210 ENGLISH ABBOBICULTUBAL SOCIETY. [Jan., 



The financial statement was also approved and satisfaction expressed 

 at there being a very fair balance in hand. 



The reports of local secretaries were also heard. Mr. Wilson, of 

 Greystoke, could not report very great progress in his neighbourhood, 

 as foresters and others were widely scattered, and it was difficult to 

 get them together for a meeting. 



Mr. Clark, of Blenkinsopp, reported that two meetings had been 

 held, and papers read in his district (viz., at Hexham) during the past 

 year, and thought they were calculated to increase interest in the 

 society. 



The Chairman then addressed the meeting. He had hoped that he 

 would not have been called to fill that position on that day, but their 

 noble president, the Earl of Durham, had written the secretary that he 

 could not be present owing to a prior engagement, and Mr. Howard 

 was from home. But he was glad that he could congratulate the 

 meeting that the society was now formed. At the same time he 

 was sorry it had not received that support which might have been 

 expected, and could only attribute the apathy manifested to a want 

 of interest in tree-growing. Still, the support they had received was 

 encouraging, and no doubt the further they went south the more they 

 would increase. He was glad to say that in regard to the obtaining of in- 

 formation, and beginning practical discussion in this important science, 

 a veteran forester (Mr. Clark, of Dukes field) had given them the lead 

 in that neighbourhood, and read the first paper to the society, and 

 they would now have to begin actual work and do something to bring 

 out the transactions of the society and make it known. Facts in 

 connection with forestry ought to be sent in by the members as they 

 were meeting with them in tlieir every-day practical experience. He 

 regretted that no outside meetings had been held and excursions made 

 to places of interest in forestry, and considered they would learn most 

 in that way by the practical exchange of opinion on the ground of the 

 forester's operations. He thought also that local secretaries ought to 

 send in accounts of planting and other important improvements, such 

 as the planting of hills, &c., that might be going on in their different 

 neighbourhoods, which were sure to prove interesting and useful to the 

 society. In reference to the planting of hills, they might very likely 

 have to wait a long time for a direct profit from such plantations 

 themselves, but looking at the increased value "of laud by the shelter 

 obtained from them, they would amply repay the cost, and experiments 

 in this direction ought to be made. He considered the worst-managed 

 trees on estates were those in hedgerows, but of course the hand of 

 the agriculturist was generally against them, as they were looked upon 

 as intruders and encroachers on his rights, and hindrances to his 

 operations in many ways. But he thought hedgerows running north 



