DISCIPLES AND SYMPATHISERS AT DROUGHSBURN. 347 



him with pleasant anticipations, at once went to meet him, 

 and found him brisk and blithe, with a fine flower of the 

 White Ox-eye (Chrysanthemum leucanthemuiri) stuck gaily in 

 his button-hole and a beautiful flower it is, commonplace 

 as it is counted, surpassing many of our lauded garden 

 asters. Holding up a parcel he carried, he exclaimed, "Sal, 

 lad, I hae something here for ye ! " As they walked towards 

 the cottage, John directed his attention to the flower in his 

 coat, and described the structure of the composite order, 

 of which it is a very good, clear example. While tea was 

 being prepared by the good mother, John, ever careful of 

 the fragments of time, asked the lad to show his recent 

 gatherings and get them named till the kettle boiled. After 

 tea, which revived him greatly, being somewhat worn out 

 by his long journey, the naming was resumed. This was 

 accompanied by a varied commentary, scientific, social, and 

 personal, all interesting and picturesque, as suggested by 

 the plants. When this was finished, he opened the parcel 

 he had himself brought, and described specimens of the 

 rarer kinds, which he promised to " divide wi' " Willie after 

 he had pressed them, when he came up to see him at the 

 Droichs burn. 



At subsequent visits, botanical investigations were con- 

 tinued, the mysterious boxes shown only to the worthy 

 were opened, the books looked over, the herbarium untied, 

 weaving described, and early memories of his life related. 

 As their intimacy grew, they met twice or thrice every 

 week. They botanised together all over the country 

 round Alford and along the banks of the Don. Under 

 John's direction, Deans also visited many of John's early 

 haunts ; amongst others, Castle Forbes, Monymusk, and 



