6o The Journal of Forestry. 



clean and sound as when first put up, the surface of the iron never having 

 become broken or corroded. 



In another paper from the same author " On Two New Modes of 

 Fencing," a process is first described by which a " PolJard Fence "is 

 formed, witli pollard trees, larch stobs, wires, staples, and winders, 

 which may be very picturesque, but in our opinion it will not " supersede 

 any kind of fenciug yet introduced ; " although such an o])iuion is ex- 

 pressed by the author, and the fence said to combine " strength, durability, 

 ornament, and invisibility." The second new mode, " The Willow Hedge," 

 presents us v.'ith a neat design of an old pattern, but is not much of a 

 fence against cattle or sheep, who would delight to browse upon and eat 

 their way through it. 



In a third article from the same prolific author, " On the Best Method 

 of Seasoning Timber," we get some good suggestions, that by ringing 

 standing timber a year before it is felled, it will thereby become seasoned 

 and ready for use immediately after it is cut down, a theory that is 

 already held, and to a limited extent worked upon in some parts of the 

 country, but which wants to be much more extensively proved and tested 

 by competent authorities before it can be recommended as the best method 

 of seasoning timber ; and we fail to see how the process will ever increase 

 the value of the timber to the owner l)y over 30 per cent., as calculated in 

 the paper before us. 



A committee of the Society having been appointed to superintend a grant 

 from the British Association, for the prosecution of an inquiry into the 

 influence of forests on climate, and ultimately in reference to the influence 

 of forests on rainfall, a series of interesting and carefully conducted ex- 

 periments have been carried on for some time at Carnwath, in Lanark- 

 shire, upon which Mr. Buchan, M.A., F.B.S.E., has made a most in- 

 teresting and valuable report, which we hope to see continued yearly till the 

 problems involved are thoroughly investigated and satisfactorily solved, 

 as the subject is of the deepest interest .to this country and its depen- 

 dencies, and could not possibly be in better hands than those of such an 

 eminent scientific meteorologist as the Secretary to the Scottish Meteoro- 

 logical Society. 



Of the remaining two papers, " On Insects Injurious to Forest Trees, 

 and their Destruction, " by Malcolm Dunn, Palace Gardens, Dalkeith ; 

 and last, but by no means least, a " Brief Account of the Royal Forest 

 School at VaUombrosa," Italy, by Hugh Cleghorn, M.D., of Stravithie, 

 St. Andrew's, we need only say that they will well repay a perusal by all 

 who are interested in arboriculture, both being upon subjects that are 

 daily becoming of greater interest, and receiving increased attention in all 

 civilized countries. 



In conclusion, we would recommend all arborists, and those who are 

 interested in trees or timber in any way, to become members of such a 

 useful Society as the Scottish Arboricultural, not only to help on a good 

 cause, but to enjoy the benefit to be derived from reading the " Transac- 

 tions," which are good value for twice the amount of the annual subscrip- 

 tion. 



Through the courtesy of the secretary, Mr. Sadler, F.R.S.P.E., we are 

 enabled on another page to lay before our readers a list of the subjects 

 offered for competition during the present year, with the conditions of 

 competition, and trust that many of them will make an effort to 

 win at least one of the coveted medals, and add their quota to the still 

 limited store of British arboricultural literature. 



