| Description | Farming diary, no. 24.
23 April - 30 June 1898
Attends displenish sale of the late Charles Leys, Kirkstyle, Kemnay; attends committee meeting on the Laird's Jubilee; sells four cattle to Mr Alsop for £63; buys a stirk from John Cameron for £7; sells tickets for the Laird's dinner; attends James Emslie's funeral with Andrew; attends displenish sale of Barra Bourtie and, the next day, one at South Keithney; lays down turnips for the first time in the year; attends meeting on Mr Burnett's complimentary dinner; engages Willie for summer half-year at £14; pays rent at Kemnay House; the tenants and feuars on the Estate of Kemnay entertain the Laird, Mr Burnett, to dinner and present him with an illuminated address in celebration of his Jubilee - 'I enjoyed the whole thing very well'; the Jubilee committee commends the success of the event; sees the procession of Sanger's Circus at Inverurie, but strongly dislikes the performance - 'in fact we were disgusted with the whole thing'; Mary, Andrew and Willie attend meeting concerning 'Dr Barnard's' work; attends prayer meeting and meeting of Session; Mary, Andrew and Johnnie attend the F.C. Choir of Kemnay picnic and climb Bennachie; attends prayer meeting and Deacons' Court.
1 July - 30 September 1898
Takes Aberdeen tram to Bridge of Don and looks round the old bridge; collects for the sustentation fund; engages a daughter of William Peter for the harvest at £4..0..0; attends prayer meeting and Deacons' Court; enjoys day out in Peterhead with Bella; Willie attends the Haddo House Games; goes on holiday to Orkney with Mr Bain, Mr Adam and Mr Reid - they visit friends of Mr Bain, various places on the Islands such as Stromness, Longhope and Kirkwall and return by the train from Wick; enjoys day in Tillyfour with Bella, Auntie Mary and friends; takes sustentation fund money to Peter Dunbar; they commence the harvest on 30 August and take clyack on 17 September.
1 October 1898 - 30 January 1899
Pays Elsie Peter her wages of £4..0..0; Willie commences to plough for the first time in the season; buries a dead stirk; goes to Mrs Watt's for the sustentation money; attends prayer meeting and Deacons' Court; sells eight cattle to Mr Lyon for £138..0..0; they have their harvest supper - 'a jolly evening'; attends meeting where Mr McCombie gives an account of his County Council work as their representative; buys new suit from James Diack for £2..12..6; attends displenish sale at Foot o' Hill, Newhills, and buys two stirks; attends Inverurie feeing market and engages Alexander Berry to work the horses for £14; pays rent and tradesmen's accounts; Andrew goes to Edinburgh for some agricultural classes; sells Dick the horse for £30; Mr Alsop buys the white cow for £15; records vote for Parish Council; presides at prayer meeting at Church; 'I went to the funeral of William Davidson that was killed by the train on Saturday I think it was the largest funeral I ever saw'; attends prayer meeting and meeting of Session; helps deal with fire at Alexander Henderson's Glenhead - the house is saved, but the barn and byre are burned to the ground; Andrew attends Donald Ross's funeral; buys two cattle in Aberdeen for £17..5..0; attends cantata at the Free Church; buys a new shalt for £18..4..0; attends prayer meeting and Deacons' Court; attends 'the boy Imlach's' funeral; attends William Gardner's funeral; buys cow for £14..7..6. |