APPENDIX.

REPORT of a COMMITTEE of the HIGHLAND SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND, appointed to inspect the operations of Sir HENRY STEUART of Allanton Baronet, in Transplanting Large Trees and Underwood, and to report to the Society thereupon.

Ar the General Meeting of the Society, on 8th January 1823, a Letter was read from Sir Henry Steuart of Allanton Bart., stating his having, for several years, practised extensively and successfully on his estate, the operation of Transplanting Large Trees and Underwood, without mutilating their tops, or in any way injuring their appearance, and requesting, that the Society would appoint a Committee to inspect his operations. The Society accordingly named the following Committee of its Members, for that purpose :

The Right Honourable Lord Belhaven.

The Honourable Lord Succoth.

Sir Walter Scott Bart.

George Cranstoun Esq. (now Lord Corehouse.)

Alexander Young Esq. of Harburn.

G. Laing Meason Esq. of Lindertis.

Lieutenant-General Graham Stirling of Duchray.

G. Hamilton Dundas Esq. of Duddingston.

Dr Robert Graham, Professor of Botany in the University of Edinburgh.

Dr Andrew Coventry, Professor of Agriculture.

Of which Committee Lord Belhaven, or, in his absence, Alexander Young Esq. was named Convener.

The following Members of the Committee assembled at Allanton 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 numerously 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 expe

rimentalist 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 considerable. This we consider as an additional advantage; as, whatever experiments were made, the Transplanted Trees would thereby be put to a severe trial.

About the Mansion House there is not much Timber of ancient standing. The entire number of old Trees may not exceed between Sixty and Seventy, but they are happily dispersed over the surface. To these have been added, by the owner, a vast number of single and scattered Trees, to the amount, as we were informed, of between Six and Seven Hundred; which, with various enclosed clumps, or masses of different sorts, all transplanted, give to the whole a rich and woody appearance. But from the style, in which the removed are mixed and massed up with the older Trees, the effect produced is extremely striking, especially when viewed from any commanding eminence.

In the Park there is also a piece of Water of considerable extent, and of very various outline, which shows the Transplanted Woods to great advantage. The grounds were originally laid out by Mr White, the well-known Landscape Gardener; but Sir Henry seems largely to have superadded his own improvements, and, in the management of both the Woods and the Water, to have profited by the principles of Mr Price.

In following out the instructions of the Society, to investigate the Improvements, made in the Art of Transplanting at this Place, the object of our inquiry naturally divides itself into three parts: FIRST, to examine the Single and scattered Trees, and such as stand in detached groups, in the open lawn; SECONDLY, Such as form Enclosed Clumps, or masses of some magni

This observation is introduced at the particular desire of Sir Henry Steuart.

tude; and, THIRDLY, to discover how far the Art is applicable to general purposes of utility or ornament.

FIRST, As to Single Trees, and Groups on the open lawn. Of this description, in every part of the place, we found the Oak, Ash, Witch or Scotch Elm, Beech, Sycamore, Lime, Horse-Chesnut, Larch, and Scotch Fir; all of which, having been, at one time or other, the subjects of transplantation, as we ascertained by accurate examination, are growing with extraordinary vigour and luxuriance, and shooting from six to eighteen inches yearly, in the openest exposures. Some Sycamores, Limes and Oaks we particularly noticed, of which the shoots might measure more than two and a half feet, in similar exposures. This we consider as probably unexampled in any part of the Kingdom.

These Single Trees are of various sizes. Those transplanted some years since, are from thirty to forty feet high, or more; the girth of the largest being from five feet three, to five feet eight inches, at a foot and a half from the ground. Sir Henry acquainted us, that "He was by no means ambitious to remove the largest possible Trees, but to attain the greatest possible success, in those which he did remove. In respect to size (he added), if his principles were only followed out, that was a mere matter of expenditure; because one Tree could be removed just as well as another, provided that the owner did not grudge the cost." To the praise, then, of the most perfect success we consider his exertions as fully entitled.

Our attention was next turned to some Single Trees of the Sycamore, Horse-Chesnut, and Beech species, which had been transplanted, during the first week of April in the present year, so that they had stood about six months in the ground, at the time of our inspection. The height, which, as we were informed, had been accurately taken, at the time of their removal, is variously from twenty-eight to thirty-three feet; and the girth, which we caused to be measured by two of Sir Henry's servants, is two and a half, and three feet, at eighteen inches from the ground. These Trees were entirely in leaf, when we examined them, and their Foliage was of a healthy and deep green colour. Their Branches were quite entire, and they stood firm and erect, without Prop or Suppert. The only difference that

the most accurate eye could discover, between these Trees, and others long since planted, seemed to be, that their leaves were somewhat smaller; a distinction, which, as we observed in other instances, usually disappears after the first, but always after the second season.

In viewing these specimens of an art, of the power of which we had formed no adequate conception, the following facts and circumstances particularly struck us, respecting the Single and Detached Trees: We will, therefore, concisely state them, as worthy the notice of the Society.

First, the singular beauty and symmetry of the Trees; the uncommon girth of their stems, in proportion to their height; and the complete formation of their Branches, and spreading tops. In fact, they appear, instead of "stripling plants" (as Gilpin would have called them), to be fine Lawn Trees in miniature, and not young saplings, in their progress to that state of perfection. The peculiar and park-like appearance, which these give to the lawn (so different from what we have observed, in other instances of Removed Wood), must, of course, in some degree proceed from a judicious selection in the planter. But we learned, on enquiry, that Sir Henry considers it as mainly owing to a course of previous training in pretty open exposures, or in what he appropriately calls his "Transplanting Nurseries," or otherwise, in plantations thinned out for the purpose, to wide distances.

The Second thing we shall mention, is the surprising health and vigour of the Trees, considering the exposures in which they are placed, and the complete and perfect Preservation of their Branches, notwithstanding the operation of Removal. In all, or most other specimens of Transplanting, whether in this country or in England, it has been the uniform practice of planters, to lop and lighten the Tops, to prune off the Side-boughs, and often to pollard or decapitate the Trees altogether. But, according to Sir Henry's improved and skilful method of managing the process, the necessity of this unsightly mutilation is completely obviated; as in his Trees, seldom a twig or a branch appears to decay, in consequence of the operation. Thus, the peculiar conformation and character of each Tree are preserved;