500 



APPENDIX. 



The following members of the committee assembled at AUanton 

 House, on the 18th September 1823, viz. — 



Lord Belhaven. 

 Lord Succoth. 

 Lord Corehouse. 

 Sir Walter Scott, Bart. 

 Alexander Young, Esq. 



The committee had also communicated to them in writing, the 

 opinions of Gilbert Laing Meason, Esq., General Graham Stirling, and 

 Mr Hamilton Dundas, who could not attend, but who had previously 

 examined the transplanting operations at Allanton House, during the 

 planting season. And the committee, having afterwards more numer- 

 ously met in Edinburgh, they agreed to the following report. 



In order to render the report, which we are about to make, more 

 distinct and intelligible to the Society, it will be necessary to give some 

 idea of the soil and climate of the park or lawn at Allanton House, 

 which has received most of its striking decorations by means of the 

 transplanting system, (the present object of our investigation,) and under 

 the direction of the proprietor's acknowledged accuracy of taste. 



This park consists, as we were informed, of more than a hundred 

 acres of sheep pasture, exclusive of the large external plantations, or 

 bounding lines of wood, that surround the place. It is situated in 

 rather a high country, being more than four hundred feet above the 

 level of the sea, (according to the late canal surveys,) and nearly three 

 hundred above Edinburgh. The soil is extremely various, consisting of 

 strong clay, deep loam, and light gravelly soil. Peat-moss also, for 

 composts, is to be had in abundance near at hand ; so that a better 

 subject could scarcely have been found for making experiments on 

 forest trees. What succeeded here, it is probable, would not fail in 

 more favourable situations ; and the science of the experimentalist 

 would thus suffer no reproach for owing too much of its success to the 

 advantages of nature.* 



The surface of these grounds is very irregular and diversified, well 

 cultivated, and beautifully dressed throughout. It inclines, for the 

 most part, to the west and south-west, (usually the most stormy points 

 in this Island,) and, by consequence, the exposure to the winds is very 



* This observation is introduced at the particular desire of Sir Henry 

 Steuart. 



