 96 yards round — a measurement confirmed 

 by calculation." - 



Old plants were looked for in the garden, but there were not 

 many. Antheriatm liliago was grown in the borders, and a kind 

 of vetch, the name of which was not ascertained. Anchusa 

 sempervirens grew half- wild near the place. Ranunculus hulbosus 

 was very prevalent in the pasture field in front of the house ; 

 and it was also the predominant species in the Kale water 

 meadows. , 



There is a rookery at Marl6field, which is not only one of the 

 largest on the Borders, but is also the winter residence for the 

 rooks of many of the smaller rookeries in Roxburghshire. 



Marlefield now belongs to the Marquis of Tweeddale. It ife to 

 be regretted that there is no circumstantial account of the Ben- 

 nets of Grubbet and Marlefield, who were distinguished as agri- 

 cultural improvers, patrons of literature, and men of public 

 spirit. The following anecdote, which I owe to Mr Small, merits 

 preservation, as evincing the consideration of the last of that 

 worthy race, for those who had long and dutifully done his be- 

 hests ; and moreover it is a piece of generosity that belongs to a 

 bygone age. ' ' The late Mr McDougall, tenant of Sorrowlessfield, 



