LEYDEN. 161 



mixture of peat-moss and tanners-bark, broken so small as 

 to resemble a coarse powder : — but we have to add, that 

 this makes a better substitute for gravel than one would, 

 a priori, expect ; and if it be overlaid with sand or pound- 

 ed shells, as may probably be intended, a tolerably firm 

 and good walk may be formed. 



In connection with this new garden, a Menagerie is in 

 contemplation. Indeed, we saw several foreign animals, 

 which had lately arrived, and were destined to be the first 

 inmates ; particularly an African sheep with four horns, 

 and an American female buffalo with her calf. 



Aug. 28. — In the morning, Mr Hay and I prepared a 

 letter, to be dispatched to Dr Duncan senior, first Vice- 

 President of the Caledonian Horticultural Society, men- 

 tioning the progress we had made in our tour ; so that he 

 might, if he thought fit, communicate it to the Society at 

 the anniversary meeting held annually on the second Tues- 

 day of September *. 



In the mean time, Mr Macdonald took an extensive 

 walk around Ley den, to reconnoitre the horticultural state 

 of the environs. He reported, that the soil was in gene- 

 ral excellent; that market-gardens or twins were nume- 

 rous, and that large quantities of garden-stuffs were rais- 

 ed in them. In the cultivation of these, there seemed no- 

 thing peculiar, except that very rich compost manure 

 was liberally supplied. The specimens of vegetables which 

 he saw, were, upon the whole, inferior to those produced 

 near Bruges and Ghent, though perhaps better than those 

 of Antwerp and Rotterdam. He observed no remarkable 



* This, we afterwards learned, was accordingly done, by that eminent 

 physician and zealous horticulturist, at the meeting on 9th September 1817. 



t 



