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marquee specially erected for the occasion, on the beautiful 
greensward of the lawn near the mansion. Mr Edward Balfour 
presided, and, when the repast was finished, 
Mr Joun Metuven asked the company to drink to the health 
of Colonel Balfour, who had been so kind as to invite the 
Arboricultural Society to visit his beautiful demesne, and had 
so hospitably received them. Balbirnie was one of the first 
places he had any distinct recollection of. When he was a boy 
he had seen it frequently. He had often visited it since, and 
he could truly say that Balbirnie had always been kept up as 
the estate of a Scottish gentleman ought to be, and he was 
certain that would be the opinion of them all after they had 
seen its beauties. They most heartily congratulated Colonel 
Balfour on keeping his years so well, and they would ask the 
chairman to convey to his father their obligations to him for 
his kindness to the Society. 
Mr Epwarp BALrour, younger of Balbirnie, who was received 
with loud applause, said his father, who was not able to be 
present, had asked him to thank them for the honour they had 
done him in coming to look at his property. Colonel Balfour 
had been resident on this place for fifty-five years, and in their 
walk round the estate they would see traces of his hand in 
everything connected with it. They did not think of their 
home here perhaps in the same way as Mr Methven had spoken 
of it ; at the same time they did not consider they had anything 
to be ashamed of in having Balbirnie as a show-place to-day. 
He was afraid they would only see some of what he might 
call the ornamental woods. The commercial timber was too 
far away for them to inspect in the‘ limited time which he 
understood was at their disposal. On their way to Falkland, 
however, they would see a part of these woods in the distance 
as they drove along the highway. 
Dr SoMERVILLE proposed the health of Mr Edward Balfour, 
who had so ably presided over the luncheon, and for his kind- 
ness in acting as their guide over the estate. 
Mr Epwarp BALFouvrR, in reply, said that he should like to 
come with the Society next year, if they would honour him 
with an invitation. 
After luncheon, two hours were spent pleasantly and profit- 
ably in inspecting the trees in the policies and pleasure-grounds. 
Many splendid old beech trees were met with, as also excellent 
oaks and larches, and fine specimens of other deciduous trees. 
A number of the trees were measured. The largest beech was 
15 feet 10 inches in girth at 5 feet up. A very fine oak was 
9 feet 9 inches in circumference. A tall sycamore, with a 
shapely head, was 11 feet 6 inches in girth; and another tree 
