1883.] THE FOBEST QUESTION IN RUSSIA. 113 



The enactments on the subject require that owners of forest lands 

 shall replant a certain proportion of their property every ten years ; 

 but, owing to the laxity of the Government and the carelessness or 

 corruption of the iorest officials, this regulation has been allowed to 

 become almost a dead letter. New vitality will now be imparted to 

 it, and, provided only that there be no relapse/into beaurocratic 

 apathy, the Government may succeed in postponing for at least 

 some centuries longer the coming of that time when, as a Russian 

 writer gravely predicts, the Empire of the Czar will be turned into a 

 howling . wilderness ; when a camel-post will run from Merv to 

 Moscow ; and the Turcoman, the New Zealander of Russia, will raise 

 his fortress of mud over the ruins of the Kremlin. — Russian 

 Correspondent of The Globe. 



Presentation. — Mr. James Gordon, of Rossdhu, who has been forester on the 

 Luss Estates for about nine years past, was recently presented with a handsome 

 timepiece, a gold Albert, and a purse of sovereigns, by the Luss Literary Associ- 

 ation, on the occasion of his leaving the district for Edinburgh. Mr. Gordon, in 

 the course of his reply to an address at the time of the presentation, said : — He 

 did not require to receive these substantial gifts to be assvu-ed of their respect for 

 him. In reference to his leaving Luss, he would say a few words on the subject 

 •especially as erroneous causes had been assigned for that step. In the outset 

 the cause was not to be found in any lack of indulgent kindness shown him by his 

 employers. To a forester in love with his profession those estates must ever stand 

 high in his esteem. Speaking of the soil, of its aspect, and of its exposure, he 

 need not state that a large portion of these estates was admirably adapted to 

 grow timber. Truly, Luss was not without its attractions for him and all his 

 family. But, as with servants of the State, so with servants of estates : times 

 come unsought for when change is not only desirable but also necessary ; and 

 he therefore resolved upon dissolving his connection with these estatesj and the 

 Trustees very kindly accepted his resignation. The reason might not satisfy 

 them, but it had satisfied one who was perhaps as exacting in the matter of 

 reasons as any among them — he meant himself. In reference to their Associa- 

 tion he had always to guard against undue fervour when speaking of this 

 society, and the present occasion would not justify him in giving imcurbed 

 expi-ession to his feelings. But he would tell them that never Avere the society's 

 prospects better than they were now. The syllabus for this session was an 

 excellent one. They had recently got a large addition to the librar '. Old 

 members stood true to them, and new ones were taking their stand beside them. 

 When men place themselves on the side of good, all good men are on their side, 

 and while acting the part of secretary during past years he had had many 

 striking illustrations of the fact they stated. When they deserved success they 

 had succeeded. Some time ago the services of a professor of elocution were 

 obtiiined for the members. What hinders that professors of geologj^ and botany 

 were not got likewise, so that workers in stone might be taught a scientific know- 

 ledge of stones, and that growers of plants and hewers of wood might come to 

 know something of the wonderful structure of the things they handle ? To be 

 educated, in the strict sense of the word, was what few can aspire to be ; but to 

 be well instructed in the matters with which they daily come into contact, is what 

 every member of this society should regard as possible. He asked them, m 

 conclusion, to accept his thanks for those gifts, for their coming there that night, 

 and thanks for their attentive audience. 



