REPORTS OF MEETINGS FOR 1909 33 



Ayton ; Dr James McWhir, Swinton ; Rev. David Paul, LL.D., 

 Edinburgh ; Mr J. Romanes, Melrose ; Mr Henry Rutherfurd, 

 Fairnington ; Miss Simpson, Coldingham ; Mr Jas. A. Somervail, 

 Hoselaw; Rev. R. D. E. Stevenson, Ancroft Moor; Mr C. C. 

 Tunnard, Tyninghame ; Mr Joseph Wilson, Duns ; Mr D. Veitch, 

 and Mrs Yeitch, Duns. 



Glorious sunshine favoui-ed the party, as they drove through 

 the extending village of East Linton, and turning seawards 

 along the course of the river Tyne proceeded in the direction 

 of Tyninghame. Towering above the garden wall of the Manse 

 of Prestonkirk was noticed a remarkable clump of New Zealand 

 Flax ( Formium tenax) with nine stately flower-spikes, some of 

 which reached the height of 11 feet 6 inches. The plant to which 

 they belonged had been long established, but the inflorescence was 

 declared to be exceptionally large this season. In keeping with 

 its specific designation the fibre is particularly tough, and could it 

 be separated at a reasonable cost from a gum which belongs to 

 it, the plant would prove of considerable commercial value. At 

 present the cost of any feasable process of extraction is quite 

 prohibitive. Among many other flowering species in this well 

 stocked garden were specimens of the largest known Iris (Iris 

 gigantea ochroleuca), some of which measured 5 feet to the tip of 

 the flower. The Parish Church adjoins the highway, and is 

 surrounded with an orderly burying-place, which is said to have 

 been in use for upwards of a thousand years. After passing 

 the entrance to Smeaton-Hepburn and ascending a steep incline, 

 an easy road brought the members to the picturesque village 



of Tyninghame, with its Widows' Row providing 

 Tyning= for the needs of the relicts of former retainers, 



hame. its Post-office, and Green bounded on each side 



of the road with tidy dwelling-houses, each of 

 which possessed its own well tended garden. These plots 

 did not present so gay an appearance as on the occasion of 

 the Club's recent visit to Tantallon Castle in September 1 907 ; 

 but this could easily be accounted for by the lateness of the 

 season and the prevalence of drought, in marked contrast to 

 the weather experienced South of the Tweed during June and 

 July. Large gangs of farm labourers were engaged in singling 

 turnips ; and hay was being made into kyles. At the entrance 



