Scottish Arboricultural Society. 563 



still living, of which he had the dimeusious in 1811, in 1851, iu 1862, and 



in 1877. 



1811. 1851. 1862. 1877. 



1. - 8 ft. 4 in. - 13 ft. in. - 13 ft. 6 in. - 13 ft. 9Hii. 



2. - 8 ft. 1 in. - 12 ft. 1 in. - 13 ft. in. - 13 ft. 3i in. 



3. - 10 ft. 5 in. - 12 ft. 11 in. - 13 ft. in. - 13 ft. in. 



4. - 9 ft. 5 in. - 11 ft. 5 iu. - 12 ft. in. - 12 ft. in. 



These trees were planted about 1754 In addition there were one 

 15 ft. 3 in. in girth, one 15 ft. 1 in., one 11 ft. 8 in., five between 13 ft. and 

 14 ft., six or more between 12 ft. and 13 ft., and a great many others 

 between 11 ft. and 12 ft. and between 10 ft. and 11 ft. These were pro- 

 bably planted between 1751 and 1757. There were also three remarkable 

 hemlock spruces planted about 1757, which had a girth of from 10 ft. 

 to 12 ft. There were also many fine examples of tlie larch, spruce, 

 and Scotch fir, as well as beech and oak, but the silver fir and hemlock 

 constitute one of the most remarkable features of the place. He was 

 afraid that these trees had almost ceased to grow, and that their gradual 

 decay might now be looked for. He had dressed some of them with 

 compost, but without producing any perceptible advantage. He then 

 proceeded to urge the necessity of establishing a School of Forestry 

 in this country, and referred to the thorough and energetic manner 

 iu which Dr. J. C. Brown had taken up the subject, and as president of 

 the society he cordially endorsed and enforced what had been so well begun. 

 There would be, no doubt,- some difficulties iu obtaining recognition 

 from Government of this necessity, and it would probably not be till after a 

 long period of pressing application, and till public opinion had been 

 brought to bear, that the public purse-strings would be drawn. Another 

 difficulty was the feet that, whatever may be the case in India and the 

 colonies, we have at home no large forests under the charge of Govern- 

 ment, and this was an obstacle in the way of the practical education of 

 foresters ; still, in spite of these difficulties and drawbacks, he considered 

 that in a country like this, with so many dependencies and colonies 

 where a knowledge of the science of forestry is ^so necessary, it is 

 absolutely essential that a School of Forestry should be established. It 

 was the duty of the Societ}^, therefore, to awaken intelligent interest in 

 this (juestioi:, and he for one would be glad to do all that he could in and 

 out of Parliament to further this praiseworthy object. He would have 

 wished further to illustrate the necessity for good Schools of Forestry by 

 what was now taking place in India. The wauton destruction of forests 

 in that country had been going on for years. Who could say that the 

 terrible famine which was now devastating some of the fairest provinces 

 of that empire might not be directly traceable to the improvidence of 

 man in denuding the country of its natural vegetation, and so altering all 

 the climatic arrangements of Nature ? In conclusion he would only say 

 how much honoured he felt at having been chosen their President, and 

 how much pleasure it had given him to be present at their meeting, to 



