128 FOBESTBY THE PIONEER OF AGBICULTUBE. [Dec, 



important concession, viz., the facility now offered and power granted 

 to Irish landed proprietors to borrow money from Government to carry 

 out planting operations under a clause inserted in the Irish Tramways 

 Bill, which passed during the past session. This is an important 

 step in the right direction, and if such facilities are offered to Ireland, 

 why should not the same favours be extended to England and Scot- 

 land, where proprietors have shown a keener interest in carrying out 

 planting operations. There is another view of this subject, which I think 

 I may be pardoned for introducing here, and that is the benefits and 

 comforts derived directly by the general public from forestry. I main- 

 tain that forestry is not only the pioneer of agriculture, but certainly 

 an important factor, as it regards its effects on the masses of the 

 world's population, comprehending and containing its various bearings, 

 developments, aspects, and effects, a world-wide area and importance. 

 We reason under this head that if we had more judicious planting 

 we should, as a result, have more grain produced in Britain, and 

 as a result require to import less. We should have more valuable 

 herbage, and hence could produce more cattle and sheep, and thereby 

 materially assist in finding food for the million. All-important 

 as this application of forestry is, it has a still more direct application 

 to the well-being of our people. I am not here to-day as an historian 

 to say in what form this small ball called Earth left the hands of the 

 great Architect of the Universe, nor can I tell how long old Eather 

 Chaos reigned therein, but I read of a time when he was dethroned, 

 and order reigned supreme. I read of a beautiful world prepared for 

 man's reception, and in the great work of creation I follow a marvel- 

 lous fitness and adaptability in all things, and one of the most won- 

 derful developments and illustrations of that fitness I take it vms the 

 creation of trees bearing seed, reproducing their own species and de- 

 veloping variety. What I wish to evolve here is the fact that trees 

 were created with powers of reproduction fitted to meet man's wants ; 

 they are absolutely necessary and indispensable in meeting man's 

 requirements and necessities. Need I remind you how largely trees, 

 converted into timber, have entered into many of the greatest events 

 in the world's history? I shall not attempt to cite instances — they are 

 too numerous. Wliilst discountenancing wars, and owning that war, 

 with all the glory that can be ascribed to it, is an unqualified evil ; 

 whilst we admit this, we must still be prepared to own that the old 

 wooden walls were the means employed, to a great extent, in making 

 and keeping England what she is to- day — the greatest naval power in 

 the world ; and although timber does not occupy such an important 

 position in the 'construction of our naval fleet as it was wont to do, 

 simply because the genius of Sir Wm. Armstrong and his coadjutors 

 produced engines of destruction before which the wood walls could not 



