lElEPORT OF THE MEETINGS FOR 1896 5^ 



head; several ash trees with girths of 9 ft. to 11 ft. 6 in.; 

 and several beeches from 9 feet to 1 3 feet 6 inches ; oaks, 8 feet 

 and 9 feet. These trees are all from 80 feet to 90 feet in height, 

 with spreading tops. Within the entrance gate there are 

 several cedars of Lebanon, healthy trees, with girths from 5 feet 

 to 6^ feet ; near the mansion are two silver firs with girths of 16 

 feet, and a height of 110 feet; near the Abbey, and forming 

 part of an avenue, there are several ash trees of a venerable 

 appearance, from 8 J feet to 9 feet in girth, with trunks to 40 feet, 

 and a height of 90 feet; an elm 11 feet 10 inches, with a trunk 

 of 10 feet, branching into several limbs. There are also some 

 fine old thorn trees standing singly in the park and covered with 

 bloom, as were also some young laburnums, which were literally 

 covered with golden racemes. A hemlock spruce has a girth of 

 9 feet 8 inches, with 4 stems, attaining a height of 50 feet. 

 Unfortunately this tree is unhealthy. Another specimen of the 

 hemlock spruce with a girth of 4 feet 8 inches, at 18 feet high, 

 branches out into two limbs ; it is 62 feet high, and is drawn up 

 by the ruined structure with which it is surrounded. Though 

 handsome as many of these trees are, the place of honour must 

 be accorded to a yew 1 1 feet in girth and 39 feet high, with 

 wide spreading top, and said to be 700 years old." 



Appendix I. 



Geological Sketch for the Excursiofi of jrd June i8g6. By 

 Ralph Richardson, Gattonside House. 



The district traversed by this excursion has several features 

 of geological interest. Beginning at the west, we find at 

 Eedpath the frontier line separating two great formations — the 

 Silurian and the Old Eed Sandstone — the country to the west 

 of that line belonging to the former, whilst that to the east 

 belongs to the latter formation. This frontier line runs from 

 the sources of the Leader, past Lauder and Earlston, and 

 southwards by Eedpath, Bemersyde, and Newtown St. Bos wells. 

 The ruddy hue of the fields caused by the disintegration of the 

 Old Eed Sandstone, is a marked feature. Melrose and 

 Dryburgh Abbeys were probably built out of old red sandstone, 

 obtained from quarries at Dryburgh — one of which was worked 

 at the beginning of this century. As the carving on these 



