31 
volumes for the excellent agriculture of the country. He could 
not help drawing a contrast between it and Ireland, with 
which also he was well acquainted, though Ireland in many 
respects was exceptionally favoured. What a pleasure it had 
been, for example, to see as they drove along the road the 
humblest cottage covered with flowers, whereas in Ireland it 
was the rarest thing to see a flower in connection with the 
houses of the peasantry. In Ireland, too, they might pass 
through large tracts of country and rarely see a tree. Here 
the land was clothed with woodlands, which added not only to 
its value but to its picturesque aspect. It was with great 
pleasure that they had come north that day to see something 
of the woodlands of Perthshire, and he joined with Professor 
Bayley Balfour in thanking Mr Steuart Fothringham for his 
reception of them that day. 
Mr Stevart FotTHrinGHAM, who was meer with much 
applause, said he thanked the ladies and gentlemen assembled 
round the table for the manner in which they had received 
the speeches of the two gentlemen who had been good enough 
to propose a vote of thanks to him. The only thing he had to 
say was, that he was very glad to see them there. It was 
little use having fine trees on an estate if they were not to be 
used for purposes of education, and of allowing those interested 
in the growing of them to see what had been done here with 
them during the last half century. Many of them had been 
planted there for a very long time. The days of the planting 
of some of them were known and remembered. Of others they 
had not the record. It would help them in their studies to see 
how the trees would grow in this country. At the Conifer 
Conference many people seemed quite surprised that they were 
able to grow the newer conifers so well in what he believed 
they called “barren and destitute” Scotland. But after they 
had seen specimens of wood from Murthly and other parts 
of the country, they were forced to come to the conclusion 
that they could grow conifers in Scotland just as well as 
they could do in England. “And now, ladies and gentle- 
men,” said the young laird of Murthly in conclusion, “1 
invite you to come with me through the grounds and see 
for yourselves.” 
Under the genial leadership of Mr Steuart Fothringham, the 
rest of the afternoon was most agreeably spent in visiting this 
enchanting arboreal paradise, where something of interest met 
the eye at almost every step, and the eager looks and inquiring 
remarks of the numerous company, plainly told how deeply 
they were interested in all they saw, and how much they 
admired the sylvan riches of Murthly. The gardens, lawns, 
~ 
