62 LOCH CRERAN. 



berries of the rowan and its still more brilliantly and 

 variously coloured leaves. Indeed, as we passed up 

 towards the falls on the little river that sweeps so grace- 

 fully by Barcaldine garden, we feasted our eyes on the 

 rowan trees, gleaming in shades from the palest yellow to 

 the richest carmine, in which the moisture still glistened ; 

 while through between the branches the eye still rested 

 on the cool green fronds of luxuriant ferns in the 

 sheltered nooks on the banks. Where a few weeks ago 

 we could stand on the little wooden bridge, with greenery 

 all about us, and peep through varied summer tints at 

 the cups and the curves, the poised boulders and the 

 trembling undermined rocks of the bed of the wild 

 mountain torrent that dashs beneath our feet, to-day it 

 only impresses our friend with sadness, as the water sings 

 a doleful dirge over the waning year, and a brilliant leaf 

 of carmine from the rowan slips from its hold and circles 

 downward into the waters like a sympathetic tear. We 

 have no such feelings, but think only of the bold embryo 

 that has pushed its predecessor off, telling it jocularly 

 that it has had its swing, and has departed gracefully 

 from the scene ! What more can any of us do ? We 

 look in upon our friend at the garden, who surprises our 

 companion by showing him all the latest novelties and 

 improvements in agriculture, at which he is an adept. 

 Any one who is only acquainted with old fashioned times 

 and old world ways, must be surprised at the progress. 

 made of late, and no improvement effected is more 

 ingenious or effective than the supply of artificial combs 

 for the bees to work upon, and save their time and 

 energies gathering wax ; for one pound of wax is said to 

 cost more labour than 2olb. of honey. A number of 

 dead bees lie outside one of the hives, where they have 



