386 EDITOR'S BOX. [March, 



that time it was figured and described in the Society's ' Transactions/ 

 but has only lately been brought before the notice of the public. 



It may be somewhat interesting to give a short outline of how 'Kay's 

 Dendrotneter ' came to be constructed. Many years ago it occurred tome 

 that there ought to be a more simple means of ascertaining the height 

 of trees and other objects than by having recourse to mathematical 

 calculation. Having turned the matter over in my mind, I set to 

 work to construct a quadrant to a fixed scale, and after having it so 

 far constructed, it occurred to me that by a simple modification it 

 could be made to measure height at any convenient distance, and that 

 without any calculation. 



Having thus elaborated the idea, and after having my first sketch 

 completed, my brother and sister, who knew of my little invention, 

 were very anxious one day to have the ' Dendrometer' put to the test, 

 and they concocted a little plot to make me try the Dendrometer on 

 the flag-staff in front of my house. After being prevailed upon, I at 

 last set to work to ascertain the height of the pole. I need scarcely 

 say all eyes were directed towards me. At last I pronounced the 

 height, whereupon my brother observed that it would do. This 

 somewhat astonished me, and I asked how he knew. ' I know,' he 

 said, and kept me puzzling over the matter for a while. At last I 

 was told that, in order to test the accuracy of my Dendrometer, they 

 had measured the haulyards of the flag-pole. Thus I was put to the 

 test and did not know of it. 



The instrument has lain in abeyance since 1869, till, two years 

 ago, I wrote Mr. M'Laren, secretary of the Scottish Arboricultural 

 Society, asking the liberty of the Council to have it again brought 

 under the notice of the Society, as there was a great want of some 

 practical method of measuring the height of specimen trees at the 

 annual excursions, and that I was afraid that, from a misprint in the 

 initial letters descriptive of the instrument when it appeared in the 

 Society's ' Transactions,' that it had never been properly understood. 



My application was acceded to, and a practical illustration of the 

 construction and mode of using the instrument was given, which met 

 with general approval ; and with the concurrence of the Council I 

 was awarded a No. 1 silver medal, which I hold with the greatest 

 veneration. 



The instrument has lately been put in the market, and has been 

 well received and favourably spoken of. Mr. Fowler, writing in the 

 Gardeners Chronicle, remarks that 'Kay's Dendrometer is one 

 of the cheapest, simplest, and best that he has ever come across.' 



Woods and Forests also observes : ' There are various methods 

 of ascertaining the height of trees, all more or less satisfactory, but 

 the simplest and most ef&cient contrivance that has coms under our 



