EXCURSION TO STRATHBOGIE, 241 
Excursion to Strathbogie, Aberdeenshire, rst September 1906. 
The second excursion of the Branch took place on September 
Ist, 1906, when, by the kind permission of the Duke of Richmond 
and Gordon, K.G., a visit was paid to His Grace’s Strathbogie 
estate. The party assembled at Huntly station, and, under the 
guidance of Mr John Rule, forester at Huntly Lodge, they were 
conveyed to their destination in brakes. 
The first halt was made at Dunbennan plantation. This plan- 
tation is eighteen years old, about 300 acres in extent, and is 550 
to 600 feet above sea-level. In some parts of the ground which 
are damp the plants have died, so that the plantation is patchy. 
In the part inspected the trees are irregular in their growth, and 
under the average height, the larch being from 16 to 18 feet, and 
the Scots pine from ro to 14 feet, whereas in ordinary soil suited 
to their requirements they should have been from 23 to 25 feet, and 
from 17 to 20 feet respectively; but in other parts of the plantation 
the growth is much better. 
Binhill plantation was next visited. The first part inspected 
is about 500 feet above sea-level, and has a western exposure. 
The crop consists of healthy larch and Scots pine, planted in 
1839, and now 50 to 55 feet high, with well-developed boles 
containing from 12 to 15 cubic feet each. The crop, however, is 
too thin, there being only from 50 to roo trees to the acre. 
After refreshments, kindly provided by Mr Duff, Factor, 
Huntly Lodge, Mr Rule and his assistant, Mr Wilson, took the 
party to the Elfhouse Cave, an historic spot at an elevation of 
850 feet. Here plenty of healthy trees, chiefly larch, from 40 to 
50 feet high and from 8 to ro inches in diameter, were seen ; and 
lower down the hill was a fine lot of larch containing from 15 to 
18 cubic feet of timber each. Mr Rule gave the following inter- 
esting particulars as to the cost of planting the Binhill wood, 
which is 2? miles from east to west and 2} miles from north to 
south, and contains 2258 acres :— 
Fencing (Galloway dyke of angular stone, 34 feet high, 
at 6d. per yard, including carriage), . 4464 4 3 
Draining (open drains in wettest parts, I to 15 foot deep, 
14 to 3 feet wide at top, and 12 inches wide at bottom), 225 15 7 
Road, 15 feet wide, ‘ : A F : 180 0 Oo 
: Grubbing of whins, etc., 54 0 9 
Planting 2257 acs. 2 rds. I pole with "6,387,017 trees 
(= 2830 per acre), as per contract, . = +: kG50) 1Orec 
Expenses of survey, - - . : : {O) T2e0r 
(=41, 6s. per acre) £2956 13 6 
