44 
the visitors of the heavy crop they had seen on the beeches 
in the New Forest, Hants, last year. A finely variegated 
Scots pine, on the right of the drive, was noticed in passing, 
and near the home farm, a splendid herd of about forty head 
of pedigree Highland cattle, some of which have carried off 
high honours in the show-yard, were seen and much admired. 
The route followad the course of the Millton Burn for some 
distance past the home farm, with fine larches and silver firs 
all the way. 
Leaving the park by the handsome castellated gate and 
bridge under the Highland Railway, the road turned sharp to 
the right, past the neat private station, built by the railway com- 
pany for the use of the Seafield family. Most of the party here 
dismounted, to walk and ease the horses up the long and rather 
steep ascent of Ballieward Hill. They were amply rewarded by 
the magnificent views they obtained of the surrounding country, 
and the grandly picturesque scenery of Strathspey and its 
environments. The whole of the Cairngorm range was distinctly 
seen in the clear air which prevailed, the broad crest of Ben 
Macdhui towering in all its glory in the far distance, while in the 
rugged corries of Braeriach and some of its giant neighbours, 
streaks of almost perpetual snow were clearly visible. Nearer 
at hand the lower hills of Glenmore and Rothiemurchus, and the 
widespread forests of Strathspey, formed a striking and highly 
attractive panorama. On each side of the road as it ascended, 
there were seen thriving mixed plantations of oak, lime, larch, 
spruce, and Scots pine. Reaching the top of the hill, the 
extensive woodlands of Lynemore on the right were inspected. 
They are formed entirely of natural-sown larch, and their freedom 
of growth and vigorous condition give every promise of a grand 
crop of timber when the trees reach their maturity. The crop has 
had about fifteen years’ growth, and covers the ground as regularly 
as if it had been hand-planted, care having been taken to thin the 
thickets of young trees before they suffered any injury from 
crowding. The success of this treatment was unmistakable, and 
afforded a topic of much interest for discussion among the Members. 
In the plantation on the opposite side of the road, the natural- 
sown larches and Scots pines were also seen coming up among 
a thin crop of old trees, so that the exotic larch may be said to 
be now completely naturalised in these woods. 
The horses’ heads were here turned, and driving back for some 
