THE ANNUAL EXCURSION. 79 



"The route followed by the Society when visiting Ardverikie, 

 while arranged to show as much of arboricultural interest as was 

 possible in the limited time, could not embrace those extensive 

 areas in the more remote parts of the property that have been 

 successfully covered with crops of Scots fir. But members were 

 able to see the conspicuous success with which different kinds of 

 conifers can be grown in the Highlands, giving beauty and 

 variety to the landscape. 



"Sir John Ramsden had kindly drawn up a useful memor- 

 andum ^ regarding his planting operations, supplemented by 

 notes prepared by his factor, Mr Sweton Fraser, and this was 

 in the hands of members. Mr Grant Thomson and Mr Fraser 

 were of service in giving information to members throughout 

 the day's excursion. 



"On arriving at the entrance lodge at Kinloch-Laggan, the 

 party was met by Mr Grant Thomson and Mr Sweton Fraser, 

 factor, the former of whom gave them welcome in Sir John 

 Ramsden's name. Driving along the approach as far as Kinloch 

 Road, they left the vehicles and ascended the road to the left, in 

 order to see a very successful crop of Scots firs, planted in 1882. 

 No one could wish for a healthier or denser stretch of woodland 

 than is here visible. A number of the trees near the roadside 

 were raised from seed from the old Caledonian Scots firs on the 

 Binion Hill to the west of Ardverikie House. 



" After entering the carriages, the drive was continued. The 

 road here runs through a forest of ornamental trees, Douglas fir, 

 Abies nobtlis, silver fir, Abies nordmanfiiana, etc., and as all the 

 vehicles were open carriages, a good view was obtained as the 

 excursionists drove along. One fine nobilis, a mile and a quarter 

 from the mansion, known as 'Sir John's Tree,' is about 58 feet 

 in height and 5 ft. 2 ins. in girth at 5 feet up. At Ardverikie 

 House an excellent lunch was provided by the hospitality of 

 Sir John Ramsden. - 



" After luncheon a visit was paid, partly on foot, partly 



^ Printed below, p. 81. 



" Mr Grant Thomson, in the course of some remarks which he made as 

 chairman, alluded to the visit of Queen Victoria and the Prince Consort to 

 Ardverikie in the autumn of 1847, when they had planted a Scots fir and a 

 larch, which are still flourishing. He also mentioned the interesting fact that 

 Sir John Ramsden and himself, who are the two oldest members of the 

 Royal Scottish Arboricultural Society, had between them planted over 

 70,000,000 trees. 



