Report of Meetings for 1890. By Dr J. Hardy. 



45 



necklaces of pearls, diamonds and other precious stones ; ivories 

 from Egypt and Cyprus ; ivory card to admit to the Coliseum ; 

 Pompeian rarities ; coins ; silver and gold rings, bracelets with 

 serpents' heads ; fibulae, etc., etc. 



Those who breakfasted early enjoyed the opportunity of walk- 

 ing through the private grounds and gardens till the others were 

 prepared to start. Around the lodge and in the park there are 

 some f uUy-foliaged and stately-growing limes, sycamores, ashes, 

 elms, and beeches, besides some shapely hawthorns, and a tall 

 lively gean-tree. A very interesting sight is one of the old 

 original larches, which, at about three feet from the ground, 

 sends out at a bend a juvenile tliriving independent tree which 

 will probably outlive the almost lifeless upright parent stem. 

 Some of the best and oldest trees are near the public road below 

 the village of Callaly, especially the sycamores. 



The Willow-herb marsh behind the mansion, formed by the 

 stagnation of the burn which rises near the FoUions, is found to 

 be a nuisance so near the house, fi'om its miasmatic effluvia in 

 summer, and from being a harbour of rats. It is contemplated to 

 have it covered up and converted into firm ground. On its margin 

 and that of the new pond lower down are examples of the Great 

 Water Dock (Rumex JSi/drolapathum), which is planted by the 

 sides of most of the ponds in the district, e.gr. at Eslington House, 

 and Shawdon Hall. The gardens beyond are laid out with herba- 

 ceous and shrubby borders in the old style, and contain many 

 plants that botanists delight to look upon. The subsoil of the 

 garden is not good, being a yellow clay derived from the glacial 

 drift of the Cheviot porphyries which is inimical to healthy 

 vegetation. Hence several of the fruit trees canker, and this 

 extends also to grafts ; black frosts nip the buds and young 

 foliage in spring ; and a mist in autumn hanging over the 

 hollows sometimes impairs the quality of the produce. These 

 are the drawbacks. An old vine, a black Hamburgh, which 

 nearly fills one of the houses, was planted by one of the Claver- 

 ings, 150 yeax's ago. The plants most noticeable in the green- 

 houses were Ferns, Calceolarias, and Clerodendroas. Good 

 Roses are grown here. Of old plants there are Solomon's Seal, 

 Lilies of the Yalley, Double Eockets, a wealth of White Narcissi, 

 Hemerocallis, various sorts, thriving plants of the intensely 

 bright blue Mertensia prostrata, Rosemary bushes, and a spread- 

 ing bush of goodly size of the Teesdale Potentilla fruticosa. 



