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attention bestowed upon planting in Scotland ; and, in a few, widely- 
scattered instances, we find places bearing marks of culture and 
planting that carry us back to that century ; but all of these mark, 
also, that the effort was confined to the planting of a few trees near 
the mansion-house and the houses of the greater tenants. 
In the next century (16th), but rather towards the end of it, con- 
siderable progress was made in the creation and embellishment of 
country houses. William, first Earl of Gowrie, who built a gallery, 
and decorated it with pictures, was a zealous planter, and was fond of 
the chestnut and walnut. In 1586, James, Lord Ogilvy, is found 
corresponding with Sir David Lindsay of Edzell, about their planta- 
tions, and writes to him — “ Your thousand young birkis shall be 
richt welcom.” 
At the same period the Campbells of Glenurchy were creating 
the place of Balloch, now Taymouth, enforcing the planting of single 
trees amongst their tenants, and using vigorous measures for pro- 
tecting wood. Probably similar operations were carried on in that 
century at Seaton, at Winton, Lethington, and other places ; and 
some remains of still older cultivation are to be found about the 
seats of the old Church lords, as at Newbattle, Ancrum, Pinkie, and 
a few others. 
It seems very doubtful whether any tree planted before the Refor- 
mation is now growing in Scotland. The date of the sycamore 
at Kippenross is not well vouched ; and, to judge from appear- 
ance, neither it nor those at Newbattle can be ranked so old as 300 
years. The chestnut at Finhaven was certainly much overrated 
when said in 1760 to be 500 years old. 
Some ancient yews, especially the yew of Fortingall, come under 
a different category. It would appear that successive trees grow up 
in the bark and round the stem of the decayed yew, and may go 
on decaying and reproducing indefinitely. 
About the period of King James’s accession to the English throne 
(a.d. 1603) was the era of a great effort for improving and beauti- 
fying our country mansions, as shown in the Aberdeenshire castel- 
lated mansion, and others of the same taste all over Scotland. That 
period of fine taste was marked by great attention to planting, chiefly 
in the manner of avenues of ash and sycamore, with a timid inter- 
mixture of chestnut and walnut. During '‘the troubles” of Charles’s 
reign and the Commonwealth, there was a cessation of progress ; 
