THE RIVER DEE. 
547 
In cultivated fields are seen the plants usually found in 
such places in all parts of Scotland. Centaurea Cyanus arid 
Chrysanthemum segetum are particularly abundant in the 
whole course of the Dee. In short, the plants which form 
the basis of vegetation in Scotland, are those which occur 
here, extending along the course of the river to its mouth. 
The river itself, being rapid and pebbly in its bed, is not 
favourable to aquatic plants. Potamogeton natans^ Scir- 
pus lacustris, Carex riparia^ Sparganium oiatans. My- 
riophyllum spicatum^ and such plants, occur in small quan- 
tities. 
Epilohium ajigustifolmm is abundant in the den of a 
rivulet about half way between Castletown and the Linn. 
It also occurs in Glen Candlic, near Invercauld, and in 
other places. TrifoUum medium is of great size and beau- 
ty, and seems to have entirely usurped the place of T, 
pratense, as I did not observe a single specimen of the 
latter. 
The wood of this valley is composed principally of Pi- 
nus sylvestris, of which there is a considerable quantity 
undoubtedly wild, although there is also much that has 
been planted. Many of the trees in the wood above Mar 
Lodge are of great size and beauty. One which I mea- 
sured was 11 feet 8 inches, two feet above the ground, and 
I saw several others of greater circumference. Woods of 
Betula alba also occur ; and by the streams Alnus gluti"- 
nosa, Pyrus aucuparia^ Populus tremula, Corylus Avella- 
na, Prunus Padus. Fraxinus excelsior I have nowhere 
seen above Castletown, and the gardener at Invercauld in- 
formed me that when planted, the young twigs are liable 
to be destroyed in winter. Lonicera Periclymenum occurs 
in the woods, but is not frequent, as do Ruhus idcBus and 
R. corylifoUus, and there is abundance of Vaccinium Myr- 
tillus and V. Vitis-idcea, The willows which I observed 
M m 2 
