Report of Meetings for 1886. By J. Hardy. 38$ 



which grew here and there in large bushes, its foliage completely 

 hidden by its panicles of white blossom, which lighted up the 

 gloom of the surrounding evergreens. On an elevated spot 

 stands the old church of Dawyck, now disused, and converted 

 into a mausoleum. Fiom this the walk led through the higher 

 grounds and the woods, where some remarkably fine trees were 

 observed, notably some large oaks and horse-chestnuts, with some 

 silver firs of immense size. From the end of a long terrace 

 a view was obtained of the distant hills including Tinto in 

 Lanarkshire ; while close to the mansion is the end of a mag- 

 nificent avenue of limes of great length, but which was once 

 longer, and was then probably without an equal. Even now 

 it is very rare that anything so fine is met wuth. 



Epilobium angmtifolium, a native of the hills, grew round the 

 western lodge. A rained larch of great dimensions, withered 

 and dead, lay near the side of the drive ; it was one of the oldest 

 here, and vied with the Athole larches for priority of introduction 

 to this country. Growing near the burn, behind the house, were 

 numerous plants of Myrrhis odorata, with their fine black ripened 

 pericarps. Perhaps it was grown as a disinfectant. The fox- 

 glove was very effective among the wealth of decorative shrubs 

 that w r e passed in ascending the glen. Much red-berried elder 

 with ripened berries added to the richness of the colouring. 

 There was a grand beech avenue on the height, before the 

 highest point for a prospect was reached. Thence, 

 " Tinto lifts its summit lone 

 Far 'mid the stillness of the west.'' 



It came out as a dark blue pyramid, with a pillar on its peak, 

 from between two hills nearer to us. AVe are told that from the 

 top, "in clear days the Bass may be seen on one side of the 

 island, and the Firth of Solway on the other," besides being 

 " seen from every part of Clydesdale and even Dumbartonshire." 

 The Club hailed it for the first time in its history. 



The great gale had levelled several of the gigantic beeches. 

 The Coniferae grow well here. There were some stately larches 

 as we drew near the east part of the mansion. A herd of roe- 

 deer wanders wild in the woods. Sir James Naesmyth does not 

 shoot any, and they have increased much. He might say 

 " No flocks that roam the valley free 

 To slaughter I condemn ; 

 Taught by that Power that pities me, 

 I learn to pity them." 



