3oS The j'oumal of Fores/ ly. 



Viw Skinner lias consented to act as the agent of tlie trustees in all 

 matters relating to these prizes, and will furnish all information in 

 regard to them. 



Competitors may order their seeds and trees through ]\Ir. Skinner, 

 who will arrange with the principal tree and seed dealers and nursery- 

 men in the United States and Europe for the lowest possible rates. 



All competitors will be expected to keep as accurate accounts as 

 possible of the cost of forming and maintaining their plantations, 

 and to furnish tiie trustees, from time to time, with such information 

 in regard to them as they may require. 



The above prizes are offered by the " ^lassachusetts Society for 

 Promoting Agriculture," and we would strongly recommend the 

 excellent example set by it to the favourable notice and considera- 

 tion of the Eoyal Agricultural Societies of England and Ireland, in 

 default of a properly constituted Arboricultural Society or Govern- 

 ment authority in either country, the special duty of which we hold 

 ought to be the promotion and encouragement of the judicious and 

 profitable planting of trees, and the efficient teaching of arboriculture 

 in all its various branches. 



The Scottish Arboriculture Society is, we believe, doing much 

 valuable and praiseworthy work with comparatively small means, in 

 furthering the interests and spreading a correct knowledge of arboricul- 

 ture throughout the United Kingdom ; and when tlie means at its 

 command will permit, no doubt it will offer prizes for this and 

 similar objects in connection v/ith the extension and improvement of 

 our plantations, in addition to those it already offers for essays on 

 practical forestry and kindred subjects. In the meantime we think 

 the Highland and Agricultural Society might, with much advantage, 

 take a leaf out of the book of the Massachusetts society, and devote 

 a share of the large surplus funds, which it is happily in possession 

 of, to the promotion and encouragement of the extensive planting of 

 the bare wastes, muirlands, and mountain-slopes, which still occupy 

 such a large extent of the country, and can never be profitably culti- 

 vated as arable land, or put to any other use half so remunerative to 

 the proprietors or beneficial to the country. 



Xow that the city of Edinburgh has acted so liberally in purchasing 

 the house and grounds of Inverleith, and has handed them over free 

 to the Government for the purpose of forming an arboretum, &c., in 

 connection with the adjacent Royal Botanic Gardens, we trust that 

 the f[uestion of the foundation of a School of Eorestry in connection 

 tlierewitli Avill receive the earnest attention it deserves at the liaiiils 



