Sir,—I was extremely interested in the letter of Mr. Alfred Watkins in a recent number of Country Life. Yesterday I was walking along a very ancient road that had been worn for many feet deep through rocks, when, as we came to more level country, I saw a grove of Scotch firs and repeated to my friend the information as to firs and prehistoric tracks. She looked at me in surprise. “That is quite wrong; they were planted over the graves of Scotch soldiers who died by the way and were buried by their companions, in the days of Henry II or Henry III, I cannot remember which.” Is there any reason for this belief? The grove in question was in mid-Sussex. I know the Scotch in olden days had a particular love for the firs of their native land and would bring the seeds with them from Scotland. But in days when the dead were seldom buried, but were left for the wolves and dogs to devour, it seems strange that the Scotch soldiery should bury their dead and plant fir seeds over the mound.—C.
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