SOME NOTES CONCERNING ASfllESTElBL l49 



Sir Walter Scott laments in his diary the clearing away 

 of the natural wood in the "romantic pasturage" called the 

 Cow park, at Ashiesteel, during the absence of every one 

 interested in the place. 



A narrow strip of plantation was made on the upper side 

 of it, along the high-road, the soil of which was not ploughed ; 

 and on enclosing a small portion of this, long after the planted 

 trees had grown to a good size, wild roses and broom came 

 up at once. 



While no natural growth appeared in a small clump of 

 trees planted, and equally protected, near the farm-house, 

 where the ground had been often, though not constantly, 

 ploughed. 



A tradition had arisen that the upper strip was planted 

 by Sir Walter, though nothing can be clearer than his 

 statement about the natural wood in his day ; and it is not 

 unlikely he suggested planting some birches. A woman who 

 came to the place in 1819 said "the Cow park was like a 

 forest." And another member of this family — " A great many 

 of the trees was birks, and they sauld them to the powder- 

 mills." 



It is well it should be known that the son of his brother 

 Daniel, whom (Lockhart says) Sir Walter Scott took charge 

 of after their mother's death, eventually developed into a 

 creditable citizen, though he seems to have been among the 

 trials of Sir Walter Scott's last years. He says that the 

 young man (who was not allowed to use, or at all events 

 never did use, the name of Scott) had fully inherited the 

 "dour temper" of the family. 



Elsewhere, on the death of a relation, he mentions the 

 "indifferent temper" of the " Sandyknowe bairns" — his 

 grandfather's family. 



Daniel Scott's son must have been growing up just about 

 the time that Sir Walter's embarrassments became known ; 

 and he was assisted, though I do not know exactly at what 

 time, with a loan of a hundred pounds (a good deal more 

 then than it would be now) to begin a small business, by 

 their cousin, Colonel, afterwards Sir James Kussell. 



