Editor's Box. 1 1 5 



I should fall far short of the mark, but in the form of a letter I shall make 

 a few brief remarks. I do sincerely hope that each and every one of we 

 foresters will bestir ourselves, and do what we can in contributing to its 

 pages, both practically and scientifically, as far as our abilities and oppor- 

 tunities will permit, thereby adding our mite towards the advancement of 

 knowledge and the interests of our craft. In the introductory notes every- 

 thing is so full and comprehensive that even the greatest critic would be at 

 fault, should he contemplate the idea of adding or diminishing therefrom. No 

 doubt of late ye .rs the science of forestry has made rapid strides in the way 

 •of advancement, and a long-felt want is now supplied by the Journal of 

 Fores fri/, which will be the medium of communication whereby all inte- 

 rested in the science may concentrate and utilize their practice, thoughts, 

 and ideas. The Journal of Forestry being still in its infancy, no one can 

 even imagine what the ultimate results of its influence and instruction may 

 tend to produce ; indeed, the conservation of timber is of primary im- 

 portance, as it sujiplies an infinite number of man's wants. We may say 

 that the love of trees forms one of the deepest and earliest impulses of 

 human nature ; in fact, its unwritten history is coeval with man upon earth. 

 We have great reason to be thankful for the help afforded by the Scottish 

 Arboricultural Society in the advancement of scientific knowledge, and 

 with the monthly Journal of Forestry we can easily picture to ourselves a 

 rapid improvement in the principles raid practice of arboriculture. 



It has been truly said that the one-half of every well-spent life has been 

 devoted to acquiring facts, and the other half to making use of them ; but 

 to draw the hue of demarcation between these two periods of man's life 

 would be a diflBcult problem to solve. Now as none of us can tell how 

 long we may be frvges consiimcre natus, he certainly does well who not 

 only uses, but imparts facts as soon as he is certain they are correct. If 

 we look at the area over which the skill of the British forester extends, we 

 find its extent, both in its geographical range and its physiological aspects* 

 to be indeed very great. Each geographic province or zone has its appro- 

 priate flora, from the high water line of tidal seas to the lower line of 

 perpetual snow on the loftiest mountain-ranges, where the scrub of the 

 Ohor is washed by the eddies; aye, even to the flowing torrent of the 

 Jordan, the bed of which is said to be fully 1,000 feet below the surface 

 level of the Mediterranean Sea. 



Continuing my remarks on the contents of your first number, I come now 

 to the editorial notes, in which it is justly said that British foresters and the 

 Government may well be ashamed of the feeble attempts they have made to 

 promote the interests of their portion of the national industry ; but the time 

 has now come when every forester must put his shoulder to the wheel, and 

 endeavour to do his utmost to raise himself and his profession into the 

 highest ranks of scientific and practical industry. Of the summer opera- 

 tions beneficial to woodlands much could be said, but the very able paper 

 by the late president of the Scottish Arboricultural Society comprehends 

 nearly everything, and, like the introductory notes, leaves little if any room 

 for comment. In the selection and marking of, trees to be removed or 



