THE TWENTY-EIGHTH ANNUAL EXCURSION. 189 
the party to Pollok, and expressed Sir John’s regret that he 
was unable to be present. Mr Murray referred to the great 
difficulty they experienced in getting trees to grow at Pollok 
owing to the impure atmosphere. Mr Buchanan gave the 
health of Sir John Stirling-Maxwell and Mr Murray, and asked 
Mr Murray to convey to Sir John the thanks of the party for 
his kindness in allowing them to visit his property, and for 
his splendid hospitality; and thereafter, under the guidance 
of Mr Heron, the gardener, a visit was paid to the flower- 
garden, on which extensive alterations have recently been 
made, and grounds. A very remarkable beech tree was seen 
in the grounds. This tree has really no stem, the branches 
arising from the ground level, and giving the tree the aspect 
of a gigantic ‘witches’ broom.” The saw-mill, the most up- 
to-date yet seen by the Society, was next visited. The party 
then walked back past Pollok House and rejoined their 
conveyances; and a drive through the North Wood by way 
of the fine avenue, which from the house to the gate is fully 
a mile long, brought them to Haggs Castle, where a halt 
was made for a few minutes, and thence it was continued to 
Glasgow. Passing through the North Park a fine artificial 
pond was noted, and here the party had an excellent opportunity 
of seeing the deleterious effects produced on the growth of trees 
by a polluted atmosphere such as that which obtains in this 
district, the effect being especially marked on the Scots pine. 
On reaching Glasgow the members of the party took their 
various ways homeward, and so the Twenty-eighth Annual 
Excursion of the Society, favoured all through by the best of 
weather, came to an end. 
