PROCEEDINGS OF THE PERTHSHIRE SOCIETY OF NATURAE SCIENCE. 
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tidy cottages in the country, with nice gardens surround¬ 
ing them. Instead of living in unhealthy towns and 
cities, drinking bad water (such as they say you have in 
Perth), bad beer, and burning whisky, and sleeping in 
miserable garrets — breathing carbonic acid gas, and 
perhaps a still more unhealthy moral atmosphere— 
how much better would it be to have nice little cottages 
and gardens in the country, where, after the day’s work is 
over, the leisure hours could be pleasantly and profitably 
spent in the cultivation of fruit. How much healthier 
mentally, morally, and physically would our rising popu¬ 
lation be were they trained in such homes in the country, 
and how soon, with willing hands, might many a waste 
piece of ground be made to rejoice and blossom as the 
rose. But some, no doubt, will say to me—“Oh! there 
is scarcely any waste land in this country, especially 
near our large cities and towns, where such homes 
as you describe could be got for the working classes.” 
I reply that plenty of it could be got even on the fertile 
braes of the Carse of Gowrie, which is not half-culti¬ 
vated as it should be. If such be the case in the far- 
famed “ Garden of Scotland, ” as it is sometimes called, I 
am sure it is so with most other places throughout the 
length and breadth of the land. What a vast amount of 
fruit could be grown along the Braes of the Carse, between 
Perth and Dundee—and even in the glens or dens as they 
are called—where, at present, is to be found mostly whin 
and broom, or, perhaps, at best, a patch of grass. Take as 
an example, Pitrodie Den, so well known to botanists. 
This would be an excellent exposure for growing apples ) 
pears, plums, and cherries on the richer soil of the slopes- 
and where the soil is lighter strawberries could be grown 
in abundance. Here let me tell you that there is money 
to be got from the cultivation of strawberries. Just 
a few days ago, I asked a gentleman, who has been 
engaged the most of his lifetime in the cultiva¬ 
tion of fruit, what was the largest sum he ever ob¬ 
tained for strawberries from a given piece of ground. 
The answer was—“Prom 11 falls of ground, planted 
with strawberries, I got £12 10s.” Raspberries, goose¬ 
berries, and currants could be grown wiih great ad¬ 
vantage in Pitrodie Den. The same might be done in 
the neighbouring Den of Kilspindie ; and, indeed, all along 
the braeface, where at present very little is grown. In 
order to prove what I say, let me carry you in imagination 
to the little village of Rait, situated in a den also. Visit 
that hamlet in spring, and see the tidy gardens filled with 
fruit trees and bushes of all sorts, and see the lovely bloom 
of the apple and pear trees. Visit it again in autumn, 
and see the ripe, luscious fruits in all their varied hues— 
from the little golden pippin with its tinted cheek, to the 
rosy “Fair Maid of France”—and I am sure you will be 
pleased with the prospect. But let us pass on a few 
hundred yards farther south to the famous garden and 
grounds of Annat, and there you will see the golden-gage 
plum growing to advantage, where it was first reared by 
the famous botanist, the late Mr Gorrie. After examining 
the other fine fruits of this famous spot, I can fancy you 
chanting the lines of the old song— 
Oh! for a cottage near a wood, 
Where health and plenty still prevail. 
Let me take you a little farther along the Braes of the 
Carse, to the famous seat of the late Sir P. M. Threipland 
of Fingask. I will not take you to the gardens, as at 
present I am anxious to show you how comparatively 
waste lands may be utilised. I will take you to the 
orchard, also in a den. In the month of May, when 
the trees are in bloom, to get upon an eminence and 
look down upon the vast expanse of white and purple 
blossom, fills one with rapturous delight, But sup¬ 
pose it is autumn when you visit it, you will see the 
branches bending to the ground with fruit of all sizes, 
tints, and colours, while cartload after cartload is being 
sent off to market. After seeing this you will say there is 
a vast amount both of pleasure and profit to be derived from 
the cultivation of fruit. In this orchard there are some 
very famous trees, from which twenty to thirty hampers of 
fruit are taken in one season. An old orchard-keeper lately 
told me that one year a Dundee fruit-merchant paid £11 
for the fruit of one tree in this orchard—an Irish Green. 
It covers an area of about 60 yards in circumference. 
One season’s fruit from a tree like this is more than the 
value of a forest-tree altogether after growing for more 
than a century. Let us now hurriedly pass on to the 
famous Den of Kiunaird, where stands the famous old 
Castle, with its antiquarian relics. Here there are some 
fine old trees, but many more could be grown, and would 
add considerably to the beauty of the scenery, more especi¬ 
ally in front of the Castle. But time flies, so I must hurry 
you on along the braes; but let us have a passing glance 
of the nice little mansion of Ballindean, which is so snugly 
set at the hill-foot, that it looks like a robin’s nest in an 
ivy wall. In this orchard I have seen fruit as fine and as 
abundant as anywhere in the Carse, thanks to the in¬ 
telligent and industrious gardener, Mr Reid, who is a 
most energetic arboriculturist. Pass on with me now to 
the famous Dens of Balruddery, the property of Mr J. F. 
White. The mansion-house stands between two beauti¬ 
ful dens, with a burn running through each of them. 
At the present time the dens are rather thinly covered 
