SECTIONAL TRANSACTIONS .—E. 329 
The horse-shoe or fan-shaped formation lends itself readily to a series 
of ring roads. ‘These ring roads would afford shorter distances for traffic 
and they would relieve the congestion in overcrowded streets in or near 
the city, while they would help internal development along their routes. 
In regard to zoning, and to the number of dwelling-houses per acre, 
certain districts have been placed as low as two to the acre (where this is 
the number that these districts have already set for themselves), while 
eight to the acre may be taken as a fair average. The number may rise to 
sixteen and even as high as twenty-four in industrial areas. 
Open spaces have been carefully studied and are expected to keep pace 
with the progress of building developments. Where a landowner sets 
aside part of an area for an open space he may build on the remainder at a 
correspondingly greater rate of density in the number of houses. 
Amenity has been kept in view by listing objects of historic interest or 
of unusual scenic value or archeological note. Experience already gained 
goes to show that the communities concerned stand to gain materially by 
the operations of town planning. 
Discussion on Planning (11.0). 
Dr. CATHERINE P. SNopGRass.—Agricultural distributions in Aberdeenshire 
and Kincardine (11.40). 
The contrast between the agriculture of the lowlands north and south 
of the Highland boundary is illustrated. In southern Kincardine the farm- 
ing system resembles that of the rest of Strathmore, the emphasis being on 
cash-cropping (grain and potatoes) with associated cattle-feeding and sub- 
sidiary stock rearing. In Aberdeenshire and northern Kincardine the main 
concern is cattle rearing and feeding, and the most characteristic feature of 
the agricultural distributions is their uniformity, the sharp contrasts which 
occur in many parts of Scotland with variations in physical conditions 
being, with few exceptions, absent. This uniformity can be attributed 
(1) to the physical conditions which set limits to the possible variations 
from the prevailing type ; (2) to the distance from large centres of popula- 
tion, which practically confines dairying and commercial potato production 
to the Aberdeen neighbourhood ; and (3) to the great influence of tradition. 
The crops best suited to this region can only be effectively marketed by 
adopting some form of stock farming, and the existing system, with its 
overwhelming emphasis on beef production, subsidiary pig and poultry 
tearing and almost complete exclusion of sheep (a feature rapidly altering 
during the present decade), has gradually evolved in response to changing 
economic conditions. 
Major M. Hotine.—National maps as backgrounds (12.0). 
Consideration of the work of the early geographers and surveyors. Value 
of a map as providing an environment or landscape for demonstration and 
explanation of many subjects of interest. Advantages of illustration by 
map over mete statistical tabulation. 
Early Ordnance Survey maps were on copper. Everything to be shown 
had to be engraved and incorporated on the map itself. Photo-mechanical 
process of map reproduction, its genesis, and how it made possible the use 
of overprints for showing special information. Collection of information 
by Directors-General of the Survey, with special reference to details of 
1 Read by Mr. S. J. K. Baker. 
