234 Report of Meetings for 1880, by James Hardy. 



tombstone was removed by a former tenant from the churchyard ; 

 and the popular notion is that it commemorated a " General 

 Leslie," who fell while fighting against Cromwell. Inaccurate 

 statements about the battle of Dunbar may have originated the 

 rumour. They also tell that Cromwell fired from the Knock Hill 

 at Corsbie Castle, which stands upon the opposite side of the 

 Eden. Most of the other old gravestones were used in various 

 parts of the farm cottages some years ago ; the churchyard now 

 being united to the adjacent grass field. At the farmhouse also 

 was pointed out the aperture of a vault, where the laird of Bassin- 

 dean who was of the Covenanting party, had been for a time con- 

 cealed from those who sought his life. The tenants think that 

 the farm house had once been a peel-tower. The re-united com- 

 pany next repaired to the garden attached to the residence of 

 Major John H. Ferguson Home, which stands on a distinct pro- 

 perty from the farm. It is well sheltered, and is neat and well 

 cropped. The soil here and all round the mansion house is a 

 stiff clay, but there is as good a crop here of peaches and grapes 

 as anywhere else ; and it is favourable for raising early straw- 

 berries and peas. There were some curious varieties of Mimulus 

 growing near the entrance. There were some very good Pyre- 

 thrums in bloom ; and a well flowered plant of Pernettya mucron- 

 ata. Near it was a mass of the dark-foliaged variety of 

 Ajuga reptans, which was frequented, as the wild one usually is, 

 by a yellow and black saw-fly, a species of Athalia, whose 

 nomenclature is at present in suspense. The bright scarlet 

 flowered Alonsoa elegans was grown in the vinery, and like- 

 wise a white bloom-ed pensile species of Tradescantia, not 

 a common thing. The apple trees had suffered from the previous 

 winter. The mansion-house is in a state of transition, and will 

 be handsome when completed. Part of it is old, with small 

 windows ; the additions are in the Scottish baronial style. The 

 coat of arms of Ferguson combined with Home is finely sculp- 

 tured. There is an old dial on one of the aspects, said to be 

 dated 1600. Having been recently planted, some of the shrubs 

 have been hardly dealt with by the inclement winter of 1879-80. 

 Aucula Japonica, the Laurestinuses, and Mahonia were sore cut 

 up. Some elms had also suffered severely. A deluge of rain 

 forced the members to take refuge in the conservatory. This is 

 built on the top of the old peel tower of the mansion, which was 



