Report of Meetings for 1886. By J. Hardy. 351 



surrounded by a well-treed park. It was built by James Hume 

 of Carolside, who after disposing of the estate, died at Earlston, 

 10th April, 1839, aged 93. It is now the property of the heir 

 of the late Alexander Mitchell, Esq., whose widow is now Lady 

 Reay. A very fine bridge below the house crosses the Leader. 

 The garden borders are stocked with a rich assortment of 

 perennials, both old and new, and the greenhouses contain 

 several orchids, etc., besides successfully grown ferns of con- 

 siderable rarity. There is an old yew tree in the garden. The 

 hollies have been much impaired by recent severe winters. 

 Being in a hollow near the river, the frost rimes fall heavy and 

 remain long unexhaled. 



In respect to the trees on the estate, Mr Robertson, the 

 intelligent forester, informs me that the soil is well adapted for 

 growing larches. He raises them from German seed in the 

 nursery, and does now allow the young trees to be older than 

 three years before they are planted out. Larch does best on 

 the open hill sides. It does not thrive when crowded with other 

 varieties, or much screened. He prefers that the ground should 

 have been under culture by ploughing, before the young trees 

 are set. " Carolside Brae " is gradually being embellished with 

 larches. The enlivening effect on this elevated slope is best 

 seen from Chapel. Silver firs, unlike larches, like to grow 

 up under shelter. The following are measurements of the best 

 trees in Carolside policy : — 



Oak height 85 feet, girth 10 feet. 



Scotch Elm, 



90 „ 



„ 13 , 



10 inches. 



Ash 



95 „ 



» 14 , 



. 8 „ 



Lime 



94 ,, 



„ 12 , 



, 4 ,, 



Beech 



89 „ 



., io , 



, 10 „ 



Silver Fir 



, 94 „ 



,i io „ 



Mr Eobertson took the girths at 5 feet from the ground. 



There were a number of American trees and shrubs introduced 

 here by Mr Hume and his friends, but the cropping of the deer 

 has nearly extirpated them. Cupresstcs Lawsoniana grows well 

 here. 



There was formerly a rookery at Carolside, but Lord Reay 

 could not endure the noise, and the inmates were expelled ; but 

 the unbroken calm of woodland solitude that succeeded was still 

 more unsufferable than the intermittent cawing of the rooks. 



