THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION. —May 27, 1850. 115 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
D 
M 
D 
W 
MAY 27—June 2, 
1856. 
__ 
Weather near London in 1855. 
Barometer. Thermo. Wind. Rain in 
__ I Inches. 
Sun 
Rises. 
_ 
Sun 
Sets. 
Moon 
R.&S, 
Moon's 
Age. 
Clock 
af. Sun. 
Day of 
Year. 
27 
To 
King of Hanover born 1819. 
29 . 7 r 9 - 29.723 
1 j 
1 75-52 S.E. 10 
55 a 3 
59 a 7 
1 24 
€ 
3 
7 
148 
28 
W 
Eneis rufifrons. 
29.8.16-29.789 
, 50—35 N.E. j 09 
54 
VIII 
1 38 
24 
3 
0 
149 
29 
Ta 
K. Ciias. II. Rest., 
1660. 
29.893—29.872 
1 59—37 ; n. | 02 
53 
2 
1 51 
25 
2 
52 
150 
30 
F 
Nitidula rutipes. 
29.949—29.879 
1 50—40 1 N. 14 
52 
3 
2 4 
26 
2 
44 
151 
31 
S 
Nitidula nigrina. 
29.683—29.4.10 
j 54—47 N.E. ! 46 
51 
4 
2 19 
27 
2 
36 
152 
1 
Sun 
2 Sunday after Tr 
NITY. 
29.921-29.718 
| 55-36 S.W. — 
50 
5 
2 m37 
28 
2 
27 
153 
2 
M 
Malachius fasciatus. 
30.002—29.918 
1 61—35 1 S.W. — 
49 
6 
sets. 
® 
2 
17 
154 
Meteorology of the Week. —At Chiswick, from observations (luring the last twenty-nine years, the average higliestand lowest tern- 
eratures of these days are 68.3°, and 45.5°, respectively. The greatest heat, 91 °, occurred or. the 28th, in 184/; and the lowest cold, 33° 
During the period 114 days were fine, and on 82 rain fell. 
M 
peratures 
on the 27th, in 1630. 
RANDOM GLEANINGS DURING A FEW DAYS 
IN SCOTLAND. 
SCONE. 
Scone House, or, as it is generally named, Scone 
Palace, is delightfully situated on the bauks of the Tav, 
two miles from Perth. The house stands on an elevated 
plateau, the ground of the noble park falling gracefully 
in front towards the river; while at the baek it rises and 
swells into banks, that the Londoners would denominate 
bills, covered with healthy, well-managed plantations of 
forest trees. Viewed, therefore, from the opposite side 
of the river, such as from the Crieff and Dunkeld roads, 
and the Perth and Aberdeen railway, the mansion has 
a very striking and imposing appearance. Much of the 
enhancing artistic beauty derived from such masses of 
forest scenery is owing to the good taste and the prac¬ 
tical skill of the late Mr. Beattie, who long held the 
position of gardener and forester, and whose pupils are 
now found in every part of the world. The mention of 
his name reminds us of contemporaries of his, who have 
also left us, such as Mr. Stewart, of Valleyfield; Mr. 
Macnab, of the Botanic Gardens; Mr. McDonald, of 
Dalkeith; Mr. Bishop, of Methuen Castle; Mr. Hen¬ 
derson, of Delvine; and Mr. Gorrie, of Annat Lodge, 
of whom l have heard the late Mr. Loudon say, lie was 
one of the very few gardeners whose communications lie 
could send to the printers without re-writing, when he 
commenced the Gardeners Magazine. The improve¬ 
ments in the gardens and home demesne at Scone have 
been well continued under the auspices of Mr. Dodds, 
now of the firm of Dickson and Sons, Edinburgh, and 
by Mr. Ilalliday, the present gardener. 
To the lover of antiquarian lore Scone is brimful of 
interesting associations. The romance of Lhe rail gives 
its helping hand to the romantic of the past. Some of 
the oldest inhabitants tell of wild encounters, and crafty 
and cruel deeds that happened in the olden time; aud 
the numbers of coffins and piles of armour they had 
seen when the present mansion was building, aud the 
grounds fresh levelled in consequence. 
In the front of the house is a Plane-tree, now some¬ 
what dilapidated, said to he planted liy the fair hands 
of the unfortunate Queen Mary; and there is one Oak 
said to be planted by her sou, aud anoLher that lays 
claim t.o still greater antiquity. In the house are 
tapestry and bed-furniture wrought by the hands of the 
same Queen, and beds iu which monarchs of old have 
reposed At a short distance from the house is the 
ancient Cross of Scone, removed carefully a few yards 
from its ancient site, some twenty five yoars ago, to 
make way for a new approach, but placed exactly as it 
formerly stood, and where it now remains, in a solitude 
contrasting greatly, if stones can rollect, with the excite¬ 
ment and animation of antiquity, when around it were 
congregated something of the hustle of a Barnet fair, or 
a Falkirk tryste. Between the hack of the house and 
the stable offices is situated a mound covered witli treos, 
called the Moat Hill, the centre occupied with a small 
ecclesiastical building, termed the Aisle, the burying- 
place of the family; the very spot on which, iu olden 
times, the ancient Kings of Scotland, seated on the 
legendary stone, were crowned ; while the sturdy Barons, 
ns if for the purpose of asserting their independence while 
they gave their homage, stood on their own soil in the 
bottom of their boots, and by the emptying of these hoots, 
when the ceremony was over, helped to swell the size of 
of the mound. I question if even yet the Scotch hoys 
at school, conversant with the tales of Wallace and 
Bruce, can forget or easily forgive the carrying off Ibis 
famous stone, and other regalia, by Edward 1., though 
informed that they are used in the coronation of our 
British monarchs. 
Owing to the rapid growth of young trees, it struck 
me that the park was over-timbered, and lhat there was 
not a sufficient contrast between it and the massive 
forest scenery with which it was backed. If desirable, 
the thinning into groups would not interfere with the 
blending of park and forest; while even from a distance 
the one would he seen to ho distinct from the other. 
The lawns are very extensive, with little on them to 
attract the eye, save the greenness of the grass—a system 
which, in such large places, with plenty of wood in the 
back-ground and fore-ground, adds to the massive dig¬ 
nity of the mansion. This is, perhaps, further increased 
by tho lawns being bounded by a stone wall, rising two 
feet, or more, above their level, and partaking of the 
Gothic architecture of the mansion. It is doubtful, 
however, if, standing at the mansion, some lovers of 
natural scenery would not rather delight to let their eye 
range from lawn to park over a common ha-ha without 
any obstruction whatever. These lawns, excopt at the 
entrance front, have been cut out into green terraces 
and sloping banks by Mr. Dodds, and Mr. Halliday 
drew my attention to the fact, that though great masses 
of earth were moved, and the work had been finished a 
number of years, not a hollow place was yet perceptible; 
showing how carefully tho work had been done. It has 
been complained of lhat, as a class, we are apt to de¬ 
preciate tho efforts of our predecessors; hut an honour- 
aide man will never build his own fame on detracting 
from the credit due to another. 
Tho flower garden is situated between tho lawn and I 
the kitchen-garden. It has little resemblance to what j 
it was twenty-five years ago. It has been altered, hit 1 
by hit, so often, and the trees and shrubs have so grown, 
that it yields an amount of pleasure from being unlike 
anything we now generally meet with. If all tho shrubs 
had fair play there would he little room for flowers. 
Done afresh chiefly as an American ground, with a few 
groups for flowers in the open spaces, it would yet repay 
the care of the flower gardener for his anxieties; but ere 
long, if the shrubs are to he preserved—aud they are 
worthy of attention—a flower-garden worthy of the 
places must he found in another site. 
The kitchen-garden contains about four acres within 
the walls. The soil is strong loam, and very productive 
as respects late crops, which are chiefly wanted. The 
No. CCCC. Von. XVI. 
