72 2 1 lie j'cunial of Fo}estry. 



before coming to this place I had the good fortune to spend three years 

 in a good provincial nursery, where I learned all that it was necessary 

 for me to know about the management of plants in the earlier stages of 

 their growth, as well as the names, habits, and appearance of the rarer 

 conifers, shrubs, ''&c., which have been introduced into this country, and I 

 must say that the knowledge which I acquired then has been of the 

 greatest advantage to me on many occasions since. IS'ow I trust that ifc 

 is not presumption on my part to have the ambition to endeavour to 

 get a situation as head forester. I can only say that during the last 

 nine years the thought that I might yet reach that goal has helped to 

 cheer me on through many days of depressing hard work. 



Such being the case, the question is, how am I to attain that object ? 

 So far as I have been able to learn, there are only two courses open for 

 me to follow likely to lead to the desired result. The first is, — I must leave 

 my present situation, and go into some of the Edinburgh nurseries, and 

 labour there until something suitable turns up for me, as I believe for 

 many years^past the Edinburgh nurserymen have had the filling of a 

 great many of the head places throughout Scotland. The second course 

 is to try by some means or other to get into the service of some one of 

 the influential and well-known foresters, who are often called upon to supply 

 noblemen and other landed proprietors with head foresters. Now, sir, 

 for reasons which I need not state here, but which are perfectly legitimate 

 and satisfactory, it is utterly impossible for me to adopt either of the 

 courses referred to, and I know that many of my fellow-workmen, who 

 are just as anxious as I am to push their way, are in somewhat similar 

 circumstances. Since this duty has been thrust upon nurserymen, I have 

 no doubt at all but that they have done it to the best of their ability, 

 and with the utmost impartiality, as well as in the case of the other gentle- 

 men referred to. However, it is high time that this most important 

 business should be arranged in a more accessible and satisfactory manner, 

 in the interest of those more immediately concerned. In furtherance of 

 this object I would suggest what appears to me to be a simple but eflfectual 

 remedy for this anomalous state of afiairs. 



The Scottish Arboricultural Society should draw up a list of subjects 

 which it considers essentially necessary for every forester to know, and also 

 appoint a board of properly qualified examiners, who would be charged 

 with the duty of examining young men, who were desirous of qualifying 

 themselves as master foresters, upon their knowledge of these subjects, 

 these examinations to be held at such times and places as would be con- 

 sidered most suitable and convenient for all parties ; and if a full register 

 were kept by the Society of all the young men who successfully passed these 

 examinations, I think that landed proprielors would only be too glad to 

 secure the services of men thus accredited. If something like this w^ere 

 set agoing by such an influential Society, it would give every young forester 

 in the country a fair chance of bettering his condition, and attaining the 

 position for which he is best qualified. For surely it is a most humili- 

 ating thing, that after a young man has done all in his power to fit himself 



