Report of Meetings for 1885. By Jas. Hardy. 23 



continuous mass of bilberry. The Scotch, fir plantations on 

 Stewartfield, now Hartrigge, were made about the 1 8th .century, 

 being nearly but not quite as old as those of Marlefield, Stobs, 

 Cavers, Wells (Eule Water) and Chesters (Ancrum). In 1798 

 the timber was selling here at from 7d to Is per foot.* Mr 

 Jeffrey states that in 1839, a storm of wind from the south-west 

 destroyed a great number of the trees.f The grass grounds 

 where we passed are in a half wild condition, full of "Bull's 

 faces," (Aira caspitosa), while swamps were glowing with flower- 

 ing beds of Caltha palustris. Mungeon is the name of one of the 

 Knolls. The great park is let to towns-people in Jedburgh, who 

 stock it with 120 cows at £5 per annum. 



The Wild-cat gate, where the last wild cat was killed, is situ- 

 ated in the " Old Wood." The garden at the entrance attracted 

 the florists, and some tempting Agarics were captured on the 

 cottage roof by the aid of a fishing rod. What is said to be an 

 interesting sculptured stone with deer on it, at the north side of 

 the house, was not seen. An admirable view of Jedburgh was 

 caught in the descent to the town, the gardens and orchards being 

 radiant with the blossom of the fruit trees, which was more than 

 usually rich this season. 



Mr Watson will now relate the winding up of the day's pro- 

 ceedings: "Jedburgh was reached about half -past three, and 

 several of the members then went to inspect the Abbey and 

 the Museum. In the latter place several gentlemen in the town 

 and neighbourhood had placed a number of very interesting 

 articles for the inspection of the members. Mr Pott of Knowe- 

 south had kindly placed there a case containing fifty gold and 

 silver coins, and an antique watch found in 1823 on a molehill 

 on the hill line of road between Jedburgh and Hermitage. This 

 watch is now supposed to have probably been lost by one of 

 Queen Mary's retinue on the occasion of the unfortunate Queen's 

 visit to Bothwell at Hermitage on 16th October 1566. Among 

 the gold coins belonging to Mr Pott were a £5 piece and a £2 

 piece of George IV., and another of James II., guineas of 

 George III., a sovereign of Queen Mary of Scotland, and a very 

 fine Pose noble of one of the Henrys. The chief of the silver 

 coins were some beautiful crown pieces of James II., Charles II., 



* Douglas's Agricultural Survey, 1798, p. 121. 

 t Jeffrey's Hist, of Roxburghshire, ii., p. 374. 



