THE TWENTY-EIGHTH ANNUAL EXCURSION. 185 
The Excursionists were kindly entertained to luncheon by Mr 
and Mrs Younger, and Mr Younger, who presided, welcomed 
the party to Benmore, and hoped they would repeat their visit. 
The healths of Mr Younger and his factor, Mr Cameron, were 
proposed by Sir Archibald Buchan Hepburn and Mr Buchanan 
respectively, and three cheers were given for Mr Younger’s 
household. The beautiful gardens and other parts of the 
grounds were afterwards inspected, and a most enjoyable 
outing, to which the attention bestowed on the party by Mr 
Cameron, and by Messrs Stewart and Greenlaw, the forester 
and gardener respectively at Benmore, contributed in no small 
measure, was thus brought to a close. The party returned from 
Blairmore Pier, and travelling va Gourock reached Glasgow 
at 8.40. 
On Friday, 7th July, the programme included the West of 
Scotland Agricultural Experimental Station and Dairy School 
at Kilmarnock, and the estates of Cessnock, Lanfine, and 
Loudon. Starting from St Enoch’s Station at 8 a.m., Kilmarnock 
was reached about g, and thence the party was driven in 
conveyances to the Experimental Station at Holmes Farm. 
Mr Johnstone, on behalf of the Governors of the College, 
welcomed the party, and thereafter they were conducted over 
the various parts of the experimental ground by Principal 
Wright, Professor M‘Alpine, Mr Drummond, and Mr Tudhope, 
the superintendent. Principal Wright and Professor M‘Alpine 
described the experimental work which is being carried on, and 
the latter furnished many interesting and important details 
regarding the experiments. The Dairy School and the 
beginning of what is to form a demonstration plot for forestry 
teaching were the last items on the programme, on the con- 
clusion of which three hearty cheers were given for Principal 
Wright and his staff, and a start was made for Cessnock. 
This part of Ayrshire is not extensively wooded, and the 
plantations for the most part consist of shelter-belts. By far 
the best timber seen was at Crosslands, where there is a fine 
Scots pine-wood about go years old. The trees are of 
clean growth, and the volume of the timber on the ground is 
estimated at somewhere about 2500 cubic feet per acre. Of 
course a great deal of timber has already been removed from 
the plantation, but as to the amount of this no information was 
obtained. On arrival at Cessnock Tower, luncheon was served 
