REPORT OF MEETINGS FOR 1901 57 



Appendix II. 



A Treatise on the manner of raising Forest Trees, etc. 



In a letter from the Right Honourable Thom,as, Sixth Earl of 



Haddington, to his Grandson."* 



When I came to live in this place, in the year 1700, there 

 were not above fourteen acres set with trees. I believe the 

 reason was, that it was a received notion in this country 

 that no trees could grow here, because of the sea-air and of 

 the north-east winds -; so that the first of our family that 

 lived here, either believing the common opinion, or not 

 delighting in planting, made no attempts that way. My 

 grandfather came late to the estate, and the civil wars in 

 the time of King Charles I. did not permit him to stay at 

 home (for, being lame, he could not join either side) ; but 

 when they were over, he tried to raise some trees, which he 

 planted round the house and gardens. There were but two 

 rows of them ; but I make no doubt he would have gone 

 on if death had not prevented him. My father succeeded 

 him, who, as I have been told, both loved and understood 

 planting as well as any man in his time. He began to plant, 

 to drain, and enclose his grounds to very good purpose, and 

 I question not would have gone on in the same way ; but 

 his father-in-law dying, he went to take possession of the 

 estate in right of my mother, who was heiress, and settled 

 at Leslie, where he planted a great deal. 



As I was then very young, I staid at Leslie with my 

 mother, and this place was let to tenants. They pulled up 

 the hedges, ploughed down the banks, and let the drains fill 

 up so, that when I came to reside here everything of that 

 kind was in ruins, except the thickets to the east and west 

 of the house. As I was not then of age, I took pleasure 

 in sports, dogs, and horses ; but had no manner of inclination 

 to plant, inclose, or improve my grounds. But, being at last 



* An extract from an early work on Forestry, communicated by 

 Miss Mary Milne-Home, 



; 



