1886.] SOCIETIES. 579 



The Chairman said there were five more councillors required, and 

 it was agreed that the following gentlemen should be added to the 

 list : — Mr. Cowan, Soutli Shields ; Mr. George Dixon, Chester ; Mr. 

 Black, Malton ; IMr. Patterson, Isle of Wight ; and Mr. Wilson, 

 Leazes Park. 



The Secretary moved the re-appointment of the local secretaries, 

 with the addition of j\Ir. Patterson, of the Isle of Wight, which was 

 seconded by Mr. Milne, and agreed to. 



Mr. Wardle proposed the re-election of Mr. Davidson as secretary 

 and treasurer. 



Mr. W. Fell said he did not think they could have a better man. 

 They M-ere much indebted to Mr. Davidson. He had carried on the 

 work in an agreeable and very able manner. He had throughout 

 shown the greatest kindness and courtesy to the members, and he 

 thought they owed him a debt of gratitude for his able management 

 of the Society since its commencement. He had great pleasure in 

 seconding the proposition. 



The motion was unanimously agreed to. 



The auditors, Mr. Balden, Dilston, and Mr. Bowmaker, Xaworth, 

 were also unanimously re-elected. 



The question of engaging a photographer for the Society, and 

 other matters, were left in the hands of the committee of transactions. 



The reports of Local Secretaries were heard, Mr. Wardle remark- 

 ing that very little had been done in the way of reading papers or 

 pushing the claims of the Society in his district, but it arose more 

 from being busily engaged in other things than from lack of interest 

 in the Society. 



The Secretary said they had had some meetings in the neighbourhood 

 of Hexham, but more activity was wanted among individual 

 members and local secretaries. There was an existing necessity for 

 the science being pressed to the front, and the Arboricultural 

 Society was calculated to do it. Politics at present seemed to be 

 the order of the day, and though reforming politicians had much to 

 say on the land question, there was nothing about Forestry ; and 

 w'hen they looked at the millions of acres of waste land in the 

 United Kingdom, they were forced to the conclusion that, instead 

 of the population that are overstocking the towns and cities, and 

 others in the country getting their three acres of land, they could 

 have fifty, but the forester must precede them and prepare the way ; 

 so that there is every inducement for the Society and its workers to 

 hold on their way, and seek to advance its claims, and prove it to 

 be a national benefit. 



Some other matters, such as a register for foresters and an 

 excursion for 1886, were left to the decision of the Council. 



