328 SECTIONAL TRANSACTIONS.—E. 
and danger from flooding, the elevated valley floor areas of alluvial accumula- 
tion carry a modification of the large-scale mixed farming of Strathmore, 
founded on security of land tenure, suitable rotations, sound drainage 
method, and easy access to markets. Small-holdings are few, and farms 
generally exceed 300 acres. Cereal cultivation is confined to the alluvium, 
and oats, the dominant crop, is grown to an elevation of 850 ft. Agri- 
cultural vicissitudes of the last decade have been responsible for a marked 
increase in head of stock, sheep having increased by 50,000. Inability to 
grow barley economically has been responsible for a two-thirds decrease 
in the area under that crop. ‘The oats, turnips, and potatoes acreage has 
remained steady, while permanent grass has shown a substantial increase. 
Development of stock-raising at the expense of arable agriculture has led 
to recent depopulation, the people having moved from the valleys to the 
Highland margin farming districts. Nevertheless, the present density, 
g per square mile, is high for an upland area. 
The etymology alone bears evidence of former Celtic influence in this 
region. The present population is of well-mixed origin, and is largely 
derived from capable Strathmore farming stock introduced when this area 
was under ecclesiastical jurisdiction, and later. 
' AFTERNOON. 
Excursion around Aberdeen. 
Friday, September 7. 
Lord Provost HENRY ALEXANDER.—The Aberdeen planning scheme (9.45). 
The Aberdeen and District Joint Town Planning Scheme, which received 
the final approval of the Department of Health for Scotland on March 17, 
1933, and which has therefore been in operation for a year and a half, covers 
an area of 96:96 square miles and is the largest scheme of the kind so far 
carried out in Scotland. It comprises land lying within the city of Aberdeen 
and within the adjoining counties of Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire, 
and it was prepared by a Joint Committee set up with statutory powers 
under the Town Planning (Scotland) Act, 1925. This committee, which 
began work in 1928, acted throughout in close consultation with all inter- 
ested parties, and, thanks to the enlightened support of the landowners of 
the region, it was able to carry its proposals with comparatively few modi- 
fications. ‘The scheme includes a complete system of radial and ring roads, 
zoning and density provisions, and ample reservations of land for recrea- 
tional and amenity purposes. In particular, the landscape features of the 
sea-coast and river valleys have been safeguarded. Similarly, the economic 
interests of the region have been secured by the reservation of industrial 
areas. 
Mr. J. CruicksHaNK.—The Aberdeen Foint Town-Planning Scheme : 
landward section (10.25). 
The region round. the city of Aberdeen lends itself admirably to the 
purposes of town planning, for it is favoured by natural assets which are 
but rarely found. 
In the first place the area takes the form of a horse-shoe with a chain of 
hills which form a natural outer border or rim. In the second place there 
is the sea-coast, with sandy beaches or bold cliffs. Lastly, there are its 
two rivers, the Dee and Don, and their lower tributaries. 
