Memoir of the late John Hutton Balfour. 221 



There is much to be said in favour of this kind of teaching. 

 In addition to his daily lectures in the class-room, he spent an 

 hour every day in the gardens with his students, giving them 

 practical demonstrations on living plants. He had moreover 

 practical classes, in which for many years he was ably assisted by 

 his friend the late John Sadler. 



It was however in the field that Professor Balfour shone most. 

 Every Saturday during the session, accompanied by a band of 

 students, Professor Balfour made an excursion into the country ; 

 and thus by means of these weekly excursions, he was enabled 

 to infuse into the minds of his pupils not a little of the enthusiasm 

 for Field Botany, for which he was so distinguished. 



Great distances were frequently travelled in these excursions, 

 and not a few new stations for rare plants were discovered, and 

 recorded. On the last week of the session the excursion was 

 generally to some Alpine district, the party leaving Edinburgh 

 on the Friday, and returning on the Saturday evening ; Ben 

 Lawers being a favourite place for this excursion. After the 

 completion of the session, the Professor generally went with a 

 few students for a week to some part of the Highlands ; and 

 before the days of the railway, very long excursions were formed 

 on foot, and not unfrequently heavy burdens were borne ; for 

 they had often to carry their knapsacks on their backs. 



On such occasions the enthusiasm of the Professor knew no 

 bounds, and he was able to undergo very great exertion. The 

 Professor was well-known in all parts of the Highlands, and 

 generally was allowed free access to visit the mountains. Deer- 

 forests were not so common then as now, but even to these 

 deer-forests the Professor generally was granted free access 

 by the proprietors, with most of whom he was personally 

 acquainted. 



On one famous occasion, however, he was interfered with by 

 the late Duke of Athole, on the 21st August, 1847. Professor 

 Balfour and a party had been botanising the hills around Brae- 

 mar, and were on their way home. They were proceeding 

 down Glen Tilt, when near Blair Athole, they encountered the 

 Duke and a number of his men. 



Out of this incident arose a famous law plea, which ended in 

 the opening of Glen Tilt as a public right of way from Blair 

 Athole to Braemar. The incident has been commemorated in 

 immortal song by Sir Douglas Maclagan. 



