24 
to the forests of France and Germany, when they had at home 
such extensive and well-managed forests as they had seen during 
the last two days. 
Mr Wepperspoon, in thanking the Members for the hearty 
manner in which they had pledged His Grace’s health, said that 
he did not know much practically about forestry, but he thought 
it would be a good thing if such places as Essex, for instance, 
where the country was often very bare and barren, were planted. 
They would derive many substantial advantages from it. Besides 
having the timber, they would have the shelter of the growing 
trees, and it would help much to make the landscape more 
interesting. 
Mr Dunn then proposed the health of the representatives of 
His Grace the Duke of Richmond and Gordon, referring to the 
great trouble to which they had put themselves in order to make 
the visit as instructive and interesting as possible, and express- 
ing the indebtedness of the Members for the successful result 
attending their labours. , 
Mr AirKeEn, factor, replied in suitable terms. 
After luncheon, the weather having faired up again, the Mem- 
bers proceeded to conclude the remaining portion of the day’s 
programme, but owing to the dampness of the ground after the 
heavy downpour of rain, the route had to be curtailed in some places. 
The ducal castle was an object of great interest to the party, from 
the many historical associations connected with it, The original 
castle was founded in 1498 by the second Earl of Huntly, and 
was long known as the “ Bog o’ Gight Castle,” and along with its 
noble owners, who were locally styled the ‘‘Guidmen o’ Bog o’ 
Gight,” and the “Cocks of the North,” figured prominently in 
the history of the country for many ages. The castle was rebuilt 
by the fourth Duke of Gordon about a century ago, and is a 
stately pile of four stories, with the original high embattled 
tower of the Bog o’ Gight in the centre, and lower wings of two 
stories, presenting in all a splendid fagade of 568 feet in length, 
Owing to the preparations, however, for the immediate arrival 
of the ducal family at their Highland home, the Excursionists 
were unable to view the magnificence of the interior. Had this 
been possible, the costly paintings, family portraits, sculpture, 
and other rare and choice works of art by eminent masters, with 
which it is adorned, would certainly have drawn forth the 
admiration of one and all. 
